Friday, November 12, 2010

Waiting for it to become funny...

When I was a baby (back in the 70's), my mother had an incident she has recalled at times when I feel like I am the worst mother in the world or am stressing out over a parenting issue. I have to say she tells the story exactly the same every time and every time I can picture the entire event unfolding in my mind.

My mom is in her nightie (you know the 70's kind-short, kinda see thru, and clingy) making pancakes with her baby in her highchair and music playing in the background. In the distance she hears the garbage truck and realizes neither her husband or herself has put the garbage out. So to avoid being seen in her nightie, she quickly goes out and puts the garbage on the curb before the garbage truck gets to our house. Phew, that was a close one...she walks quickly back to the door, turns the knob...and it is locked! Oh, no! Baby inside, mommy outside, and the door is locked!
So she goes around back to try the sliding glass door. She can now see her baby playing in her highchair awaiting a pancake. THE PANCAKES...eyes dart to the stove where the pancake is cooking!

I'm fine, my mom is fine. She freaked, the neighbors called the fire department, and all turned out fine. However, not only did the garbage men see my mom in her nightie, but so did the neighbors and the fire department! LOL...

Ok, cute, funny, and true story which usually makes me feel better. Not this time. I keep waiting for what happened on Wednesday to be funny, if it ever will.

We drove 1.5 hours to my oldest daughters Endocrinologist doctor appointment for her Type 1 Diabetes. A routine appointment that lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. Ethan was great, he started getting fussy towards the end. So when we were done I asked Macy to take Ethan out and walk him around in his stroller, entertain him while I checked out, made the next appointment, and paid our co-pay.
I am almost done, sign here...here's this card and that card...put next appointment in my calender...and I overhear in the front office a woman talking to the check-in nurse. "The doors opened, and there he was all by himself. I don't know who would leave a baby in the elevator all by himself"...I casually glance up and around the corner to see MY BABY! Holy you know what! I dropped my phone, wallet, and purse on the counter ran around the corner and scooped up Ethan. In the corner of my eye I see Macy out in the hallway, running to the other elevator frantically.
I was so thankful, but also concerned Macy would be freaking out thinking she lost her brother. So I said, "thank you, I will be right back" and took Ethan with me to the elevators. We got in and went down. When the doors opened there was my 15 year old daughter breathing hard and freaking out...gasping when she saw her brother in my arms.
It's important to know that Macy is very responsible with her siblings (aside from the occasional fight between her and the twins), nothing like this has ever happened before. She is so protective of her brother there are times I find myself reminding her that he is my son.
So I asked her, "How the hell did Ethan end up in his stroller in an elevator all by himself?" Well it turns out she was playing a game of peekaboo with him. it escalated from the stroller cover to the elevator. She thought that the doors would partially close and she would push the button and they would open back up. Well that didn't happen.
When we got back up to the doctors office (in this 3 story very large medical building) the woman who had brought my son into the office was gone. I never got a chance to really thank her and talk to her. How did she know to bring him to that office? Its a big building and she wasn't seeing the doctor in that office? What I do know is that I could have lost my baby and I am truly thankful that the woman who was standing at the elevator when it opened was an honest and caring person. So whoever and where ever you are, Thank you for saving both of my children...my son from being lost and my daughter from a life of horror (from self-blame) for losing her baby brother.

Now you may be asking how can this ever be funny? Well, we watch a TV show called Modern Family. There is an episode where everyone goes to Hawaii and Cam and Mitchell leave their daughter Lily in the elevator while having a argument...Gloria is waiting for the elevator and it opens...she sees Lily in her stroller, and says, "Lily, where are you going?" Then she brings the baby with her and runs into the frantic crazy parents yelling "seal off the island". It was very funny, on TV.

So when I told my husband what happened on the phone while driving home, he said "I hope you are able to laugh at it now". Um, nope not yet! Maybe never!

16 comments:

  1. SHE'S GONNA THINK SHE'S BACK IN VIETNAM

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  2. You have a very sweet blog and I got a kick out of your story. I am a new follower from the Friday Hop.

