Locked In!

We reversed the handle on Chase and Ryder's door. We did this so that the lock would be on the outside, a weapon required for victory during the bedtime wars (for more on this click here and here.) Eventually, the wars subsided, but the lock on the outside remained. Since we never were able to put "time outs" into effect the only punishment that came to be (other than taking away Barney or Hi-5 for Chase or Neil Young for Ryder) was to lock them in their room for timeout. They cry when we do this, and as a result my heart breaks, but there are times when our little angels need some disciplining;)
When we moved the lock to the outside we hid a tool inside of the room so that when and if the time came that I got locked in there, either by accident or because of Ryder's nimble fingers, we would be prepared. We hid the tiny little screwdrivers out of sight and out of reach from Mr. Observant (Chase) and Mr. MacGyver (Ryder). We were set.

Then one day, I am not sure how many months ago, the batteries died in the boys' remote control cars. And, for some reason on this day, at this time I felt as if they must have their remote controls available for play immediately. The batteries in their toys run out frequently, and to be quite honest, I am never in a rush to change them. Partly because there are so many noises all day that a toy without sound is great, and partly because, just like opening them for the first time, these manufacturers don't make it easy. Not only does everything take more batteries then we usually have but to change them you need a tiny little screwdriver! A tiny little screwdriver just like the ones we hid in Chase and Ryder's room. So, since now these cars have become an absolute must, I go retrieve the well hidden "lock prevention" tools and set out to change all the batteries I can.
When I was finished I have no idea what I did with the tools. Most likely, I left them out got distracted by a phone call, a bathroom break, three diaper changes, a bottle feeding, a juice refill, a load of laundry, a glass of wine, a DVR'ed episode of something unimportant, an email, and 30 other things. Before I know it weeks have passed, the tools are no longer out but I have no idea where they are. Luckily, I suppose, no other toys batteries expired. Perhaps the cleaning lady put the tools away, perhaps it was Todd. There is even a chance it was me, but that does not mean I will remember doing it nor where I put it. In fact, until the moment I am about to tell you about I had not thought about those tools, those neatly aligned various sized miniature screwdrivers.

Then Monday came. We were going about our typical bedtime routine. We had just finished baths and I had just finished dressing Turner and brought him into Chase and Ryder's room to give him a bottle. Chase and Ryder were still horsing around, stahling bedtime off as long as possible. Todd had gone to get the phone so we could put a call in to Bubbe Evie.
The boys jumped from bed to beanbag chair while Todd spoke to Bubbe Evie via speakerphone. She always loves to hear them talk despite the fact she rarely understands what they are saying.
After a cycle of I Love you's, Todd hung up the phone and went to leave the room. He does this! We will be in the middle of putting them to bed and he will walk out to floss his teeth. Because, it seems, just like the cars' needed batteries, his teeth must become plaque free at that exact moment. No, it simply can not wait until they are actually in bed. Tonight, however, it was good he has this habit at often inopportune times, because when he tried to leave we realized all 5 of us were locked in the room.

At least we were together.

First we laughed, because it was pretty funny. Then we looked for the aforementioned tools, which were not there making us keenly aware at that moment we were stranded. This made me laugh again, and grateful none of my children were on the other side of the door. Though, had Ryder been on the outside he could have rescued us, he likely would have needed to have a jam session, climb a wall, open a bottle, and put in a dvd first, however. We realized we had the phone and made a call to my mom, who on Monday nights works at the Richboro office. Unfortunately, she is there alone at night (other than my father who is with patients) so when she received this call, and after her hysterics, said she could rescue us soon, but not at that moment due to the influx of patients. Ok, so we would sit and wait. Then, I called Rachel. I know Rachel would do anything for us, a true benefit of having one of your best friends live nearby, but she has two young kids and her husband works nights, so this call was a gamble. Clearly she could not pack up her kids just to let us out of our cage. As luck would have it she was on her way home from an ice cream outing so they were all in the car. If you know Rachel, an ice cream outing for her is as likely as me not putting the screwdrivers back where they belong. So, Rachel came to our rescue, laughing the whole way. And, who could blame her, it was pretty damn funny.

Of course, the situation had us thinking, what if, as on most nights, we had not had the phone in the room? Well, to that I said, "it's a good thing we bought that fire ladder!" Then I remembered the fire ladder lives in the hallway linen closet. Uh-oh! Maybe we should move that?