My Reader's Digest Moment

Don’t we all just love it when our children scream and grab for the phone every time we try to talk on it? Yes, it’s cute, but it sure can be distracting! Here’s a little trick I tried on Junior that I think really taught him a lesson.

“Ring! Ring!” I said loudly and picked up the phone. My little dumpling immediately began grappling for the receiver.

“Oh, uh huh, yeah…. hmmm….,” I murmured earnestly. Now the baby was clawing at my eyes.

“Yes, I see…” Was that a toy tractor that just hit me upside the head? “Well, okay then, thanks for calling.”

I hung up the phone and turned towards Nathaniel very somberly. “Baby,” I said, “that was God. He told me to tell you that…HE DOESN’T LIKE YOU!!!!”

Crib Recall

Oh the irony. We specifically purchased a new crib, rather than considering a used or hand me down one, because everything you read warns of the importance of having one that has been damaged and meets the latest safety standards. The Aspen 3 in 1 (i.e. Wal-mart’s most attractive cheap crib) was recalled partly because of faulty hardware and also because it is easy to attach the drop side upside down. This can cause it to mess up and make a gap that the baby can get stuck in. Needless to say, I ran straight to the crib tonight and checked it out. Thank you, hubby, for putting it together perfectly! And, the hardware checked out as well.

But, you can’t help thinking about the two families known to have lost their babies because of this issue. A 9-month old and a 6-month old. It breaks my heart to imagine those couples happily putting their cribs together for their new babies, and then that moment turning so tragic some months later.

To this day, while on road trips with my mother, she warns me about what I should do if we got into trouble. ”Now, theoretically, if we get abducted, I want you to run if you get a chance,” she’ll tell me. “Don’t try to stick around and save me, just get out of there.” I nod, and say, “yeah, sure, mom,” thinking to myself that she’s nuts. What does she mean get out of there and leave her? Now, though, I’m starting to get it. Imagining something bad happening to your kid is beyond horrible.