Worst Mom EVER!!!! Lydia's sheep ride

My dad is having trouble getting the video sent so I will tell the story and the video once we get it figured out.

I talked Lydia (and Alex to let her) into riding a sheep. I thought she would have fun. I remember doing it as a kid. I should have remembered she is my accident prone child.  She was excited. Until we got in line for her age group. Alex was at work so it was up to me to get her on the sheep and my parents took video and watched the other kids. Her friend Brogan was scheduled to ride before her but at the last moment he decided not to ride.

Just waiting in line

Lydia watching Brogan decide not to ride

So I helped her climb the gate and onto the sheep. She was VERY nervous. She also didn't want to lay down on the sheep because it had burrs in the wool. The gate operator and I showed her the burrs wouldn't bother her and how she need to hold the sheep with both hands tight around its neck and to squeeze her knees into its sides to help her stay on. She turned and looked at me just as they opened the gate and said Mom I am scared. I said to her Lydia the gate it open hold on tight it will be so fun I promise!!!

I could barely see her ride because of the crowd by the starting gates, I worked my way over to the arena entrance so I could pick her up there. As I walked I could her the crowd cheering with excitement. The other kids had fell of right out of the gate but by the way they were cheering I knew she was having a good ride. Then I hear them gasp.  Oh dear. I made it through the gate in time to see the rodeo helper pick her up from the middle of the sheep herd. She was crying and had lost a shoe. I meet them half way and carried her out onto the lawn. As I set her down I realized that she was bleeding from her mouth and that it had knocked some teeth loose. She said the sheep stepped on her face. I felt so guilty. I talked her into it. I told her it would be fun.

We made our way over to my brother Ben at the fire truck to have him give her lip a quick look and some gauze. Everyone told her what a great job she did. Alex showed up and looked at her lip too. Since the loose teeth were baby ones we thought she would be all right. This is why I didn't get pictures of the boys events. More mommy guilt. She didn't even place my guess is though she was in the top 5. Alex's fire buddies said they where so mad that she didn't place because she rode the best. And Brogan's dad (who also is on the department) wished he would have placed Brogan's helmet cam on Lydia to view the ride from her angle.


My family watching the rodeo
L to R: Alex, Lydia, Taylie, Austin, AJ

The next morning:

This is the little face I saw laying next to me when I woke up. She looked so miserable. More mommy guilt. Then she proceeds to tell me. I forgot to tell you that the sheep stepped on the my neck and hip. It hurts so bad I can't move my neck, the light hurts my eyes, my head hurts and I feel like I am going to throw up. (These are symptoms of a concussion or a brain bleed) Lets just say I had a mental mommy freak out.  I called her doctor and she got us in within the hour.

waiting in the room for the Doctor

I read her Alice in Wonderland with a British accent to try and cheer her up as we waited. She eventually asked me to turn the lights off and she laid down and asked me to finish the book.

It was decided that she would need xrays of her hips and a CT (Cat Scan) for her head and neck. Until we found out what the results were she was required to wear a soft c collar. She didn't like this one bit. I gave the Doctor my cell phone so she could call me with the results and she gave me hers so that if she got worse over the weekend I could give her a call.

waiting for tests

Thankfully nothing was seriously wrong, just a mild concussion and deep tissue bruising. Unfortunately she has to take it easy the rest of the summer and the pain will get worse before it gets better. She is happy not to be wearing the c collar, but very disappointed that she missed out on the bouncy houses at the fair on Saturday. More mommy guilt.

Alex has told me that none of our other children will be riding sheep. EVER. He said it is to expensive. When you add in all the doctor bills I guess he is right.

Have you ever pushed your kids to participate in something and then wish you hadn't?