Falling Down

         Tenderly I wipe the tears from your eyes and gently kiss your lips. You smile a small, sad smile and blink, fighting off more tears. Smiling broadly I pick you up and carry you inside the house.

         I set you on the toilet and hold a piece of Kleenex to your nose, "Blow." You do, and I smile. "Good job!!" Lightly I tussle your hair and stand.

         I pull the peroxide and band-aids out of the medicine cabinet. "Blech!" I turn and laugh at the look of disgust twisting your features. You cross your arms over your small chest and turn your face away, angry with me for laughing at you.

         Smiling I kneel in front of you and, cupping my hand under your chin, turn your face to mine.

         "What?"

         "I don't like the stuff in the brown bottle."

         "It stings when I put it on your owies doesn't it?"

         You nod enthusiastically, your small blonde head bobbing. "But do you know why I do it?"

         "So it doesn't get fected!"

         "Right! So it doesn't get infected. Why don't we want it to get infected?"

         "Hurts more." A look of fear comes into your eyes at the idea of more pain and I smile.

         "We won't let that happen!" You smile at my guarantee and push your skinned knee in my direction. I clean it and put a colorful Sesame Street band-aid on it for the final touch.

         I pick you up again and we left the bathroom. "Mommy?"

         "Yes?"

         "Can we have milk and cookies now?"

         "Of course!"

         We sit in the kitchen enjoying our snack and when we finish you crawl into my lap for a hug and a kiss. We exchange affections and you look up to me with your wide brown eyes and quietly whisper,

         "I want to try to ride my bike again."