Monday morning he was helping himself to ice cream. He very efficiently got himself the ice cream from the freezer, the ice cream scoop and a bowl!!
YUMMY!
That night (I am not mentioning all the *other* things he did in that first day of the week!) I put him to bed. He decided he was not tired, so up he got. I put him back to bed many times!! Finally I heard his little room mate call out, "Briton's out of bed." I went into the room and did not see him and assumed he had put himself back to bed when he heard me coming. I went across to the other child and tucked him back into bed. As I was doing this I heard a drawer close, but thought nothing of it. I then turned to leave the room and as I did so the thought crossed my mind. "Why is a drawer shutting when there is no one there?"
Hiding at Bedtime
The next morning, Tuesday, I woke up early (6:00 am) to get the big boys up for school and as I went past this little imp's room, I saw his little chair up against the gate at his door.
Escape Route
He has a baby gate across the door to stop him from leaving his room in the night, but at the same time he can have his door open to hear us. I knew I had pulled his door almost closed the night before, so why was a chair at the gate and the door wide open? I immediately went downstairs and checked the exterior doors and they were all locked. I knew he had to be in the house, but where. Then suddenly I heard a little pitter-patter of feet. He had gone in to his sleeping big brother's room! (His chairs and table have now been put into storage until he is less of a risk.)
The following day (Wednesday) he wanted to go out to play with his brothers and I said, no. I was not available and since his little expedition down the road a few weeks ago I was a little leary. He tried to open the deck door and I shut it and said, no. As I did this he turned and dashed pell-mell out of the kitchen and down the hall. Do you think I was born yesterday? I immediately grabbed my trusty memory maker (camera) and went out the door he had originally tried to go through (the kitchen door) and headed around the house to the other back door. I stood there with my camera at the ready and caught the little convict in action!
See How Nicely He Closes the Door Behind Himself!
Satisfied Grin, As He Thinks He Has Gotten Away!
Lately, he has worn himself out with all his escapades that he has taken to falling asleep in his highchair a couple times!! It is no wonder with all the running and climbing and mischief he is into!
Worn Out!
We have a fruit bowl which is high up on a counter and he got himself a stool and climbed up high to help himself to an apple. When he saw me coming he took off with a delighted giggle (new fun - mum can chase me and I can hide!) and hid under the table while eating his apple and leaving those yucky pieces of skin all over the bench!
Climbing on the Counter
Mischief Maker!
Here he is escaped again!! We have since had to put safety locks on the doors to stop anyone from exiting. They are now having to use only one exit from the house (in the kitchen under my beady eye), so that we can keep a better eye on this little monkey! We need to keep him safe and since he is determined to get outside at any cost...
Escapee With No Shoes
My neat child is no longer neat. Suddenly meal time is play time!! See his expression - His two older brothers walked in on him having breakfast (when I was not looking!) and gave him a talking to for playing with food and he gave them a look which said - "Back off, big brothers!"
Why Can't I Make This Disaster!
If you notice these incidents ran from Monday through Thursday (yesterday). Today was the most dramatic day of his little life. The last time I had a fright like I had today was when Dane was 2 1/2 years old. What is it with that age????
In the morning Briton wanted to go out to play with his brothers. I said no, at first, because he is so mobile, but finally I let him go for a few minutes. He played nicely with Austin. They were doing the yard clean up and working and playing in the back yard. Then Austin was leading Briton around with a rope he had tied to them both.
All Was Well
The next thing I know I can't see Briton. Where is Briton, I ask? Austin points to the log pile. I send Dane to check. Dane can't see him or find him. I head to the front of the house and have Cooper check the back. We all very quickly start looking in different directions. I race through the house calling his name and offering icecream. I am thinking I don't have any time to spare and if he is hiding in a closet doing something naughty, perhaps the thought of icecream will draw him out. And if he is not in the house I need to be outside. I can't be in both places at once, but I need to check the house before I panic and run down the street.
I think, this can't be happening! We just went through this and we have been *so* careful with him over the last few weeks. Doors have been locked, child watched, people cautious, him kept in the house all the time!
Finally it is clear that he is *not* in the garage, house, property, anywhere!!! So I post children in all directions and check under the wheels of my van and then drive out quickly. I figure I will go around the block. Dane has already checked up and down the road and has not see him! Maybe he has gone further. But our neighbourhood is all wooded and he could have wandered anywhere!
I drive around the 2km loop, praying all the while, "God, please help," over and over again. As I come back to our house I realize that he is gone. We have looked everywhere. He has vanished! I race in the house to get the phone and call 911. As I do this, I see the lady across the street exit her house. I call to her and ask her if she has seen a little boy of two. Please help look, I ask her. She immediately heads down the street into the properties, as I suggest. I hang up the phone and run back into the house and search again. More time goes by and now he has been gone for at least 20 minutes.
I run out of the house and I hear Dane call, "We have him." Apparently, the lady had gone into a property just down the road from us and had seen him sitting behind a boat, on the steps, playing with a dog. This is a police officer's house and we have met the dogs. It would make sense that since he walked in the same direction as the last time he left the property, that he would head towards animals, as he loves dogs!!!
Five minutes later the police arrived. I was very happy to hear that they already had a police dog ready to go and Search and Rescue had been put on stand-by!! Thank God they take it so seriously!!
That was the longest 20 minutes of my life (outside when Dane went missing for the same length of time at the same age!)
Fallen Asleep While Having Lunch After His Exciting Morning
It took about four more hours for my body to lose the stress it felt from the fright I got!!! As soon as we got him in the house and in the highchair, Briton fell asleep. I set to creating makeshift door hooks, until we can get something like alarms on the doors to alert us if he tries to leave the house. In the meantime, as soon as Ray came home from work he turned around and went out again. This time to rent an auger to build the front fence and driveway gate. We still have a wire fence around the property that he can climb if he figures out how. So the watch on Briton will continue to be vigilant until the snow flies and he is slowed down! or when he is 3 and hopefully more reliable!
Ray - Ready For a Busy Weekend!
We are so very, very thankful that our little one is safe!!! He is very precious, but oh, so very mischievious!! There is no doubt that he has angels looking after him! Any extra prayers for his safety would be appreciated!
After His Nap - Playing At My Feet
Innocent and Sweet
(just very, very busy!)
1 comment:
Your little guy is so cute! What a beautiful family. I am going to come back and read more of your blog when I get a chance.
Thanks for sharing!
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