(It applies. ...kinda.)
Our doorbell rang at about 4:30 on Tuesday. It was the boy from down the road. "Brenda's sister is down there." He said in broken English while pointing down the street. "Oh, hi Ulysses! Umm, Suzie is right here." ..."No, umm, Brenda's sister is over there." I stepped out the door and saw Garret being led towards the house by the neighbor. "OH! You meant Brenda's brother! OH!!"
Dang it.
Somehow the gate in the backyard had been left open and Garret was discovered bouncing down the street bare-legged and hyper. (How fun for him!) We found his pants and I profusely thanked my neighbor who, over the years, has become used to the occasional Brenda or Garret barging in after a secret escape.
Thank goodness this sort of thing doesn't happen very often. I get really shaken. The "what-ifs" haunt me in a cruel way.
Not only that, but my pride takes a hit. What a terrible mom I must look like... (At least the shallow side of me was pleased since I was actually dressed and groomed that afternoon. I mean, if you're going to neglect your kids you might as well look pretty for when the neighbors come knocking, right?)
I have to restrain myself from shouting out defensive excuses-
HEY, I GOT HANDICAPPED KIDS!
...I'M BURIED IN LAUNDRY!
...
THIS LEGO STARSHIP ISN'T GOING TO BUILD ITSELF!!!
I just try to be gracious to our kind neighbors. I may owe them some cookies...
But the funny part of this particular story is how the very next day I was startled when stepping outside and there's 3 beautiful horses grazing in the field just about 20 feet away. What an uproar! Suzie and Brenda turned into flubber as they bounced around the yard exclaiming "HORSIES! HORSIES! HORSIES! HORSIES!!".
Apparently, half a mile down the road, they had escaped their field and were on a joy ride. (Totally pant-less.) The owners were able to collect their animals and I got a nice chuckle thinking Yeah, no worries. It happens to all of us...
5 comments:
You have such a great attitude about it! I think we all have days when our parenting skill don't look so good.
I well remember the day when Bitty learned to open the gate while I was frantically looking around our backyard where I had been weeding with her. Turns out she also learned on the same day to shut the gate, thus fooling the mommy into thinking the child is still in the yard. When I finally went out into the lane to the busy road, some lady gave me the trimming of a lifetime in a very loud voice. I have learned not to judge! And no, I wasn't groomed to impress.
I'm soooooooo glad it isn't just me. I have escape stories that are just now funny...like when Jackson was just at walking age and he escaped our apartment and ran over to the movie theater on a cold day in just a diaper and some older ladies grabbed him and started going door to door to find out where he lived...or the time that Jackson escaped out our window in just a diaper at around 4years old and grabbed his little sister (who was also in just a diaper) and pulled her out the window then start down the street until a cop found them and brought them home. Or the time when he snuck out a window in the middle of the night and ran down to the whites to see if Mitchel could play...awww memories. It happens to everybody...or I hope so... I'd like to think that I'm not that bad of a mother... I just have kids that REALLY like to explore. :) It's nice to know that you have safe neighbors. :)
Lindsay, you are a-ma-zing. :)
This is quite possibly the best post I have read on ANY blog EVER!!! #1, I love your wittiness (that's WITTY, not whitey ;)) #2 Your kids are cute and this story ending with the escaped horses for the ending is CLASSIC!! At'll do, Lindsay, at'll do. ;)
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