Of all the ding-ding things.....

...i have done as a first time Mommy, well, i truly have reached a new level of ding-ding. I am shocked that i did what i did....how careless i was.

After a wonderful morning with Emma, playing and giggling, we decided to surprised Daddy at work and take him to lunch. He was thrilled to see his girls, lol, and of course, Emma was all smiles at seeing her Daddy. We had a wonderful lunch-in fact, it was perfect. The waitress was fantastic and sweet, lunch was healthy (salad and half a sandwich for me with unsweetened Raspberry tea) and so good and Emma was on perfect behavior. We take Daddy back to work and continue with our Valentine's Day Shopping Event. Shopping was fun, Emma was happy and giggling and smiling. After shopping, we finally arrive back home and i park the car in the garage. It is a pretty day, so i take off my jacket and shut my door and go to the back door to get Emma out of her car seat.

And the door is locked.

In fact, ALL OF THE CAR DOORS ARE LOCKED. AND EMMA IS INSIDE MY CAR IN HER CAR SEAT.

How do i know?? Oh, i ran around the car about 12 times re-checking each door just to make sure that i didn't do it. Oh, yes, friends, i did it.

I locked my daughter in the car in her car seat.

Unbelievable.

Emma is smiling at me thru the back window as i am rocking the car (yes, you read that right, i'm rocking my car with my hip, sigh) in high hopes that she will fall asleep and won't notice that her Mommy is a ding-ding and who is praying that she isn't traumatizing her child by her stupidity. I luckily had my cell phone in my pocket so i call my husband and calmly tell him what i've done.

Ding-Ding Mommy: ummm, sweetie? Do you think that you can call a locksmith to come to the house? I've locked Emma in my car.
Sweet Hubby: (trying his best not to chuckle at me) Oh. You locked Emma in the car? Is the car off? Okay, i'll call the police department and call you right back. Are you okay, sweetie?
Ding-Ding Mommy: AM I OKAY???? I'VE JUST LOCKED MY ALMOST ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. NO I'M NOT OKAY!! (didn't say this to sweet hubby, but i was thinking it....) Yes, i'm fine, can you please hurry and call them?
Sweet Hubby: Sure.

Emma, by this time is sticking out her bottom lip. You know how little ones do just before they cry? I'm still rocking my carto comfort her in high hopes that she will fall asleep. She starts to cry.

And so do i.

Cell phone rings...

Sweet Hubby: Sweetie? They will be there as quickly as possible. Don't be upset with yourself, these things happen. Please call me if they don't show up in 15 minutes.
Ding-Ding Mommy: sniff, sniff...okay.

Emma has now pulled off one of her shoes and is chewing on it. But she's not crying so i encourage her to keep chewing on her shoe. After a few moments, she pulls the other shoe off and chews on it. And after a few moments of that, she chews on both of them. She's looking at me in the eye because i'm sure that she is remembering that i don't let her chew on her shoes.

Thinking surely that it's been longer than 15 minutes, i look at my cell phone. IT'S ONLY BEEN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. It's going to be a long wait for the police.

Emma is now yawning.....and rubbing her eyes. I'm still rocking the car like i would rock her. She cries a little more, so do i. And then, i hear it. The wales of a fire truck.

Surely they are not sending a fire truck?? Not the BIG fire truck into our nice, quiet neighborhood, are they?

Oh, yes, they are! With lights flashing, horn blaring. I meekly run up our drive way (i'm not even out of breath, btw, when i reach the very top of our long driveway, thank you treadmill!) and all of my neighbors are standing out there in the middle of our cul-d-sac....all of them. One of my favorite neighbors yells to me "Is Emma okay???" I just nod thru my tears. Karen is nice enough to come over to me and walk back down the long driveway to the back of the house where the garage is with the 3 firemen that i keep apologizing to over and over again.

After about 6 seconds, Capt. Roberts has my car opened and is getting Emma out of her car seat. She is all smiles, touching his face, babbling her Emma talk. He is smitten with her and tells her how beautiful she is. He is holding her once they are out of the car and she raises her little arms up in the air and smiles and says "Wow".

"Wow" indeed.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Capt. Roberts and your crew for getting to our house so quickly, for getting my Emma out of my car and for not making me feel like the worse Mommy in the world. Thank you for sharing your funny stories to me and handing me kleenex for my tears.

And thank you for helping my Emma.

What an entry into her baby book about her First Valentines Day!