Don't touch the stove; it's HOT!

I can't tell you how many times I've said this to Everett in his short, curious 3 years of life. He helps me cook all of the time; he calls it "mix-mixing". :) He's always, always wanted to touch the stove, or the boiling water or the mixer attachment (as it's going 60mph)...and of course, I've always said no.

Then there's last night. Everything is kind of busy, and Ethan is making dinner for Everett, who wanted macaroni and cheese. (Thank God for whomever invented that blue box of heavenly deliciousness prepared in under 10 minutes!!) Everett pulls up his little stool to help Daddy mix-mix the noodles. Ethan turns around for less than 5 seconds to drain the water from the noodles in question...I'm turned around as I'm feeding Tate at the table...and in that miniscule amount of time, we've got a second degree burn. He's got blisters all over his poor little hand! I'm going to take a picture and post it later...just for future reference. I think I might hang a copy on the 'fridge so that he can remember what happens...although, it's doubtful he'll ever forget that experience. SO...anyway, we put his hand in cold water immediately, and then I get the ice out and put it on for him. The ice definitely assuages his pain and he screams bloody murder everytime I take it off to inspect the blisters...to make sure it's not becoming a 3rd degree burn. Ethan takes Tate and runs to the pharmacy for some topical pain reliever and gauze...and then we have Silverdine (sp???) called in for him. It's a cooling antibiotic ointment. Oh, that was HORROR to put on. You've never heard a child scream so loudly or cry so hard. After all of the excitement, Ev fell asleep rather easily and slept pretty well, given the circumstances.

Today, he's doing well. We've got a sock over his hand so that he doesn't play with it too roughly and pop the blisters...and he's in a good mood, so that's a great sign. But oh, man...it was NOT fun to see him hurting so much...and being rather incapable of making the pain go away. Being a parent brings the greatest joy and with that the greatest of sorrows. I think that this experience is the tippy-top of the iceburg as far as the sorrows are concerned...physical pain eventually goes away...

If only we could protect and shield our boys from every pain there is...but then again, without sorrow, how would they discern what joy feels like???

I'm getting WAY too thoughtful here...time to go eat some breakfast. :)