Saturday, December 6, 2008

I guess it was my turn today ...

... to lose my kid in a public place. Sigh.

Payton, Nika and I were at the mall shopping at Pottery Barn Kids. If you are familiar with that store, it is pretty much impossible to take your kid in there and have them not want to play. There are displays everywhere of all sorts of fun stuff ... Payton's favorite being the doll stroller. So she was pushing the doll stroller while I pushed Nika in our stroller. We were in the back of the store looking at crib bumpers and within seconds, I lost sight of Payton. I figured she walked into one of the rooms set up in the store, so I went to find her. She couldn't have gotten far after all, right? No sign of her (or the stroller) anywhere. I frantically asked the salesperson that was helping me earlier if she saw where Payton went and she hadn't. I walked the store twice thinking maybe I missed her ... but no such luck. By this time the PBK staff had called mall security and I ran into the mall with Nika to look for Payton. I ran down the way we had come from and didn't see her, so I turned around and headed the other way. Sure enough, just as I passed the PBK store to head in the other direction, I saw Payton strolling her little booty along with no cares in the world. There was an elderly woman walking beside her who told me she saw Payton strolling way down by Sears at the end of the mall. Mind you, Sears is TWELVE stores away from PBK. The woman said she didn't think anyone was with Payton so she decided to follow her as she pushed her stroller. I thanked the woman profusely and put Payton in our stroller ... of course she screamed because that meant she could no longer push her doll stroller.

I just thank God that Payton happened to be pushing the stroller, which I knew would make her a lot easier to find. Had someone tried to separate her from the stroller, she would have screamed. I also think someone may have tried to pick her up if they had seen her wandering aimlessly all by herself, which would have made her a lot harder to find. Most of all, I thank God for the elderly woman who took it upon herself to follow Payton and watch out for her.

Ugh, she is such a little stinker! Talk about giving me a heart attack! I contemplated even blogging about this, but I decided to only because it can happen faster than you can snap your fingers. Stay safe everyone!

19 comments:

  1. OH MY! Now, have you made an appointment with the cardiologist to check YOUR heart now?!?!?! Holy crap. Thank GOD that she is safe and that she was being watched over. (((HUGS)))

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  2. OMG, Bethany. I'm glad you did post this. I think we can all learn from this, because it's easy to forget how quickly they can disappear. Samantha is like lightning. Haven't lost her yet, but she's sure trying! I'm so glad everything turned out okay, and am glad for good samaritans.

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  3. Absoultely! None of us are void of this. Thanks for posting this. Stay safe indeed, everyone. Glad your little one is OK.

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  4. That is so scary, how easy it is to lose sight of little ones. How sweet of that lady to watch over Payton - and how lucky that she had that big doll buggy to push around & keep her busy.

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  5. I am glad it turned out okay- that store is the worst with the toys and the little rooms.

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  6. Bethany, I have lost Avery more than once. Kids are so quick and have not a care in the world. I'm so glad there was a good Samaritan out there with Payton!

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  7. This is Joyce, Oh this so brings back memories. When Sarah was about 4, I too lost her in a Penney's. One second she was there - next second she was gone. A clerk immediately called security and within seconds I am surrounded by 6 plain clothes security - who knew there were so many. They peacefully combed the store all the while I am panicked because she still had her trach and was very medically fragile. The instore security called the mall security and one of them found Sarah in the middle of the mall, a good 12-14 stores away, sitting on a tiny merry-go-round just smiling away. My legs were so weak I had to sit down for a while before I collapsed. Looking back now of course I say "wow, what a smart girl to know how to get out of that big store and head for her favorite ride."

    Glad it all worked out for you, scary and frightening I know.

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  8. Oh my, I know that feeling. I turned my head one day and my 5 year old was gone. I know that I lost years of my life that day and she was quite content sitting eating pizza when I found her.

    Kayla

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  9. That hasn't happened yet with Daniel and Maria, but I've sure worried about it. They're so fast and into everything. Glad everything turned out ok and you didn't have a heart attack!

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  10. OMG, too scary!! I can't imagined how frightened you were and 12 stores away?? I'm not sure I'm ready to venture out with three kids. I should practice more with two:) Glad to hear she was safe and sound.

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  11. Scary- isn't it. Max a huge runner!! He isn't so bad anymore but given the chance he more than likely would be off running....

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  12. Yikes! Sean and Aidan love to wander off playing 'hide from mom in the clothes racks." I've gotten really strict with the stroller/cart use with them.

    Glad the friendly lady was watching out for P!

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  13. :O I cannot imagine how terrifying that would be! I'm so never going to take Eden anywhere unless she's tied and stapled to me or securely in her push chair lol! This will work, really it will. At least until we decide to attempt to raise a second child. Not sure I can staple two kids to me.

    SO glad she's safe! God is good!

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  14. Oh my gosh, Bethany!!!! Soooooo scary!!!! But I can just see her!!! Just enjoying a lovely stroll! LOL Stinker! Sorry you had to have a heart attack over it!!

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  15. How scary!! My husband is always telling me not to get my eyes out of my kids. He is paranoid that they might get lost. I just can't imagine how you felt in that moment. But with 3 kids it is hard, I find it hard with 2, lol...
    You are right they have so many nice toys in PBK that kids have a blast. We were there last weekend and Allyson loved that shopping cart. It makes a great push toy.
    Luciana

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  16. Holy Cow! I would have flipped out too. Thank God she is safe!

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  17. That is so scary! I'm so glad you found her!

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  18. That is TOTALLY my worst fear!!! I'm so glad that lady decided to follow her AND that she was a good person! When I get my business up and running you can be my first customer! Payton needs one of my necklaces... and Nika too... I feel much safer with Kennedy wearing hers!

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  19. I'm thankful for the guardian angel who helped keep an eye on Peyton, and of course thankful everything ended well. (Except for maybe causing some grey hairs!) My daughter was swept up in the crowd at Downtown Disney when she was six. I couldn't breathe. Strangers helped us look and yell for her and other strangers saw her crying and added the situation up correctly and brought her to us. Then I started crying uncontrolably with relief and I think my crying scared her more than being lost! So don't worry--it can happen to anybody and it happens so fast. I'm very thankful for kind strangers God puts in our paths.
    -Crystal

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