Fun at the gas station

So we locked the baby in the car…

Um, yeah. No, that’s not a typo. We locked the baby in the car. On Tuesday. At the gas station.

I am so proud.

In retrospect, it’s funny, but at the time – not so much.

See, I’d had a bad day to begin with. The whole day was one thing after another, very busy – crazy, actually. And when I got home I was hit with 2 shots of bad news and my mood was not so hot. But, we had to go to the Cub Scout Christmas party, so we loaded into the car and ran to get gas on the way.

And that’s when it happened. That’s when we locked the baby in the car.

I pulled up to the pumps and, leaving the keys dangling in the ignition, commented to Jaben as I got out that it was so cold that the window washer liquid was frozen. Then I went to the back part of the car and started pumping the gas, not thinking a thing about it. Jaben knows he needs to stay in the car with Kyan if we’re getting gas when it’s dark out because Ky freaks if he doesn’t. He’s 22 mos old and he doesn’t like to be strapped into a car seat, in a dark car, alone at night. Makes sense.

But Jabe wanted to see the frozen windshield fluid, so he got out and ran around the car to peek. At this point I was mildly irritated (Kyan was screeching “Day-Bin! Day-Bin!” from his seat) because I really didn’t want him getting out, but I figured it would only be for a minute. So, Jaben looked at the frozen stuff and exclaimed, “Wow! It’s really cold! I want Kyan to see this!” and proceeded to try to pull open the car door.

* click *

NOT the sound I wanted to hear… my stomach hit my shoes and I said, “Jaben, did you lock the car??”

“Um, no… I’ll go try my door.”

* click *


“Oh you’re so kidding me.”

By this time the tank was full, so I grabbed my receipt and started trying doors. All locked. Keys in ignition, baby in the back – strapped into his seat.

Greeeeeaaaat.

Fortunately, it wasn’t 90 degrees out in August, I’d had the heat running before I shut off the car, so Kyan was probably more comfortable than we were. Now I just needed someone to go get the spare key. So, out came the cell phone and we called Aunt Keli. I have never been so impatient for someone to pick up the phone in my life. Ever.

Nothin’ like locking your almost-2-yr-old in the car, in December, in Ohio.

After I talked to Kel, who said she’d come, she called back and said my mom was on the way and would bring the key. So all we had to do was keep Kyan calm until she got there. And keep me from killing Jaben. Keeping Kyan calm seemed much more do-able at this point.

So, we stood at the windows and talked to him, made funny faces, etc, until Grandma arrived..

Tap, tap, tap… “Kyyyy-Kyyyyyyy… hi baby!! Mommy will get you in a minute!! Are you in the car? Is it warm?”

“Day-Ben! Mommy! I tuck!”

“Jaben – talk to him!!”

“Kyyyyan! Lookit me!” (makes faces in the glass)

“Momma – I TUCK!!”

“Oh baby, grandma’s coming…. We’ll get you out in just a minute. Mommy promises.”

Yeah, a good ten minutes of this. Add it to your list of “fun things to do at a gas station on a Tuesday night in December.”

When Grandma arrived (smirking, as I would’ve been doing myself), I unlocked the doors and hugged my poor, brave, surprisingly calm baby.

The whole drama lasted probably 15 minutes from the time Jaben jumped out of the car to the time my mom arrived, but believe me, it seemed MUCH longer. I keep catching myself giggling now tho… I am now one of those moms with a “when we locked the kid in the car” stories…

So – if anyone is still reading this infrequently updated blog… tell me your “When I locked the kid(s) in the car story. Then we can all share the “Mother of the year” award!