Mommy Brain Rears Her Fretful Head

Back in the dark ages of this blog (November '11 to January '12), the Umbehr family found itself fete-a-fete with mommy/pregnancy brain. Past victims of said brain are not 1 but 2 Via Christi hospital mugs which I loved with all my might but forgot (on 2 separate occasions) on the top of the car. I'm sure more have fallen as a result of this ailment but alas a side effect is memory loss. But I'm getting off track.

After Mass one morning, I had an obligation (daily visit with Adrienne) which I was eager to get to but had to make a quick stop at home first. Anyone who has a 30 pound toddler and morning sickness on steroids knows that the prospect of a "quick stop" involving the heaving of said mammoth child from car to house then back again is less than appealing. Since it was cold and rainy, I decided to leave the car on with Max locked and buckled inside while I quickly got what I needed from the house. Being the clever little mamacita that I am, I took the clicker off the keychain and hopped out clicking to lock the doors. Alas! The clicker didn't work. With another stroke of brilliance, I decided to open the door and lock it from the inside and shut the door. Two steps toward the house later, it dawned on me. Maybe the clicker doesn't work at all when the car is running. 

DING DING DING!

I jumped back to the car clicking the c-rap out of my clicker, horror struck that Max was stuck IN THE LOCKED RUNNING CAR! I tried to act normal singing in front of his window in the rain acting silly but feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. My one saving grace was that I had the sense to have my cell phone on me. Dialing Kelby in a flash, I explained my predicament and begged him to come home to spare our child the future in counseling.

After what felt like 4 hours in the rain (more like 8.5 minutes), a handful of pathetic attempts to pacify my son's increasing anxiety and confusion at our separation, and a couple of awkward glances from passersby, our savior arrived with only a hint of disapproval, a generous amount of understanding, and the precious key!

Max was no worse for the wear and I learned a valuable lesson: just go straight to Adrienne's house and don't worry that the workers will see your dirty laundry in the hallway.