Healing all wounds.MY TWO-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD, Isabelle is half girl, half spider monkey spider monkey Any of four species (family Cebidae) of diurnal, arboreal New World monkeys found from Mexico to Brazil. Long-limbed and somewhat potbellied, they are 14–26 in. . She is absolutely incredible when it comes to gymnastics gymnastics, exercises for the balanced development of the body (see also aerobics), or the competitive sport derived from these exercises. Although the ancient Greeks (who invented the building called a gymnasium . Parents flock around her, concerned for her safety when she pulls herself up on the parallel bars parallel bars Event in men's gymnastics in which a pair of wooden bars supported horizontally above the floor at the same height is used to perform acrobatic feats. Competitors combine swings and vaults with stationary positions requiring strength and balance, though swings and starts whirling whirl v. whirled, whirl·ing, whirls v.intr. 1. To revolve rapidly about a center or an axis. See Synonyms at turn. 2. herself around with the speed of an electric fan. She really gets their attention when she climbs up the 12-foot rope and then rappels down at almost a free-fall rate. When they rush me afterward and say, "Gee, your daughter is amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. up there," I reply with a quiet, "Yeah, she is." Naturally, inside I'm applauding wildly and holding up a "10" placard over my head. It's not that she never falls. She does. It's just that she's made out of 100 percent two-and-a-half-year-old. Which means when she cries after taking a fall, I tell her to "rub it away, it's okay." She does. And it is. Understand that she can fall from roughly the height of Jupiter, land square on her face, and just shake it off. Incredible. This is the type of shot to the chops that would stop a St. Louis Rams Ironically, it's the littlest noncuts and nonbruises that stop her in her tracks and have her howling for a bandage bandage /ban·dage/ (ban´daj) 1. a strip or roll of gauze or other material for wrapping or binding a body part. 2. to cover by wrapping with such material. . "Daddy," she'll bellow bellow one of the voices of cattle. Usually refers to the arrogant call of the bull used to announce territorial rights. Abnormalities of the voice include hoarseness as in rabies, or continuous repetition as in nervous acetonemia. See also low, moo. , pointing to the alleged cut, "I need boo-boo," her word for a bandage. Now, I used to try and reason with her: "Isabelle, there's no cut there." "I need boo-boo." "Isabelle, a boo-boo is for a cut. There's no blood. You don't need a--." "I need boo-boo!" "Isabelle, I can't put a bandage on a cut that isn't there!" "I NEED BOO-BOO!" Fortunately, I'm married. My wife whispers the reminder that I need from time to time: "She's only two-and-a-half. She thinks it will make her feel better. Just give her the bandage and she'll stop crying." I do. She does. Would that all of life's wounds could be healed so easily. Unfortunately--or maybe fortunately--we don't stay two-and-a-half forever. We somehow become stoppable. And when we get cut, it hurts. For that reason, this issue includes Jan Olson's gentle reminder, "Offsetting natural 'poisons'," starting on page 17. Hers is a particularly important reminder given skin care's impact on your survey. And because you can't always tell your residents to "rub it away, it's okay." Mark Zacharia Editor-in-Chief and Publisher (mzacharia@billcom.com) |
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