I've gotten pretty used to getting two kids in and out of the car. It's no longer a huge ordeal like it was when Sloane first came home. Even though we don't have a garage or anything and we have to walk up and down two flights of stairs to get to and from our door, I hardly think about it anymore. However, yesterday, one of my worst nightmares came true.
The girls and I ventured to Target for a small shopping trip. Just something to get us out of the house and break-up the day a little. We found some fun deals and had a good time. When we walked out of the store, the weather had turned kind of yucky. It was really cold and the wind had kicked up. I walked quickly to the Scion and took Holynd out of the cart, leaving little Sloanie snuggled up in her carseat, riding on the "passenger" part of the cart. Holynd was content playing with her new fake food she got at Target while I was buckling her in her carseat.
All the sudden, Holynd's face turned grey... Her eyes got really wide and she looked at me and said, "Mommy! Uh-oh! Sloanie gone!". I looked over at the spot where I had left my cart. It was vacant.
My eyes immediately lept over to the image of my 5 month old baby riding on a run away cart. The wind had caught the cart perfectly sending my baby across the parking lot at a steady 45 miles per hour. (Ok, maybe not that fast. But to me it seemed that way!) I took off running as fast as my boots could carry me. (Saying many swear words as I ran. Like, that would help anything!) I caught her right after she slammed into another car.
I expected tears and terrified sobbing, but my stone-faced, even-tempered Sloanie looked up at me with the same content face she has 90% of the time.... She gave me a small grin as if to say, "I knew you'd come for me mom. I wasn't worried". I took a deep-breath, tripled checked for any damage to the car (None, thank goodness!) and carefully put my baby into the car. Holynd, who watched the whole thing from her carseat was more upset then Sloanie!
I got into the car and sat there... What do I do now? Do I wait for this car owner to tell them what happened?! They don't teach you this stuff in driver's ed! So, I did the best thing I could think of at that moment. I called my husband, who proceeded to laugh hysterically at the entire story and told me to calm down and go home.
This experience may completely change the way I put kids in the car for the rest of my life.
I hate those moments when God decides to remind you about simple safety precautions! When we lived in Orem, at that house I showed to you with the fenced in back yard, I would take Kayden outside to play, and he would like to play in the dirt and so he would be filthy after even just a half-hour. So bath after yard was essential. On one particular day, I thought that I would just run in and start the bath and then come grab Kayden. 2 minutes, tops! So I did it... And when I came hustling back out back, Kayden was gone... I looked at the gate, and it was open... Immediate panic! It had taken me longer than two minutes of course probably four to five, which is way to long, but he is fenced in and there is nothing out there to hurt him, so I am OK to hurry and grab his clothes and diaper. NOT! Apparently an eighteen month child can open chain-link gates. I ran around the house to the driveway and there are two little Mexican boys who happened to be late walking home from school and grabbed him from the middle of the road. "Is this your baby? He was in the road." I felt like Jack-ass mother of the Year (They really do have that award....just kidding I am lying, but if they did, I would have won) I ran inside with him to turn the water off and I dropped to my knees immediately to thank the Lord for reminding me about his safety, and making sure that he didn't get hurt. And after I sat Kayden in the bath tub, I threw up....twice. End of story, still makes me sick. But I think every mother has a reminder lesson, and then they don't ever forget. Loves!
ReplyDeleteCan I get your mailing address? We are getting ready to send out Christmas cards this week! Email it to me at nicoletenny@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Nicole