Last weekend we went to Dallas to watch Kassidy play baseball in a tournament. Although Shawnee didn't do too well (they played some really big schools with really good teams!), we still had a blast spending time together and relaxing at the hotel.
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Reid spent every minute of the game behind the bleachers playing baseball with all the other little boys. We had to bring his bat, glove, and real baseball to all the games.
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Jeb playing catch with some of the boys
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Dad and Billy in deep conversation about the game
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He was busy busy running back and forth and saying, "c'mon da da" or "c'mon papa"
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Cutie!
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Our good family friends that live in Dallas, The Funks, came to see us!
Reid, Hannah, and I
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Little brother - SO proud of him (Mr. Academic All-Stater!)
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So good to see Emily! (Look at that BIG belly - almost 35 weeks!)
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My dad - Mr. Social
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Kass.... taking a rest after a hard game
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Just chillin' in the hotel room with daddy
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Tickles from da da
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I ADORE these two boys!
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Although this trip was full of fun, it was also full of trauma! The scariest moment of my entire life happened on this little trip to Dallas. Here's the story...we were all eating breakfast on Friday morning down in the hotel lobby. Reid was too busy to sit down and eat, and dad had already eaten so he took Reid down the hallway. Our hotel was connected to a Bass Pro shop by a hallway with a stained concrete floor. Right outside the Bass Pro shop in the hallway was a Gator/Rhino type of thing that sits up pretty high. Dad said that Reid climbed up on it to "drive" it and flipped off backwards, falling and landing right on his head on the concrete floor. Apparently, this knocked Reid out. Dad immediately picked him up, he kind of "came to," started crying and then held his breath and passed out.
Now Reid has held his breath and passed out two times before when he has gotten hurt. I guess this is because of the shock of the pain. The first time this happened was around the time of his first birthday at the baseball field in Shawnee - he turned blue, was unresponsive, and mom and I were racing to the car, I gave him mouth-to-mouth, he "came to" and was fine. I've researched this and it's called "breath-holding syndrome" and can occur in some toddlers. It's usually the result of pain, or crying too hard and can even occur for attention (this isn't the case with Reid). I learned that when this happens you should lie the child flat on the ground with the legs elevated and they will "come to" and be just fine, although it is extremely scary.
This time, however, it wasn't just a small episode of "breath-holding." He had hit his head, hard, was knocked out and then held his breath and passed out again. Dad started carrying him down the hallway back to me as fast as he could with Reid upright and on his shoulder. I think what made this a little worse was that he was never laid down with his legs up and he never quite "came to." Dad said, "you need to check him now!" then told me what had happened. When he handed Reid to me he was limp, lifeless, and unresponsive. His face was gray and he wasn't blinking. At first I thought he was dying. I cannot explain in words the sick feeling in my stomach. It was the worst feeling I have ever felt...EVER! I felt his pulse and realized he was breathing and then noticed he was blinking, just a little. He still was unresponsive and gray...not moving his arms and legs, not talking...I thought he was brain dead. I ran with him to the front of the hotel and yelled at Jeb, "we have to get to the hospital NOW!" The people at the front desk called an ambulance and I sat with him, laying him in my arms with his legs elevated and saying, "Reid, mommy's here, talk to mommy, mommy loves you, mommy's here." I was praying to the Lord with all my heart to please let my baby be alright. I told dad to get a wet rag and he came running back and squeezed water all over Reid's head. This kind of made him "come to" and he started crying...yes, it was a positive sign. He still wasn't moving very much and wouldn't talk. I was getting impatient for the ambulance so Jeb got the car and we headed toward the nearest hospital.
As we pulled over to put hospital directions into the navigation Reid started to sit up and say "mama" and "dada." Color began to appear back into his face and the sparkle was back in his eyes. I knew he was fine when he pointed to the TV in the car and said, "Wee Sing, boom boom crazy!" Mom and I started asking him where his nose, toes, eyes, and ears were and he was able to show us correctly. I checked his pupils with my pen light and they were equal and reactive. At this point we decided not to go to the hospital, as I knew I would be able to watch him closely for a concussion. Luckily, on our way back to the hotel we saw that there was "A Day Out With Thomas the Train" in downtown Grapevine. We decided to stop and let Reid walk around and get some fresh air and see Thomas the Train.
If you've never had an experience like this with your child, be thankful. I praise the Lord that Reid is okay. I hope and pray that we never have to go through anything like this again!
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A Day Out With Thomas
Waiting with Nana to see the train
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Loving all the animals in the petting zoo!
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Petting a pink-haired horse!
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Here comes Thomas the Train!
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Riding Lester the pony
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Fun at the Embassy Suites! His favorite thing was to ride on the luggage cart!
