What a Year!

Last night at dinner, Ruanita and the kids and I did a bit of reminiscing. It started with Lucas asking what "New Year" means. We explained that January first begins a new year. This prompted us to start talking about things that we did as a family in 2010. Ruanita and I recounted our very first camping trip, Sophie learning to ride a bike, hiking around Gooseberry Falls and Lake Superior, visiting family and friends in Kentucky, Lucas catching his first fish. We had a year full of fun "firsts."

When it was the kids' turn, they regaled us with stories of misery and woe. It amazes me how the kids seem to remember the traumatic things first. Lucas immediately chimed in with, " In 2010, you slammed the van door on my head." Yes, I did do that. In my defense, I did not realize he was exiting the van behind Sophie. I was turned around talking to my sister and heaved the heavy van door closed with all of my might. It's big and requires a healthy dose of elbow grease to close. Unfortunately, Lucas had just poked his head out in an attempt to exit the van. I slammed his head pretty good and bloodied his ear. Of course, it was an accident. However, to this day, Lucas will only exit the van on Ruanita's side.

After Lucas recounted the van door debacle, Sophie piped up. She smiled sheepishly and said, "Momma almost drowned me this year." Yes, that also is true. It happened way back in June when we were visiting family in Kentucky. I had thought Sophie had forgotten completely about it, but I guess a near-drowning tends to stick with someone. I had Sophie in my cousin's pool. She was in a little inflatable ring and I was being silly. I laid back, closed my eyes, and pretended to be asleep to tease Sophie. In the extremely short time I had my eyes closed, Sophie managed to slip out of the ring and was flailing around trying to grab the side of the pool. I opened my eyes as I heard Ruanita screaming at me from the deck on the other side of the pool. I quickly grabbed Sophie and all was well. She swallowed a bit of water, inhaled a bit more water, had the hell scared out of her, and was crying hysterically. Needless to say, I apologized excessively (to both Sophie and Ruanita), and promised never to let go of her in a pool again. Apparently, she is still traumatized to this day.

These were Lucas' and Sophie's two most fervent memories of 2010. Both involved being injured by yours truly. Makes me wonder what 2011 will hold. I have yet to permanently scar Nicholas. Perhaps 2011 will be his year.