A mom's nightmare

Seth is learning how to do many skills. Like, buckle any seat that he can get his hands on. We have to let him help us buckle him in or he throws a fit. He is pretty passionate about his new skill. It's fun to see him excited about it because it somewhat distracts him from the idea that he is being restrained.

Now even though I'm excited for him to learn new "skills", there is one that terrified me from the moment he did it for the first time ( other than going up and down the stairs). Seth can open DOORS! 

However, this is a very specific skill for him, it requires very particular doors. Sliding screen doors are a piece of cake for him; it leads to the back yard so pretty sure it's his favorite. The nice thing is he always closes it too. Sliding glass doors are a challenge but one that he has achieved once. Round handle doors have been attempted and obtained once but lost his interest. Now the stick handle door knobs are ones he has mastered and terrifies me.

There are two doors with this specific handle at my in-laws house. The bathroom door, which wasn't much of a bother until he opened it while I was in there. The other is the FRONT DOOR. That's right! All my fears of possible bad situations happening to my child is in the hand of a chubby fingered toddler. Somehow he has this sixth sense too of knowing when that front door is unlocked.

My little Houdini managed to escape not once but twice. The first time I was restrained by my 1 month old (yes it's possible...especially when you breast feed). Luckily, God alined the situation to stop him on the front porch.

The second time was much much more terrifying. It's one where your heart gets ripped out and squeezed (like on Once Upon a Time) and you go into panic mode.

Chuck and Linda were leaving for the store, Matt was holding Karlee watching TV, Seth was watching his movie, and I was finishing dinner. I saw Seth's little head follow Chuck and Linda to the door. (He acted like Jewel off Rio when she saw the open door) For those of you who haven't seen the movie, he was a bird trying to escape from a cage. Obviously, Chcuk and Linda were able to slip out leaving Seth in the house. However, mothers also have a special sixth sense. It's called prediction, we know what our children are going to do or are doing without having to see them. Knowing my little Houdini was going to try his magic trick again, I told Matt to lock the door.

I went on eating and Matt went on holding Karlee and watching TV. I assumed he had locked the door since he was back to the TV. After about 3-5 minutes Matt goes to check on Seth. Ready for the words that ripped out my heart, " where's Seth?" Being the mother of this child, those are the most terrifying 2 words that can make a sentence.

I see the front door open and right away sprint to the door. This time our magician has disappeared even past the front porch. Remember that ripped out heart.. It's getting squeezed. Luckily, once again, he was just at the neighbors driveway.

One thing I have learned from this is that God knows my child needs more than one guardian angel and the best of the best. Also, make sure the door is always locked even if it means doing it myself. And lastly, my heat's limit is the neighbors driveway.