Catastrophe Avoided.... This Time.

As we get out of the car this evening, Wendy looks at me with these terrified eyes. I asked her what was wrong and she whispers ever so quietly,

"I choked my quarter!"

You choked on a quarter? What quarter? I looked at my husband curiously. Apparently he had given her a quarter size medal that had come in some junk mail.

"Where is the quarter now?" I question.

She points to her mouth.... "In my belly"

"Did you swallow it?"

She nods and whispers a terrified yes, fearing she is going to be in trouble.... and I admit I shrugged it off. She wasn't choking, she was talking, she seemed fine. So I was about to go on my merry way.... until I noticed that, apparently, I should have been more concerned. My husband is looking all over the car to make sure she didn't just drop it. By the time I get inside the house he is on the phone with his brother (the doctor) who thinks, yes, we should call her pediatrician. A penny or nickle, meh; but a quarter is pretty big for a two year old. So we call the answering service, get prepared to go to the ER and wait for her doctor to call us back.

Thankfully, the pediatrician calms Mr. Darling down and tells him that if we are really concerned, we can bring her in in the morning... as long as she is breathing fine, there is no need to be overly concerned.

So, we sit down for dinner. Mr. Darling still seems a bit concerned, maybe feeling a tiny bit guilty, but everything seems fine.

After dinner, Wendy and John take off chasing after each other... and then I hear it. Clink... clink, clink!!!

"What was that!" I jump up and run around the corner, and there she is....

Smiling up at me holding a shiny piece of medal.

"I'm not choking my quarter no more!"

Either that girl's intestines are extremely efficient or that stupid coin was lost somewhere down her dress. Either way... everyone will be sleeping better tonight.