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I lost my toddler tonight!
- Oct 1, 2008 at 9:38 PM
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- Comments (15) Total Views (241) Everyone can see this journal post.
She's fine and safe in her bed now, but OMG! My heart is STILL racing from the episode!
Hubby plays tennis Wednesday nights, so when Alyssa got up from her nap, I packed her up and took her to a country diner for dinner. We ate dinner, then like we usually do when we go to this particular restaurant, we walked across the parking lot to the dollar store.
In the dollar store, Alyssa found a ball she liked. She is very good about staying with me, and I am good about keeping her in my eyesight at all times. Or so I thought! In a single second when my back was turned, Alyssa wandered off!
I didn't panic at first, but I started calling her name. She didn't answer. I raced through the aisles, calling her name louder and louder, and still no answer! OMG! Was she even in the store? There was an automatic door that she could easily wander out. She's apraxic and can't tell someone she is lost. The SafetyTat (temporary tattoo) we put on her last week for our Disney trip is getting worn. My God, WHERE IS SHE?!?
One of the cashiers saw my panic and asked if I was looking for someone. "My little girl, Alyssa," I said. She got on the intercom and said "Attention customers. If there is an Alyssa in the store, please meet your mother at the front." I knew a 2-year-old wouldn't respond to that, so I continued calling out "Alyssa! ALYSSA!"
Another employee was stocking an aisle and asked me what she looked like. "She's 2. She has brown hair. She's wearing a striped shirt, denim shorts, and pink sandals," I told her.
"I'll check the bathroom," she said, and raced off.
How much time passed? One minute? Three minutes? Ten minutes? I didn't know, but each second felt like an eternity.
Finally, as I rounded the corner of one of the aisles, still calling Alyssa's name, I spotted the cashier with my baby girl in her arms. Alyssa was still clutching the ball. The ball that must have gotten away from her. The ball that she chased across the store while I scoured the aisles looking for her. ARGH!
I wanted to both scream and cry, but instead, I took Alyssa into my arms, hugged her, thanked the cashier, and told Alyssa that she should always, always, ALWAYS stay with Mommy! "Never, ever, EVER leave Mommy again!" I said, then hunted down the other employee who was checking the bathroom and thanked her.
Whew! For those few minutes, my world, my heart, my LIFE seemed to stop. I don't think I've ever been so scared or felt so helpless. Thank God my baby was found safe and sound!
Comments:
I am so happy for you that you found your little one. Amazing how someone so small can turn your life on end and inside out.
OMG! I feel your pain! When my son was about 4 or 5 we were in Wal Mart (of all places). I was in the book/magazine section and when I looked up he was GONE!! They had to call a "code adam" and everything!! Come to find out, the bathroom was right beside the books and he decided, w/o telling me, that he'd just run in and go pee!! Talk about heart failure!!
I'm glad she's okay. I still have those moments with Arthur and how he runs off and he's 6.
Whew! I think that has happened to all of us. Thank God she and you are fine. I remembered it happened with my now 4 year old when she was about 18months old. I had nightmares forever.
I am glad that she was ok. i have had those when Jacob wandered off
yikes, been there done that. I know how you felt. I'm glad she was ok :) That's a hard lesson for kiddos to learn! *hugs* momma!!
Thank god she was ok! Its so hard when they're that little because they just don't understand that they can't wander off. I'm glad she's safe and sound!
I think we've all been there! I am so glad she's ok... and you too! The first time I lost Brian it was in Barnes and Noble. I always just head towards the door while keeping my eyes open for him. So far that has panned out.
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OMGosh, you poor thing! I'm so sorry that happened. Rhanyn has gotten bad about wanting to "play" in the clothes racks when we're in stores. I keep waiting for the day that will happen to me, and to be honest I'm not sure HOW I will handle it.
I think you handled everything very well, and I'm so glad she's safe now! Take a deep breath and just remember that in the end she was safe and sound!