An Obligatory Mom Moment…

So, Cooper and I flew home from our LA trip…look at my big boy on his plane ride. Thankfully we’ve taken some not so full flights where he can sit in his own seat even though I don’t have to pay for his own ticket yet. We both made it home safely, exhausted…and to a home that had been taken care of my husband for the past week. So, needless to say, as soon as naptime was over, we were headed to the store to pick up some milk (which we found none of in the house). But, we couldn’t leave until after I re-installed the car seat.

Here’s where the “obligatory mom moment” cues in. Here was my dilemma: I knew it would take a good few minutes to install the car seat, and didn’t really want to leave Cooper wandering around inside the house by his lonesome. So, I plopped him in the front seat of the car with the AC running (partially so I didn’t die of dehydration in the backseat while attempting to install the car seat). Anyone see where this is going?

I proudly install the seat within a few moments and get out of the car to retrieve my son from the front seat to put him in his car seat to….yes, drive to the store to get milk. Drum roll please…………guess who unbeknownst to me had locked the doors during my car seat installation efforts? Oh yes, that’d be my son! Following the split second panic of realizing I had just locked my 20 month old son in a running car – I scoured our key storing location in the house for a spare key (found none) which led me to run over to my neighbor’s house looking like a crazed lady. She opened the door and I blurt out,

“I need your phone and your triple A card!”

Bless my neighbor’s heart. She went over to watch Cooper in the car while I called. They said they would set it as a priority call (Gee, ya think?! ;) While my neighbor and I are panicking trying to keep Cooper happy and AWAY from all buttons and knobs in the car – he is happy as a clam having a hay day in the car. He’s rocking out to music, making faces…just having the time of his life! Thankfully, our hero – the tow truck driver – arrived and rescued us (before the firemen even! yikes! – Triple A HAS to call the fire department when a child is reported being locked in the car) without any calamities.

My neighbor and all our kids in tow headed to Baskin Robbins for a well deserved helmet sundae. Ahh, a trip down memory lane. We got an Angels helmet, big surprise, huh? Cooper looks severely traumatized, right? Haha! NOT! Here’s to experience those “inevitable” life moments. =) Cheers!