Mommy Lessons

Ok, so on Thursday, December 4, my daughter turned 3 months old! I know everyone always says this, but they really do grow up so fast! Well, let's just say I learned a VERY important lesson on that day...always make sure that you have your keys in your hand before you proceed to exit your car with the doors locked. Ok, I know it sounds bad, and I felt SO horrible...like the worst mom ever. Here's what happened:

Everyday when I pick up Lauralyn from daycare and head home, I stop by the mailbox which is by the entrance to the complex. Since it has been cool out, I just lock Lauralyn in the car and jump out to get the mail, that way I don't have to take her out. I am out of the car no more than a min...usually. So anyway, as I was walking back to my car, after grabbing the mail, I went to push the button on my key chain and unlock the car and realized that I didn't have my keys. I quickly ran to the window to see my keys lying on the passenger side seat. I FREAK out and run into the leasing office and shout out "I locked my keys in my car and my baby is inside!" The guy in there said that the maint. guy might have something to unlock the car. I almost grabbed the walkie talkie to call the guy myself, because he just was not doing it fast enough. So I went back out to stand by the car and wait for the guy. He gets there and tells me that the equipment he has won't work on my car...grrr!!

Ok, so then the maint. guy tells me he is going to go and get the yellow pages. WHAT?! I don't have time for the yellow pages...my baby is inside! So after he called some locksmith, I told him never mind and that I was calling 9-1-1. I did my internship in college at a fire station, so I knew that they will respond to these things if a child or animal is inside the car. So I called and answered all their questions (where do you live? How long has it been? How old is the baby? Car running?) and within a minuet, 2 police cars drove up. Then they called a locksmith (I guess they have one that works with them), and he was there a couple min. later. So at this point, we have 2 cop cars, the locksmith, and lots of other people who have gathered around that work there in the office and just want to try and help. Oh, and the whole time this is going on, I am knocking on the window to make sure the baby sees me and that she is doing ok. I wasn't too worried because it was cool out, and plus, the cops said that if the temp. was not as nice as it was, they would break my window to get the baby out instantly.

Ok, so the locksmith managed to get the door open....just as the firetruck drove up....lovely. Anyway, so I opened the back door and kissed all over the baby. She had fallen asleep (which was nice), but I made her wake up before the paramedics left so I could make sure she was ok. Plus, the cops and paramedics had to check her before they could let me go. She woke up and was just fine. She didn't even realize what had happened. I told everyone "thank you" a million times...and I apologized as well. The fireman just said "it's ok, happens all the time!" Then I was thinking, "but it's not supposed to happen to me....I am a good, caring mom! This is not the type of thing that I do!" I was so embarrassed and upset.

All in all, I am just glad that the baby is ok and that she won't remember it. I ended up holding her the rest of the afternoon and kissing her like crazy. So I learned two lessons: Always make sure you have your keys in hand before closing the door AND keep a spare key at your house or even your office. Adrian keeps my spare on his key chain, and he was downtown. If I had it in the apartment, they could have just let me in the apt. to get it.

Lauralyn, I am sure this will be a funny story to tell you someday about how your mommy locked you in the car the day you turned 3 months. You did so good and mommy was so proud of you. Love you baby girl and happy 3 months!