FASTER THAN A FREAKED OUT TODDLER

This afternoon I had fed R, then of course the older boys decided THEY needed to eat (instead of making it easier and just ALL EATING AT THE SAME TIME!!) so I was feeding them, and I said, "Where's R?" K just shrugged and said, "Basement." I couldn't figure it out, though, since I could hear him twanging a door stop, but, oh well... he wasn't screaming in my ear, so I went with it. (Yeah, yeah, Bad Mommy Move #3,741.)

Later, after K went off to the basement (which common sense would dictate he would have then called up to me, "Mom, R really isn't in the basement", but we're talking about putting the words "common sense" and "K" in the same sentence, so yet again -- Bad Mommy Move #3,742). Well, I hear R starting to cry and beat on the door, and I'm thinking to myself, "Normally they are yelling at him to leave them alone and get out of the basement, so you'd think one of them would be smart enough to OPEN THE DOOR for him to let him out...." So I walked over to the basement door, and instead of the yelling getting louder, it seems to be getting further away, so I figure he's going back down the steps & I YANK open the door, prepared to chastise his older brothers, and... no R. But still lots of muffled screaming & banging... so I take off to the laundry room, thinking he's locked himself inside with Hannah (who has been hanging out in there since it's dark & cool, and we all keep closing the door on her & having to let her out...). But... no R.

So I take off running upstairs, and as I approach the top of the steps, and the bathroom door, the screaming is louder and LOUDER. I get the door open, and faster than a freaked out toddler, R comes RUNNING out of the bathroom, sobbing, and FLINGS himself on me. It was actually pretty funny and I'm afraid to say I chuckle when I think about it...

Lessons Learned:

1. Don't expect common sense from seven year old boys.
2. Don't leave the bottle of Febreeze under the sink so that you have to debate for the third time whether or not to call Poison Control in case the toddler has inhaled some.
3. Don't expect that after you've paid the cleaning service hundreds of dollars to clean your house that a toddler won't have it trashed in 20 seconds after they've left.
4. Don't forget that locking themselves in a room makes toddlers MUCH MORE APPRECIATIVE of Mommy!!!! (No, I don't plan to repeat that lesson for him LOL!!)
5. Best way to get the bathroom cleaned again? BLAME IT ON HIS BROTHERS!!!!