It was a typical sunday gathering at my parent's house. We were all in the family room, a nice spacious room with a somewhat low ceiling and a ceiling fan slowly spinning.
We were all gathered in the room waiting for my brother and his wife to arrive so we could eat dinner. Upon their arrival, my sister in law crouched down, looked at my son, and said, "Come give your aunt a kiss and a hug."
My son, being a typical two year old and never one to miss out on kisses and hugs, promptly ran over to his aunt. She grabbed him, hugged him, kissed him, then stood up with him in her arms.
And then the next few events unfolded in slow motion...
I watched my sister-in-law tuck her hands into my son's armpits.
I watched her tip my son forward just ever so slightly.
I saw her arms lift up and slowly raise my son towards the ceiling fan.
As the room full of people simultaneously cried out "STOP!" we all heard...
WHACK!
WHACK!
...as my son's head was hit by the ceiling fan.
She lowered him as quickly as she lifted him. He wasn't crying, he was just rubbing the side of his head and saying, "ouch.". We watched him closely for the rest of the day, and there did not seem to be any permanent damage. His aunt, of course, felt awful.
Now when people pick him up, we're all careful to take a quick look above them to make sure the way is clear in case they decide to lift him up. Even my son takes a quick glance upward just in case.
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