I had something crazy happen about a month ago, and I have just decided to share it. I have this awful fear of losing one of my children. Sometimes I can almost ruin a good time by constantly checking to make sure all of the tribe is in one location. Doyle and I have a system to make sure the bases are covered. If we separate in the store, we say, "I have 1 and 3, you have 2 and 4." We number the kids or call them by gender. "I have the girls - you have the boys." We are pretty good at communication.
I was in the store with my friend, Rebecca. I had dropped the girls off at a party and the boys were with us. I'm sure this wasn't their first choice of a fun afternoon, but I wasn't going to be in there long, so everyone was cool. I had just taken Joseph to the bathroom and I was looking at the shoes. Joseph likes to walk around and meet me on the other side. Since I am working on not being so protective, I have allowed him this privilege. He left the aisle and I waited for him to come around. When he didn't come, I thought he must have found something to look at on the other side. I glanced around the corner, and he was not there. I started looking down the aisles and couldn't find him. This is when I started to panic. It was not a huge store. Samuel and I went in different directions and began our search. I told Rebecca and the sales clerk. She began lockdown. I was at the front of the store when I heard a little faint voice call, "Mommy." I ran to the back of the store and there he was. He was coming out of the restroom. He was very upset, and had one thing to say to me. "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom!" I still can not believe he was able to get the heavy door of the restroom open and I do not know why he decided to go by himself. He had never done this before. I was so glad to see him and so frustrated that he had pulled this stunt. I didn't know whether to hug him or spank him. But since I was so glad to see my little fellow, I hugged him and said, "Don't ever leave Mommy like that." Would you believe that he didn't get it. He just kept saying, "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom." The only thing he could think of was that he had done his "duty" and I had not done mine. Well, I found out that you can not reason with a 3 year old with an unwiped tail. I went back to the bathroom,(3rd time a Bozone had visited this facility in just a short amount of time), cleaned up my guy, and decided he should stay belted in the cart for the rest of the time. It sure made my blood pressure rise. It also reminded me that he is not ready for too many privileges at this point. The following Sunday he started to leave our pew. I asked him where did he think he was going. You know what he told me. He had to go out in the van for something. I don't think so. Doyle and I have decided to keep and eye on our little Mr. Independent.
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6 comments:
I understand this fear all too well. I lost Ashley and her little cousin when they were 7 or 8 or so in Dollywood. They were separated from us for probably about 30 minutes maybe but it seemed like a lifetime. It's a real fear. Funny thing is that when I go to a store now, I am still looking for my kids!!
Since giving birth to my first child, my worst fear has been of losing one of my children. I may be too paranoid, but I think most mommys are!
Not a fun time!!!! But I remember his distressed face when he told you that you hadn't wiped him!! ;-) I guess it will be a few years before he understands the difference between his stress and yours at that moment!!!
I was reading this one extra fast to hurry up and get to the part where you found him! I remember not being able to find my Mom once in a store and I can remember almost every detail of it - I thought I was really scared but I'm sure she was far more so.
We lost Patricia right here on campus when she had just turned 3. We were in a desparate panic. She was gone about 15 minutes and one of Rick Smithers children found her. She had this fasination with getting in the cars and playing. She had crossed Jordan Way to the Tahoe and climbed in. We were so thankful when we found her. I know exactly what you felt. Thank God Joseph was safe. Take care, Gale Wheatcraft
My dad would tell my mom that she is being too protective of me and would make me afraid and she tell him that the day I was missing he would wish she had been more careful. I am also so afraid of losing my son. He still stays in the cart when we are out but the fear is still there that something might happen to him.
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