a code yellow.

I had a mommy rite of passage experience this morning. We went to Target because Carly is seriously lacking in warm clothes that fit appropriately (the high-water look only goes to far). I was perusing, and often Carly shares in the shopping. I looked up . . . and she was gone. I searched the toddler clothes section. I searched the shoes, and the boys clothes, and the girls clothes. I called her name louder and louder. Usually if I "lose" her, I find her in about 5 seconds. She doesn't wander far. We are pushing probably 2 minutes at this point and I start to panic.

Much like the time Carly's face had a run-in with a jar of alfredo, my brain went into rational thinking mode. I can keep looking for her, and who knows how long it will take me or how I might miss her by just a section or so (the girl responds to my calling about 50% of the time, especially in a store). And while I was searching it would give her a chance to get farther and farther away, hurt herself, or, heaven forbid, give someone the chance to leave with her. So, instead I found an employee. Its not easy to say "I was so caught up looking at toddler jeans that I misplaced the toddler who would be wearing them" but I did (though it came out more like "I can't find my little girl!") and it was immediately apparent they are trained for this sort of thing. They called a "code yellow" and blocked the exits and sent out her description and about 45 seconds later, they found her. And I wanted to cry. I couldn't decided whether she should be in trouble or not, but I just gave her a big hug instead.

I didn't know where my daughter was for about 3 minutes and I never never want to feel that again. I will never again judge someone with their kid on a monkey backpack leash. In fact, I wonder how much those things go for.

Oh, and where was she, you ask?

Trying on sunglasses.

Yes, she had about 10 pairs on the ground and one on her face.

Can you say diva?  

But don't worry.

We got her some very cute jeans.