Monday, October 15, 2007

My tax dollars at work...

Asher and "Reel-ah!" sit while he "holds it!" (he never asks to "hold HER" just "HOLD IT!!"


Me and Rhylah snap a photo before I give her her first bath at home.

Today was the first day that it was just me and the kids. We got up, I got them dressed, fed and ready for school and we all piled out into the car to drop Gabriel off. Then Asher, Rhylah and I headed home, for a pretty much uneventful afternoon -- I even managed to get a few small household tasks done -- cleaned the kitchen, organized the bills .... etc. Asher has been adjusting pretty well, so that's good. He always wants to "hold it!" (the baby) or give her "Kiffes!!" He adores loving on her. Which is sweet.
Then, after a nap, it was time to go pick up Gabe from school, and I walked out of the house, with both kids and my phone, shut the door... and realized my keys were inside. Not only that, but Rhylah didn't have a coat on (due to the fact that our nurses drilled us, last time around with Asher, about how you're not supposed to put them in coats in their car seats, because it "interferes" with the funtionality of the car seat...okay....yeah...sure) and it was a chilly day. Needless to say, I freaked out. Our neighbors weren't home, Nate wasn't answering his phone.... so I wrapped Rhylah in my sweatshirt and did the only thing I could think of ... I called 911. In moments, a firetruck, with full fanfaire, sirens blaring, came whirling around the corner. Yeah. True story. The firemen hopped out, with their handy door-bashing implements ... apparenlty they had been told there was a baby locked alone INSIDE the house. Ummmm... no. In fact I specifically told the dispatcher "Both kids are with me!" At this point, I was SOOO late for getting Gabe from school, but luckily, Nate had called back and had managed to phone Trinity and Gabe was sent to the "after school care" room to draw pictures and wait for mommy. I had managed to get the kitchen window open and a fireman quickly sqeezed through it and opened my door. I felt so stupid, and repeatedly apologized, but they seemed fine with it, and even gave Asher a fireman's badge sticker. I'm not sure I'll get a bill for the service, but I'm thinking this might just be my tax dollars at work. And you know what the weird thing is? Though all of this, I kept thinking ... "Thank God I cleaned my kitchen this morning!" Yeah, like that matters!
So the next time I'm feeling cocky about successfully juggling three kids at once, I'll have to remember this lovely story and our friendly neighborhood firemen, who helped me out when they really didn't have to.
Gabriel however, asked me if I could be late everyday, since he had so much fun in the after school room -- drawing pictures and eating cookies.

Whew! I'm lucky I survived the day!!

11 comments:

C Staude said...

Oh my goodness!What a day! My poor girl!

amy7252 said...

Here I was, completely blown away by the fact that you are still recovering from giving birth and yet having no troubles caring for three children! I barely survived for WEEKS with one newborn. So, even though I'm sure you were mortified by the blaring fire truck ... it made me feel a teeny bit better, knowing that you aren't 100% perfect! (But my main reaction was sympathy embarrassment, and I, too, would have been relieved to know that I'd cleaned the kitchen instead of letting a fireman climb into a sink of dirty dishes.)

That's definitely a story you'll relate for years!

Anonymous said...

Could be worse, could be raining. Or in your case...snowing!

marzi said...

wow, that's a story to write down in the baby book! :) i think i probably would have had a breakdown! sounds like you handled it so calmly.

and about the whole baby/coats/carseat thing, yeah.....we were drilled on that too. we were also drilled on how we shouldn't have one of those little bumper things that keep their heads straight either. needless to say, rowan has one in his. i figure they wouldn't be allowed to make them if they were really that dangerous. there surely would have been recalls by now if that were true.

Nhia said...

Aww! Not the least bit of fun for a woman who just had a baby! I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I think I would have been boiling mad at myself.

Call me if you need anything!

Katrina said...

Amy: Oh my goodness, I'm so far from perfect, it isn't even funny! I could go into details about my breastfeeding/baby latching on issues I'm currently suffering, but I would probably freak some people out! :)
Marzi: Yeah, I know. I always take all that nurse "advice" worth a grain of salt. But of course, this was the day I chose to take it to heart! Ugh!
Nhia: I was indeed, boiling mad! Especially as I was sitting on my front porch and could hear sirens in the distance and just sat there thinking "Dear God, that had BETTER not be for me!!" But of course ... it was!

DawnK said...

How embarrassing! If you only knew how many times I've locked myself out of the house! Sorry that your little one didn't have a jacket on. Brrr. Some day you will have a good laugh about it! We had to call a locksmith once, right after we moved to Sheboygan.

t.leaf + k said...

Oh my gosh!! What a story! I bet Gabe was sad he missed the excitement. ;-)

Katrina said...

Yeah, he was pretty bummed that he missed the fire truck!!! :)

Sleepless Sabra said...

Wow, I just checked your blog for the first time in awhile wondering if you'd had the baby yet - we both have two boys and then a girl - in about the same amount of time. Congratulations. She's beautiful!

Katrina said...

Thanks Sabra! :)