Mother-of-the-Year Award

And the Mother-of-the-Year Award goes to…….ME!!

NOT!!!

This past week The Little Lady and I went to visit my grandparents at the retirement community where they live.   I planned to stay the entire day, and packed our bags that morning with all the essentials for a day away with a toddler….10 cloth diapers, wipes, bib, sippy cup, pack N’play, toys…etc…you know? The essentials.  I did however, forget the noise machine.  The importance of this oversight will come later.

We arrived midmorning in time to play and visit.

Playing with Great-Grandmommy's fish, Herbie

We ate lunch and then I put The Little Lady down to sleep in the pack N’ play in my grandmother’s back bedroom.  In their condo, the kitchen shares the same wall with the bedroom so it can sometimes be noisy in there.  

ENTER: forgetting the noise machine – oops.  In order to keep the noise level down, when I left the room, I consciously pulled the door shut behind me. 

I joined my grandparents for a card game of hand and foot, and went to check on The Little Lady after the first round.  Upon trying to open the door, I realized I couldn’t turn the knob.  I did not panic, but simply thought I must be doing something wrong.  Surely, the door could not be locked with my innocent, darling, helpless daughter inside. 

I called my grandmother over, and unfortunately she could not get the door open either, because it was horrifyingly locked.  After 3 hours 20 minutes of anxiety, which included an unsuccessful call to the building’s maintenance department, I had to call 911 – yes 911!!

Within 10 minutes, the fire truck had pulled up out front.

Hundreds of old people in this building and the fire department is here for me and my 13-month old daughter!  Mortifying.

Thankfully the fire department did not have to break down the door, as they were able to use a small tool inserted into the lock to open the door.  It was also a huge blessing that The Little Lady was asleep the entire time and had no idea what excitement was taking place on the other side of the locked door!

Double-check the lock on the door before your pull it shut behind you, leaving your sleeping child locked inside! – says the village idiot.