Horrible!!!!!

I'm not writing this with the intention of freaking anyone out, I just want to remember that this, and when it happened.

My mom made Mallory this beautiful multi-colored non-traditional knit blanket before Mallory was even born. She has used it almost exclusively since she was about a month old (since 'they' say if you have to use blankets in the crib, they should be knit, since babies are much less likely to suffocate with a knit blanket). So that's what we did. She has LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this blanket, and carries it around in the mornings and snuggles with it at night. Too cute.

Last night after our nightly routine and our night-time prayers we put Mallory to bed a little early (because she was sooooooo sleepy), she didn't fall asleep right away though, and happily talked to herself for about 20 minutes. Then she started crying. Both Matthew and I thought it was strange, but let her cry for a few more seconds before the cry turned into a blood-curdling scream. I grabbed her water (thinking that maybe she was just supper thirsty after all that talking).

I walked into her dark bedroom and could see Mallory standing up in her crib screaming (even when I walked in). I reached down to pick her up and noticed that, like normal she had her blanket with her. While holding her, I tried to move her blanket out of the way (to offer her some water), and realized that the blanket wouldn't move! I immediately flipped on the light and that's when I realized that parts of the blanket had been pulled apart and were wrapped around her neck! Mallory, over the past 20 minuets, had managed to pull and stretch a few of the pieces of yarn out of the blanket and pulled them long enough to wrap around her neck, under her arm-pit and the wrap ONE MORE TIME around her neck! She was pulling at the yarn so hard that she was leaving multiple thin red/purple ligature marks on her neck!!!!!!!

My heart fell into my stomach as I rushed to grab the scissors, my mind racing, and landing on the fact that Mallory could have very easily just strangled herself! I was actually able to just unwind the yarn from around her neck (since she wasn’t blue in the face). It was just heartbreaking seeing the tears stream down her face, the fear in her eyes and the marks on her neck!!!!! I was on such an adrenaline high and couldn't stop hugging and kissing my little girl. Things like that make you remember just how fragile and precious life is and how literally, in an instant it can all change!!!!

Thank goodness God has assigned a few extra angles to watch Mallory (knowing that this little girl is bound to get into all sorts of trouble)!

Mallory was fine for the rest of the night and went right to sleep. I couldn’t help but check in on her multiple times before I went to bed… just to try and ease my mind.