Just When I Thought I Was on a Roll, I Realize Something Else is Doing the Rolling

This morning, the four of us were running around in various states of hurry.  Shaun was getting ready for another day of working on the downstairs bathroom, Bean was working hard at being three and asking me the same question a million times, I was trying desperately to get the kids and myself ready to walk out the door, and C was settling into her usual mischeivous ways. 

We live in a rancher.  The only set of steps in our house lead to the basement and have a door that latches closed at the top.  We keep the door closed at all times to prevent Miss C from toppling down the steps.  We've never had a problem remembering and often, we'll remind each other to double check when we see the kids round the corner to head into the kitchen. 

Until today. 

As Shaun and his friend were carrying things from a truck into the basement, the door didn't latch closed properly on one of their trips.  Because C is a magnet for mischeif, she knew.  And off she went. 

I had run into Bean's room for a comb and when I came out, C was missing.  Further investigation revealed that she had not only opened the door, but had carefully crawled about halfway down.  I didn't want to scare her into standing, so I started to go down the steps quietly and said, "C..."

She looked up, grinned, stepped backwards into space and tumbled down a half a flight of stairs, head over heels. 

I think I said a bad word or five as I raced down to check on her.  Arms and legs were moving fine so Shaun, who had gotten to her first, (I move slow, I'm a pregnant whale), scooped her up.  She was NOT happy.

When he handed her to me, she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up with her blanket on my shoulder.  I ran through my mental checklist of signs for concussions:

Sleepiness
Anxiety
Trouble Walking
Diziness
Drooping Eyes

And so on and so on... With each symptom that ran through my head, I got more and more alarmed.  She was sleepy!  And seemed anxious!  And definitely was having trouble walking!  It was almost like she was DIZZY!  I looked at her for a minute, panicking.

Then I remembered.  She's a toddler.  She has those symptoms EVERY DAY. 

Turns out, the kid is fine.  No concussion or other bodily harm aside from some scrapes.

Way to panic, Mama.