Back. Mine. Patting.

Today was a long day. Narda called me at work, complaining of Malka having a rash of sorts, like a welt going up her leg. I figured it may have been a reaction to the carpeted bus seats, as Malka was wearing a dress. Narda applied some cortisone cream, to help the itch, and then called to tell me that it had gone down, so she would NOT be taking Malka to the doctor, but instead, to pre school. I continued on my day at work.

Cut to 11:30am, and pre school calls, to tell me Malka has a rash. So off I go to pick up Malka, and take her to the doctor.

Cut to 2:00pm, Malka and I at the doctor. I hadn’t really had a chance to look at her, as when I picked her up, it was nap time, and I literally picked her up, put her in her stroller, and hiked 20 blocks north, so as to “preserve the nap.” So I’m wondering where this mysterious rash is, and so did her doctor. Rock on! Disappearing rashes are fine by me.

So I had the rest of the day with my cheeky, and we picked up some Challah for Shabbat, had some seltzer, and enjoyed the upper East Side a bit.

We even got to hang out with her friend Leary and “Doda Inbar,” and Shauni in Central Park at the end of the day. It did, however, mean that we got home JUST in time to light the candles. We were rushing, we had said the prayers, Malka was jamming on the groove with the Challah, and I was in the kitchen, putting the water on, for the corn. I hadn’t moved the Shabbat candles away from the far edge of the table yet. Malka, in her eagerness to show me her independence, and in her hunger, climbed up into her booster seat, and said: “Eemah, it’s hot, I don’t like it hot.” I said: “Mah Zeh hot, cheeky?” (what’s hot, Malka?) And she said “Zeh.” (this) and pointed at the candles. And then she started crying.

OY.

Malka had burned the tip of her left index finger on the Shabbes candles.

But here’s where the patting of the back comes in. I kept my cool, in a major way. I gave her motrin, and grabbed an “icy-ice” (frozen ice pop) from the fridge, and showed her how to put her finger on it. She then got to eat the icy ice after. I told her it would hurt for a while, but that Eemah gave her some medicine to make it not hurt, and that she’d go to sleep, and it would hurt a bit, but she’d wake up and it wouldn’t hurt anymore. I told her this all in English, and then in Hebrew, as I REALLY wanted her to understand that it would hurt for a bit, until the burning subsided. We’re out of ice, so I also brought a piece of frozen mango to the table, in a plastic baggie for her. She did REALLY great with putting her finger on it. When she’d remove her finger for a bit, and her finger would resume it’s normal temp., and start to whine, saying it hurt, I’d just calmly remind her that yes, it will hurt a bit, and she’d say Yes.

I then pulled her lunch bag out of the freezer, and I was able to put that in her crib with her, and show her how to put her finger on it.

Today I’m REALLY grateful for that lunch bag. it’s one of those kinds that has internal ice packs, and ‘warms’ over the course of being out, so she’s all set.

OY. I’m also grateful that she now knows NEVER, EVER to play with fire.