We've Been Here Before

Last week's beach trip was the same beach we went to on our last trip to the coast.

And of course we visited Joyce. 

 She took us to IHOP, our usual place.

While we visited with her back at her house, she pointed out that Natalie was playing with the coaster set on the table.  It is the same coaster set that, beginning with Ethan, each of my babies has gleefully played with on our Aunty-Joyce-visits.  She said she has often thought about the fact that she never uses them, but can't bring herself to get rid of them.  Too many memories of too many little hands.

And, also, while we were there, Natalie got her hands on Jonah's toothbrush.  

One of the kids rescued it from her pudgy little mitts, and she began to cry.

and cry.

and cry.

and not breathe.

and turn blue.

and have a seizure.

We've been here before.  If you have been reading here for a while you will know about Jonah's hypoxic seizures.  They started just before his first birthday and mostly stopped a year later, though he had a cluster of them last year for a couple of months.

Natalie's first seizure was only half a minute or so, whereas Jonah's had been a minute and a half.  There was no ambulance ride this time, no tests, second hospital, monitors or doctors.

We know what to do.

I held her, gently whispering, "It's okay baby, it's okay," till she came back,

till her eyes stopped rolling up in her head, till she went limp in my arms and dozed for a few seconds.

When she woke a moment later, an offended look came across her face.  She sobbed a little and I held her, rocking her, answering Joyce's earnest concern now with my own calm, "She'll be okay."

And I know she will.  We've been here before.