Can’t Even Blame the Cat

We have a cat who loves to stay directly underfoot, causing many near-disasters as we attempt to dodge him while walking through a room.  When I was pregnant I was so nervous that he was going to cause me to trip & fall, and my fear intensified when I had a newborn to carry around in my arms.  Surprisingly, I never once actually tripped & fell over the cat while I was pregnant or carrying my new baby in my arms.

Tonight I ended the tumble-free streak when I took my first big fall with Jacob in my arms…and it was in no way the cat’s fault.

Jacob & I were out shopping this evening.  He was begging me to carry him, so as we walked out of the store I looked like a freakin’ forklift as I carried a toddler, a diaper bag, & a shopping bag in front of my thick, puffy coat (since it’s like Arctic temps outside).  Thanks to the heavy coat, my arms were as useless as a T-rex’s.  I was walking fast because it was so cold.  I stepped down off the sidewalk to the parking lot & my ankle & foot rolled to the side.

It was like a delayed reaction – one moment I was fine, and the next it registered that my legs were giving out & I was heading straight onto the pavement.  I didn’t have my hands free to catch myself, so I landed hard on my knees.  I was top-heavy with Jacob in my arms, so I continued falling forward.  I instinctively put my hands behind Jacob’s head & cradled him against my chest as we fell together onto the pavement.  I scrambled to get up since it was dark outside & I could see car headlights coming toward us.  I plopped down on the sidewalk to regain my composure & let the car pass.  The car stopped beside me & the driver asked if I was alright.  I nodded my head, waving her on, & then hobbled out to my car with Jacob walking beside me (he was fine, by the way).  By the time I got him buckled in his seat & collapsed into the driver’s seat I realized that my heart was pounding, I was out of breath, I had a sore muscle in my thigh, & my knees were throbbing & warm.  I rolled up my jeans to reveal the scraped up skin.  I shook my head in disbelief that I’d done something so stupid.

Then I cursed my cat…you know, because it seemed like the thing to do.