Reckless?

And to think I was once worried about Isaac's excessive physical caution! The past week has been a series of lessons in appreciating what you've got -- or maybe in how you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

Thursday 3/8 -- he tried to climb out of his crib, violating my previous assessments of his easy-going character and low tolerance for risk

Sunday 3/11 -- he pitched forward while playing peek-a-boo behind the shower curtain, hitting his temple on the floor and raising a lump whose bruising took all week to fade

Wednesday 3/14 -- he toppled off an ottoman he was crawling on, hitting the center of his forehead on the floor; unusual crankiness and a 99-degree temperature that evening inspired an after-hours telephone call to the doctor (tip: don't Google head injury fever)

Thursday 3/15 -- he fell backwards in the bathroom while I was taking a shower, landing flat on his back and just lying there until I got out of the shower to pick him up

Friday 3/16 -- he tripped while trying to climb onto our concrete patio, hitting his head on the ground

Friday 3/16, a little later -- he tripped while walking on a sloped brick path in our yard, hitting his face in several places and causing abrasions of his temple and chin, cutting the inside of his lip, and chipping away about a third of one of his front teeth; this also inspired an after-hours call to the doctor, who recommended we call a pediatric dentist on Monday to discuss filing down the sharp edges of the tooth

I was at work today, so I missed all the trauma. There was a lot of blood, I hear, which was over quickly, and a lot of crying out for Mama, which lasted until I came home about two hours later. He calmed down a lot when he saw me, but he's still shaken -- he cries disproportionately every time he has a minor fall, or even loses his balance for a moment. After a week like this, I can understand. As it hurts him to eat, he got to have ice cream for dinner, so at least there's a positive result for him (we'll need that pediatric dentist).

So what's going on? He hardly ever hurt himself before. We know he's becoming braver (or more reckless) -- for example, a week ago he insisted we hold his hand before he stepped down from the height of a single rung on our stepladder, and today he climbed up two steps by himself and proceeded to balance there hands-free. Perhaps now his physical goals outstrip his physical ability (and his common sense)? Overall he's growing more physically adept, so I'm not worried that his development is regressing. Also, he's been overtired lately, so that makes him clumsy. (To his credit, on Sunday he fell because he was tangled in a shower curtain, and on Wednesday a pillow slipped off the ottoman, and today he did put out his hands to try to break his fall.)

None of these injuries are that serious, I know, and I'm grateful. I guess I'm mostly worried about their sudden appearance, and whether this signals a change in temperament, and whether that means even more injuries to come.