Trapped

I tried to be a good Mommy today and take John Mac and Hannah to the indoor play area at Chick-fil-a. Henry and Caroline were finishing their last morning of camp at Jamestown Settlement, and I thought John Mac needed a special morning after lots of watching swim team and then dropping off siblings for camp. We bought some orange juice and headed to the play area. I will have to admit that I was talking on the phone briefly when it happened. Hannah was toddling around the bottom area and John Mac, because he is not tall enough to climb up the large triangle "steps" in the play area decided to climb up the slide. I didn't think he would get very far, but he quickly made it to the very top of the slide, and then the very top of the play area. That is when he started to cry. I got off the phone (this is after judging lots of young moms in the past for talking on their cell phones because they cannot handle the boredom of watching their kids enjoy the play area). I used my calm voice to explain how if you climbed up to the top by yourself, you can certainly climb down. This rationalization only made him cry more loudly. Hannah was now trying to climb up the bottom of the slide, a rescue attempt of her own. I am dialing my husband over and over; maybe he is in the area, maybe he is driving from the office to get coffee. No answer for three calls in a row. John Mac is louder now. I look around; there is no helpful old lady to hold Hannah, no helpful young man to climb up the play area, no helpful young Mom who has children to coax John Mac down. So I am trapped. I put down my purse and leave Hannah still joyfully attempting to climb up the slide. Five months pregnant I climb those germ-infested blue triangles to the tip top. (Did I mention I do not like heights?). Free entertainment at the Chick-fil-a today: pregnant woman climbing to top of play area to rescue crying three year old. Do you think he knows I love him? I sure hope so.