Jaw of Steel

I went out on Saturday night for a couple hours and some neighbors were nice enough to watch Xander and Josie (Hannah was my co-pilot). I picked the kids up at 8, which is their bedtime, and walked them home. When we arrived, Josie asked for water. At this point Hannah began to cry, so I quickly grabbed a glass, filled it and handed it to Josie. I began to head upstairs when there was an odd noise followed by Josie howling.

I set Hannah down to cry and flew back to Josie. She was standing in the same spot sobbing and holding a broken glass. I took it away from her, tossed the couple chunks of glass I saw into it and looked Josie over. No blood, so far so good.

"Josie, are you hurt?"
"Noooooooo." (continues sobbing)
"Did you have an accident?"
"Yes." (starting to calm down)
"Did you drop the glass?"
"No."
*insert dawning comprehension*
"Josie, does anything hurt?"
"Yes."
"Where, what hurts?"
Josie points to her mouth.
"Josie did you bite the glass?"
"Uh-huh."


I had her open her mouth to look inside, but still no blood. I keep inquiring and Josie says there is something in her mouth. I try not to freak out (there's no blood, there's no blood, how bad can it be) and began to fish around in her mouth. At one point I see it - a small piece of glass, smaller than a pencil eraser, sitting down by her gums. But I can't get it.

Then it disappears.

Oops.

Josie had calmed down by that point so I put her to bed and called my mom, because moms always know what to do (with the exception of me, apparently). She suggested I call the doctor.

I called the doctor's office and he was kind enough to return my call at 8:30 on a Saturday night. He hemmed and hawwed just like I did. Josie swallowed a piece of broken glass but there was no sign of trauma or blood despite several minutes of prodding it around in her mouth. We decided that if she complained the next day I would take her to the emergency room for x-rays.

Fortunately she seems okay.

So your lesson today is to not give a two year old a glass, especially a glass that was given to your grandmother for her bridal shower 50+ years ago. Oops, indeed.