A little while ago I posted about the worst phone call I ever received (when M's elbow was out of joint), well... this morning I had to make the worst phone call I've ever had to make.
Picture this. 7:00ish, I start the van with our automatic starter. Then I finish getting M and myself ready for the day, get all bundled up, and head out to the van. Some background info: our starter runs for 30 minutes and then shuts off. I get M all settled in - get her strapped in, get her car blankie on, get her situated with her traveling sock monkey, and of course, get sock monkey's blankie ready. Then I close the door. This is the part that is so crazy it could only happen to me: right about as I was closing it, the 30 minutes expired and the car shut off. and locked. My baby inside. My purse inside ---- which means, my cell phone, car insurance info (you know the guys that will come unlock the car) and most importantly in my purse - my KEYS. I'll admit. I panicked. I tried all of the doors just in case. Then I realized I had to do something. Three huge blessings: 1) We don't live in ND anymore!, 2) The car had been running for a half hour and was toasty!, 3) Our neighbors are awesome!
Of course it is JJ's finals week (pray for him!) and he was not available. I ran to our neighbors - lovely family who happened to still be home. The mom let me borrow her phone to try JJ (to at least get a hold of our insurance). No answer. I left a message: call me at this number! Then I called my Dad - same insurance and he must be able to do something! He answered but as I was talking to him, my neighbor had gotten her cellphone and called AAA. I heard her say, "And there's a baby in the car!!" I hung up with my Dad and then neighbor said that the time frame was between now and 9:45, but this is a top priority car unlocking situation and they'd be there soon.
It wasn't until I started talking to my Dad that I completely broke down. I'll admit. I was bawling. JJ called our neighbor's phone and I blubbered to him what I had done. I told him I'd call back ASAP on my cellphone so he'd know we were all good. In the meantime I hung out by M's car door. She was SUCH a trooper. Oh my goodness. Besides being a stinker and taking off her hat, mittens AND all of her blankies, she sat pretty much content. We played peek-a-boo, she showed off her boots, and we waved from different windows. She did start to get a little restless, but I really can't blame her for that! A person came in seriously under 10 minutes. I don't even think he said one word and it took him definitely under a minute to get into the driver's side. I ran around and I pretty much could've kissed him, but instead held back with a weepy, "THANK YOU!" I unlocked all the doors, grabbed my baby and held her tight, all the while bawling like a little girl. My neighbors were practically cheering for me as I thanked them up and down.
Poor M did just fine until she saw Mommy all broken down. She started crying and we went inside our house for a while. I called JJ back, my Dad (who suggested I have our insurance's number somewhere besides just my purse!) and my Mom (who had been called by my Dad and who had called and left a text wondering what was going on). Then I called work crying like a baby (and the secretary said, "OH! I did that once. That's terrible! Take a deep breath! You're fine, your baby's fine, and we'll see you later!). Next I called M's daycare to say we'd be there but late and what had happened - another very sympathetic response. Then M and I just cuddled for a little bit. I decided we really had better restart our day so I got M bundled back up again. As we got closer to the car, M looked at my sternly and said, "Door." Yes, honey! Mommy WILL not lock you in the car again. Promise!
This evening, at least three times she's said, "M sad." One of us will ask why she's sad and she'll reply, "Mommy crying." Oh my sweet, sweet, precious girl.
So. Note to self. NEVER leave the keys in the car under any circumstance!
5 comments:
Oh honey. That just stinks. M is so sweet to remember and worry about you! I had Ben do the same for me during our brief "homeless" period as I was having an emotional breakdown sure that we'd never find the "perfect" house.
Also, I locked both the kids in the van, with it running. In January. In ND. Had a friend's husband run me home to get Aaron's keys while she stayed with the kids. Who were ALSO perfectly fine. I, however, was a bit flustered.
Good friends and neighbors are awesome to have!
Yeah. Not so much fun, but after this incident people have shared their terrible similar stories so I don't feel like the ABSOLUTE worst parent in the whole wide world. : ) Thanks!
That Ben-o is one sweet boy!
Oh no! I am so glad everything worked out alright! How scary!
So glad to hear that everything turned out all right! And you are so right about the good thing you don't live in ND right now! That would have just been added stress! :)
My mom told me about your post so I just had to read all about it. A few months ago I locked A in the car too. I was a wreck. I didn't know what to do and J was 40 minutes away, so I caled 911. They were there so fast and he also had the door open in under a minute. I also wanted to kiss him but restrained myself and just started weeping. I felt terrible but she was just fine all along. My car was running, the radio was on, she had her blankie... but I wasn't fine! Praise God for people who can get into locked cars!
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