Bolt

I have decided that I am changing my son's name to 'Bolt'.

Yesterday we went with a wonderful play-group to the Chula Vista Nature Center. It was amazingly beautiful. You have to take a bus from the parking lot, to the Center, and I was very nervous since it was Chris' and Leila's first time on a bus ride. It was only a 3 minute journey, but those 3 minutes were full of wide eyes, big smiles, and absolute excitement.

Once we were off the bus, we started walking through some of the exhibits. Leila was in her stroller and Chris was holding on to the handle. You see, we have been teaching him that if he stays near us, and holds the stroller or the cart, then he can walk and not have to be strapped in a stroller himself. Everything was going wonderfully, that is, until we got to the Bald Eagle. That is when Chris decided he was going to run and sprint down a trail that was for employees only. Thank goodness for play-groups and quick handed Mommies.

We walked around a bit more and then decided to have a bite to eat. After our lunch, we decided to check out the Sting-Rays. This exhibit was amazing. It was an enclosed circular area, with a shallow-water tank, where we could actually pet the Sting-Rays, as they swam by. Neato, right? WRONG!!! This is where my son decided to run in circles, with me chasing him, as my face grew more and more RED. That is when I decided it was time for us to leave...immediately.

All of that brings us to this morning. We had to go to Wal-Mart and get a few things. I did everything in my power to make it a QUICK trip. After checking out, little man decided to BOLT. I was in such shock that he chose that specific moment to run away, that he got a bit of a head start. The automatic doors opened for him and out he ran, towards the busy parking lot. My heart fell and I ran with all my might. He had one more step to take and he would have been in the street. I grabbed his arm and pulled. I was so upset and had no clue how to react. So much of me was just full of relief and the rest of me wanted to spank the life out of him. I simply gathered myself and we walked to the car.

As I was getting Chris and Leila strapped in the car seat, he kept asking me, "Momma Happy?" and I would answer with, "NO, Mommy is upset". With his every question and my answers, he would cry harder and harder. Before I could get in the car I had to count to 10 and take a little breather. As I got in the driver's seat and started the car, he asked me one more time, "Momma Happy?" and this time I said, "Yes, mommy is happy now." He stopped crying, smiled, and all was right in the world. As much as they frighten me at times...I love them more than anything.