Bad Mommy

Nati started really walking on March 2. Alexander started being able to open the front door (if not bolted) shortly thereafter. On Sunday I was upstairs looking for a missing giftcard. My 1 and 2 year olds were downstairs watching TV. After several minutes I had a feeling that I better check on them. They are too young to be left alone, but the TV is usually a very good babysitter, right? Usually! Sure enough I raced downstairs to find --- no one in the family room and a blanket dropped in front of the door. Uh, oh. Now I had to search for something else--- something far more important than a Penney's gift card.

I searched our yard-- front and back. No kids! I ran to the neighbor's, but all looked quiet in their living room, so I didn't even bother knocking, figuring they'd have probably knocked on my door had my babies just showed up at their doorstep. From here I started to get more nervous and took off down the street heading toward Beau's house. Alexander liked Beau's swingset, after all. As far as I could see and hear, though, the street was completely silent-- no sign of AWOL toddlers anywhere. Then, a couple houses down, I spot her: Nati, my petite 14 monther, is happily sitting on a neighbor's lawn, just entertaining herself. No brother, just her, sitting there, completely unprotected, left to her own devices, yet completely content. She smiled sheepinshly at mommy; mommy snatched her up and hugged her tight, wrapping her in brother's blankie. Now, where was brother? I rang the doorbell to Beau's house. He wasn't inside. His mom and dad. very sympathetic to my escalating panic, came out to search their yard thoroughly. Sure enough, Alexander was in the back yard, enjoying the swing set. Whew!!! The Lord smiled on me, and I am very thankful. Fortunately, too, though my heart had started to race, I didn't have to suffer too long for my lack of parental prudence. From now on, I will try very hard to lock the front (and back) doors when I escape upstairs for a little me time. Maybe I should forgo all me time, but that's not a resolution I'm likely to keep.

This whole incident really scares me. I mean my toddlers could have been in big trouble had trouble presented itself. I told Alexander that he MUST tell me before he goes outside because monsters and bad guys could just take him off the street if mommy wasn't there to watch and protect. Hopefully, this created an impression, but I'm not sure. Beside the panic, though, I want to remember this incident for one image that really makes me laugh too: my two kids in all there small innocence, toddling down the street, just out for a stroll on a warm spring day, not a care in the world, completely oblvious to any lurking danger. I'm sorry I missed it!