Still A Little Fresh, But...

This is one of those stories that will be funny....someday.  Right now, I am still shaking.  Literally.  Maybe I need a snack.

Preface.  Everyone is ok.

The babes and I were out on the town today.  It's beautiful out, I seriously cannot do the park alone, we have played all we care to in the back yard, and plan to go to the zoo tomorrow....SO, we went shopping.  We met Daddy for lunch, did a little shopping with him, then set out on our own.  Our last stop was Target.  I had the B's in the stroller, we had conquered our list (and didn't even over shop) and headed to the van.

I got Kate out of the stroller first, she grabbed the keys to play with, and I loaded her up in her car seat.  This is always a little stressful...I am pretty fast at it, but regardless, one baby is left in the stroller at the rear of the car, just sitting there.  I got Kate buckled in, tried to grab the keys, and she fought me.  I was in a hurry to go get Lauren from the back of the car, so I let her play with them and shut her door.

I unbuckled Lauren from the stroller, walked around to her side....and found the door locked.  All the doors locked.  And my keys inside WITH KATE.  And my phone inside.  AND MY BABY INSIDE.  Enter crazy, frantic, scary person....me.

I ran up to a sweet older lady who was walking to her car.  As I buckled Lauren into back into the stroller, I crossed the Spanish/English language barrier with my mad Spanish/sign language/let me dig through your purse and find your phone skills.  I called Dan.  He was with a patient, I wasn't making much sense, but talking loudly and quickly and with maybe some Spanish thrown in.  He calmly explained that there was a hide-a-key!!!  This had not even crossed my mind.  What had crossed my mind:  1) tell Dan, make him leave the office and drive the 25 minutes home, then the 15 minutes back to Target with the keys. 2) I bet if the Senora and I work together and throw a cart through the back glass we can shatter it and it won't hurt Kate.  3) call the police, AAA, and a tow truck.

So, the hide-a-key.  He explained to me exactly where to find.  I assumed the back lying position with fierce confidence.  I scooted under the car...and my boobs haulted my progress.  I readjusted, scooted some more, and my belly became the stopper.  I CANNOT FIT UNDER OUR CAR!!!!!!!!!!  Add to the squishing, the panic attack I'm undergoing, and the sweet, little (but rounder than me) Senora is babysitting Lauren 3 feet away...it was not happening.  I knew it was no use asking my new friend to try, so what did I do??  I scoured the parking lot for skinny people. 

I found them quickly.  A nice, young couple was walking by together...and they were of the perfect build!  The boyfriend got right down on the ground and started looking.  Girlfriend let me borrow her phone and I called Dan again to direct the boyfriend a little better now that my belly wasn't being squished.  At minute 3, he still couldn't find them.  I hung up with Dan to call the police.  Like I said, it was a beautiful day....like almost 70.  I don't know the exact math, but I know that that meant the interior of the car was hotter than 70, and Kate was starting to not think this game was fun anymore.  Boyfriend helped me find the non-emergency police number, and girlfriend got down and started looking.

As the phone was ringing, the girlfriend yelled - "FOUND IT!"  And what came out of my mouth???  "Oh, thank you, I could just French you."  And I meant it, but I didn't.  I grabbed the keys, unlocked the door, and grabbed baby Kate.  She was absolutely fine.  A little sweaty and a lot clingy, but fine.

I didn't take the time then to teach her to unlock the car, but maybe soon.  Lessons for all:  1) take the keys away. 2) just because there is a hide-a-key, don't assume that means you'll be able to access them.  It wasn't very long ago that I publicly declared that I was "so much smaller" with this pregnancy on this here blog.  I take it back.

All kidding aside, I know how lucky we were.  It was so scary....but someday, I might want to remember.

Love,
Big Momma