My little bruiser.....

"I'm tough," I taught my son to say, after scraping his cheek on the doorway earlier this week in an attempt to escape brushing his teeth.

Certainly, though, I am teaching him to embrace his emotional side by letting him know through example that it's ok to cry. Which he did, as I was sopping up what seemed like enormous amounts of blood with a cold cloth. (Not visible in this pic is the black and blue mark close to his left ear.)

So all week, I've been self-consciously carting him to gym and music class, and to friends' houses and stores, wondering if everyone is deciding whether or not to call DSS. Luckily, no one has. And the little man is doing just fine. He may be banged up, but at least his ego's not bruised. He's too young for that - yet.