Not my proudest mommy moment

Well, it happened. As I was cleaning out my car today before we left the house, Trace climbed into the front drivers seat to "play". Being the good mommy that I am, I thought, "better close the door so he doesn't fall out onto the hard garage floor". As I was throwing my 3rd heap of garbage out of the back seat (you could survive for days just from the junk in my car), I closed the back door ready to retrieve my bouncing toddler and be on my way. I'm not sure when he did it, I certainly never heard the "click" of the lock button, but I then realized he had locked himself in the car with the keys in the ignition!

I didn't panic... yet. I ran into the house to find the extra set of keys Jimmy keeps, only to discover he had them. He was hunting (in the middle of no where, of course) and had them with him. Then the panic set in! I called him immediately and he was thankfully just coming out of the woods but still quite a ways away. So... I stood vigil peering through the window watching Trace jump around, flip EVERY switch in the car, and climb back and forth between the seats. He was completely oblivious to my state of mind and was having a wonderful time giggling and giving me kisses through the window! I thought about running to get my camera, thinking this will be funny when it's all over and he's safe and sound, but I couldn't make myself move from the car.

Then it got scary. In the cup holder he found coins, which he used to ALWAYS put in his mouth. That's when I started deciding which window to bust that would prevent the least amount of glass to go spraying through the car into his little face and exactly what in the garage I was going to use to break it.

My mom got there (she was going with us on our errands) to discover her only beloved grandchild locked in the car with help still a long way away! She was very kind, although I know she was probably ready to give the dreaded parental look of, "you have to be responsible now... you're the mother!" Trace then discovered my lipstick and enjoyed spreading it on the window of the passenger seat. When he put the cap in his mouth and sucked it between his cheeks, I really panicked and mom and I seriously discussed exactly which window to break and what "tool" to use. My neighbor even came over to see what all the action was about and tried to coax Trace into hitting the unlock button, but to no avail.

FINALLY, Jimmy got there with the extra set of keys and heroically (sp?) released our child from captivity. It's not fair, he always gets the save. I was then very thankful that it wasn't 100 degrees outside and that we were safe in our garage rather than in some scary dark parking lot.

Needless to say, the first "errand" on my list tomorrow is to go to Lowe's and get a magnetic box you put under your tire thingy with an extra key in it!!! Let this be a lesson!