Oh dear.

That may very well be the master plan.

If you don't hear from me, send paramedics. Or the National Guard.

The front door has a chain lock that she can't reach, so that's our backup there, and the back door has a very stiff deadbolt just above her head. I think we're safe...about keeping them in...with us. Oh dear.

When Chris was 3 years and about 3 months old, he scaled the gate we had up between the kitchen and the rest of the house. He pushed a kitchen chair over to the door, stood on it, unlocked both the chain lock and deadbolt, and then left to go get a Slurpee.

We were both home. I was napping. Scott was bathing Julia. Ben was watching TV in the living room (where I was napping) with Chris.

I think he might be able to reach the hook and eye locks these days, if he stood on one of our kitchen stools, but we figure it'll at least slow him down. Also, he's five, and knows our address, and phone number.

I remember when that happened, Cindy. I think that's when we bought the doorknob covers.

You were absolutely right to be afraid, Steph. She could have done anything and we wouldn't have known until it was too late.

If Kara and Clovis ever pooled their talents, we'd all be screwed.

My younger brother had this amazing ability to wander off from my parents when he was little. He did it twice in one long weekend when we were in Ohio. The first time was at a mall. He wandered away looking at something, ended up going to the information booth and saying, "Hi. My name is ___________. My mom is looking at wicker baskets, and I lost her." They knew exactly which store mom was at and found her quickly.

The second time was at King's Island. He wandered off, found a litter getter, said, "Hi. My name is ___________. I lost my fambly. Are there toys?" The litter getter took him to the children's lost and found area where he promptly walked in, repeated his phrase and again asked for toys. They told my parents they'd never seen such a calm lost child before.

He never got out of the house...except that one time with me...but we won't go there :)

Mom and dad were notorious for forgetting one of us. My turn was when I fell asleep in church and everyone went home. I had to unlock the church doors and get to the parking lot (down a long, winding, decorative type walk between trees and over a creek), to find only two people (though that's better than none). Mom and Dad had gotten all the way home before they realized they were missing one.

Perkins sent us stuffed animals. Anyone who has seen our house knows we don't need any more stuffed animals, and yet we (meaning Kara and I) are absolutely gleeful at the treasures. I got (through judicious trading and quick fingers) animal, beeker, kermit and gonzo finger puppets. We're sharing the duck-billed platypus. She let Aidan have the red dog, but Kara's keeping all the rest.

I'm so sorry for your loss Jacqueline.

PLATYPUS!

I love the platypus.

I'm down to gonzo. She took all the rest.