Ice Pockets

Peter loves to help cook - and he's really very good. Since about 2 1/2 years I've been able to leave him beside the hot stove and not really worry to walk away and check on something else or grab something from the pantry. He's very good at stirring things, and rarely gets burned - like once since we got here and it was so slight he didn't need anything more than a drip of cold water for less than 30 seconds.

Well, about a week or so ago, he was helping to cook. Only the pan wasn't on the burner centered and I guess he decided to fix that problem - not really sure. I had gone over to wipe down the table from the afternoon and set it for dinner. That's when I heard "Mom... I burned myself." In a quiet and calm voice. So I figured it wasn't anything major - never had been. So I continued to wipe down the table while talking to him about it. Suddenly his voice broke and he burst into tears "It really hurts!"

I ran over, grabbed him and threw his hand under cold water - come to find out, some how he'd touched the actual burner (apparently staying calm when hurt is one of his gifts). The cold from the water felt good, but he didn't like the pressure. So I got out a couple of ice cubes and putting them in a plastic zip-lock along with some water, we made an "ice packet" which Peter immediately named an "ice pocket". He kept it beside him all evening and then suddenly announced that his finger was all better.

About two or three days later, I'm working in the kitchen, Peter's been sent to go potty, and I hear Gabi say "Peter! What's wrong!?!" Slightly alarmed. So I turn around to see him, naked bottom and all, laying on the floor, not moving, not making a sound. I jump over, grab him up and he inhales deeply and starts screaming (my little boy, when hurt, cries really hard, as in so hard he stumbles around and falls down because his body can't get the air it wants right away). He has a bloody lip and there is blood all over the carpet! I yelled for Bob, who comes running. Told him there was blood all over the carpet and took Peter to the sink. As I was calming the bloody lip with a cold wet paper towel, Peter says "Mommy, I need an ice pocket!" - so Bob made him one which he carried around and kept on his lip most of the night. (Turns out, he slipped and hit his lip on the toilet - he likes to climb on standing and hop down to sit, or stand up and jump off when he's done, but he had on socks)

This morning, here I am checking the normal computer activity before jumping into the rest of the household chores when Peter comes out and sits on my lap informing me that he needs an ice pocket. Why? Because his lip (which is nearly healed) is hurting again.... His lip was not really hurting, he just likes the ice pockets (I know because I asked him about it and he said "yeah, so can I just have an ice pocket").