Opening Doors

Addy's newly acquired super power is being able to open doors. This is HUGE for a toddler to learn. Just think they can get behind any closed door all by themselves. Moms keep doors closed for a reason. This morning I was laying in bed reading (this is the best time for me because the girls are either asleep or they think I am asleep and less likely going to bother me) and all of a sudden I could hear my door knob turning back and forth. The door would then barely crack opened and then shut. I would hear the pitter-patter of feet run off (we have wood floors) and then 30 seconds later run back and start with the door knob again. It was actually pretty cute. I knew once she figures out that she can open up Mom's door all by herself life would be good (not so much for mom).

Last week I left to go get some milk. Shortly after I left Elliott went looking for her. He couldn't find her anywhere. He heard something in the garage and opened the door. She was standing out there with Coco and started saying, "Cold, Cold, Cold." A warm day for us is in the forties. It was somewhere in the thirties (Cold..Cold...Cold). Good thing we have a latch up high that we can lock so she will not be to get out in the garage.

I will never forget when Kylee had just turned two and I was sick pregnant with Alyssa. We lived in a two-story townhouse. It was time for Elliott to get home and I decided to go and take a shower knowing he would walk in the door any minute. Kylee just played in the bathroom and then moved into our bedroom to play. Next thing I knew she was gone. I immediately thought Elliott must have come home. A minute later I had this feeling come over me that I needed to check on her. Dripping wet I grabbed a towel and peeked my head down our stairs. I noticed that the door was cracked opened. I went down a few more steps and didn't see Kylee and Elliott's bike was not in the house. This means he was not home and at that point neither was Kylee. I ran to the door to see if she was just outside it and couldn't see her anywhere. I ran up stairs and put the first pants and shirt I could find, nothing else, and ran next door to see if she had gone there. They hadn't seen her and panic started to set in. They immediately started to help look for her. I ran back through our house just to make sure......no Kylee. I ran over and looked by the mailboxes and the play park in the complex......no Kylee. It then had dawned on me that Elliott would take her on walks to a park a few blocks away outside of our complex and to get to the park you have to cross a 5 lane road with the speed limit of 45 mph. I immediately ran to the corner through the field, barefoot, praying I didn't step in a fire ant file (wouldn't that have been a fun twist) and couldn't see her anywhere. I knew she couldn't be far, we just couldn't find her. I ran back to the front of our place and could see a couple walking over our way who were holding her hand. She had wondered over to the complexes play park (which we had check but somehow missed her). There she was standing there safe and sound holding a huge teddy bear that I guess she wanted to take on a walk. I really feel their are guardian angels out there helping us look over our children when we are not there.

So now you know why I really am not a big fan of toddlers being able to open up doors (no matter how cute it can be)......because they may make a run for it and it is the sickess feeling you get as a parent when you misplace your children.