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  3. Oh my goodness that would have freaked me out too! The story about your mom is funny. your little one is safe and that is all that matters. You have a new follower from the hop! You have a nice blog! I look forward to following! Come visit Mama's Little Chick. Have a great night!

    Mama Hen

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  4. Heather,

    I am so sorry you are not laughing yet at your story ....... because I am rolling in giggles over it. I guess I can becuase it didn't happen to me, but it SOOOOO could have.

    Oh my.! Two hilarious stories for the price of one post.

    Thanks!!!!!!

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  5. I was blog hopping and found your blog. I'm a new follower. Would love for you to check out my blog and follow back. Have a good weekend!

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  6. Oh my goodness! I had a good laugh, not at your expense,(well, it was a funny story), but as I was reading your post, it reminded me of the time that my husband, my daughter, and my 3 month old son, and I went to Easter service. The parking lot was SO busy, so my husband dropped my daughter and I off, and would park the car and meet us inside. The church was packed, but we found a seat. 5 minutes later my husband appeared at the end of the row - no baby. When I looked at him and said "where's Adam?" he turned around and ran out of the church. The best part was when he came back in with the baby, to many smiles, and giggles from others around us, my (then) 5 year old daughter announced "I would NEVER forget MY baby brother!"

    Thank goodness your experience had a happy ending as well.

    I'm a new follower from Pink Dandy hop, and am really going to enjoy reading your posts. Hope when you have time, you can drop by mine.
    http://gettingfitfor50.wordpress.com

    Enjoy your week!

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  7. Oh man! What a story! I think we ALL have stories like that!

    I'm following from Fun Follow Friday!

    Kristin :)
    Keenly Kristin

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  8. Thank you for the comment! I figured I'd pop in and stalk you a little, glad I did!

    I didn't laugh at you, I promise. (Okay okay, maybe a chuckle or two). I'm the type who freaks out over my kids being too close to the road by a toenail, so I feel your elevator story pain! My son almost went over Niagara Falls. I have permanent custody of the "Bad Mommy" award.

    http://www.everparent.com/articles/2010/09/17/and-the-bad-mommy-award-goes-to/

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  9. I would be freaking! I could not help but laugh though.

    Rose http://www.todays-woman.net/blog

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  10. I think most mommy's have had a moment like this. Thanks goodness it turned out well! And thank goodness you handled it so well too! I am just getting by to visit after you became a follower of mine so long ago. I apologize but I have a good excuse...come read about it! ;) I am following you now too...not like a stalker or anything...just your blog. lol

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  11. Hi Heather! Love Modern Family:) And this really is a funny-modern-family-like story ha ha tough probably it was scary at first.. but now it's so dang hilarious.. oh boy:)
    Oh and thanks for joining Boost My Blog Friday. And don't forget to stop by today because we continue with our Show Yo' Flow Campaign, and you can't miss the interview we have on Stefanie and the amazing surprises she has for our readers! See you there! Happy Monday!

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  12. Thanks for finding me...I love this story, and sometime it will be funny!

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  13. I think that this time next year it will go down as one of the cute stories that you tell AND laugh at. One day when Ethan is grown it will be a story that he and Macy can bond over:) Also enjoyed the story of your mom...very amusing. Thanks for the chuckle. Visiting from Monday Mingle. Enjoying your blog! Thanks.

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  14. Hi there!
    Hope you get this message.

    I just wanted to let you know I gave you an award as one of my new favorite blogs.

    Please stop by and check it out!

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  15. Oh. My. Goodness. You poor mommy! I would have been flipping out! LOL!!! I am so glad everything worked out ok. Looking forward to more fun stories (well, I thought it was funny anyways...)!

    I am your newest follower and would love a follow back on my review and giveaway blog, "In My Opinion...". Here is the link:

    http://couponsandfreebiesforyou.blogspot.com/

    I do have several blogs, but this one is where I am looking to get followers. Thanks so much!! :)

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  16. I've had things like that happen to me before and at the time there is nothing funny about it. But many moons later we can all chuckle about it!
    I am following you from Tuesday Train. Whne you get a chance come visit me @
    www.happyfamilyhappykids.blogspot.com

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