Like so often, all the kids were in my room....just milling around. A noise was coming from my purse on the ground. The low battery on my cell phone was causing it to beep for some juice. Instead of plugging it into the wall, I sent a child to plug it into my car charger in the garage, so that when we headed out to run errands it could complete its refreshment without interruption.
The only thing interrupted was my short term memory....
An hour or so later, we were about to leave. Again, everyone was assembled around my desk. (What is the deal?) I grabbed my purse but didn't see my phone in its pouch. I panicked because the purse had been sitting on the ground and Mari could have taken any of its contents into all the corners of her world. I found my keys, but still, no phone. I asked everyone, "Who has seen my phone?" Four blank stares. The 19-month-old, however, showed piqued interest; as if to say, "Phone....ahh, yes....that cold, silvery, lovely beepy thing....what was your question?".
I figured she took it somewhere, but I remained calm. Over the last week she had led us to the exact location of several of her hide'n'seek projects. I bent down and peered into her eyes. I politely asked, "Mari, where is Momma's phone?" Her eyes shifted to the left and she thought. Then she turned abruptly and waddled through the hall and house with great purpose. We all followed her all the way to the laundry room. She stood as if she had reached the edge of her world. She pointed out to the garage and announced, "Cah!". I was shocked:"Oh, Mari! The CAR! You're right!" She gave herself an ovation. We all joined in.
We loaded up and headed out, but not before I wrote "ginkgo biloba" on my grocery list.
