Too Many Cookies

What I perceived as a fairly uneventful afternoon ended up having a very eventful twist. After swimming lessons (which is in itself another story I will definitely tell another day) I gave Asher his promised treat, a personal pack of Chips Ahoy cookies. By the time we had gotten home, he'd eaten 3 of the 4 cookies and was ready to finish the job. We headed out back to water some newly planted shrubs and Asher immediately rushed up to our big dog Dion to play. He knew the remainder of the cookie in his hand was going to be a doggie treat if he didn't act fast, so he shoved the last big bites of the cookie into his mouth and commenced playing with the beast. He was running around giggling and trying to get Dion to chase him, while I headed over to the hose to water the plants. I'd finished half of the watering when I turned around and heard Asher choking.
The Mommy Survival Mode kicked in. I rushed over to Ash, who by this time was totally panicking. First I whacked his back a couple of times, HARD. Nothing changed. Thoughts of the Heimlich Maneuver were flashing wildly in my brain, so I grabbed his stomach with both of my hands and started sort of heaving him in mid air...his body folded over my arms as I lifted him up and down. I didn't stop until I heard him crying and coughing up cookie chunks. He came in the house and then the poor kid threw up. And who could blame him with all the jiggling and whacking he'd taken. How scary!! I am just so glad he's alright! I love him way too much to let some cookies (that I gave him) hurt him. I guess I need to have some new rules regarding food and running around laughing...NO MORE of that. I put it right up there with running with scissors. I was so worked up about the event that the adrenaline was pumping for an hour. What an afternoon!