"i don't think i want to play golf anymore." - aew

today, my coopy turned 5. it was celebrated with a small family party of exchanging gifts, eating yummy cake and visits to the hospitals. (yes, plural.) after unwrapping his most favorite present ever--golf clubs--he did what any normal birthday boy (or girl) would do: took them for a test drive. a drive that apparently ainsley's adorably adorable little face got in the middle of. as coop was taking his first swing (because of course not-good things happen on every "first time" event), matty yelled at painy to move back so as to not take a whack to the face. well, she moved back. then moved back AGAIN as coop was mid-swing.

she took it right in the forehead. it dropped her, but she was up on her feet in no time flat. matty ran over to check her out and took her inside to wipe the blood off her face. that's when he saw the extent of her injuries. the impact of the swing had popped her open, all the way down to her little skull. after reassuring coop it wasn't his fault, erica, matty and pain were off to the closest hospital. (on the way there, ainsley was more worried that she wasn't buckled in than anything else. "but why am i not buckled? i need to be buckled!" if my sister has taught her kids one thing, it's car safety. coop and ains both got on me and mor about not getting buckled fast enough, those seatbelt nazis.) one ct scan, a trip in the ambulance resplendent with sirens blaring, a visit from the neurosurgeon and plastics doc, iv sedation, three rows of 60+ stitches, lots of apple juice, and a partridge in a pear tree later...ains is doing well with JUST a linear skull fracture and tiny intracranial bleed, not to mention a new i'm-the-little-sister scar. she gets to stay overnight in the peds unit for observation until sometime tomorrow.
coop--who, did i mention, is 5 yrs old today--has already been up to visit her, took her teeny hand in his after she was put back together and just kept saying "i'm sorry, ainsley. please get better. i'm so sorry." he's such a softy, it's probably better he hit her than the other way round. otherwise, erica and matty could have had a REAL mess (both literal and figurative) on their hands.

this is the picture mor took of painy right before we left yesterday. kind of ironic she's showing us how strong she is, isn't it?
keep her in your thoughts and prayers please. not that her appetite will return--she asked for a 'dilla as soon as she woke up from getting her stitches--but that she'll recover fully and fast from her humpty-dumpty ordeal.