In weather like today’s, I like to use the screen door so Xander can let himself in and out of the house anytime he wants. He likes the freedom of it, and I like being able to see and hear him play.

I took those pictures because I was planning on a post about how much I love spring weather. The day took a different turn.

Little boys get hurt; it’s a fact of life. Knowing it’s bound to happen doesn’t make it any easier to see Xander hurt, though.

He was playing in the backyard while I fed Arya inside. I heard all the usual noises of Xander-play, so there was no indication that anything was wrong. Then he slid the screen door, came inside, and calmly came up to me holding out his left hand. “It’s stuck in there,” he said.

I screamed.

This was after a half hour of work. Xander was a brave boy through it, and I was able to get most of the splinters out.

Anakin Skywalker fixes everything.