Mother of the Year

Ok, so now we all know that there are certain things we should not let our kiddos do. Like run with scissors, ride bikes without helmets, ride in the front seat of a car with an airbag. Ok, so these things they tell you over and over. For the most part, I think I am pretty conscious of my children's safetly. And then there are moments when I fall short.. this time, I nearly fell off....

So, last night I had to bring a meal to a friend who just had a baby.. (sweet Eden, so cute). Anyway, Shannon was sleeping and Allie is getting over another cold (another story, but really.. when does this end??). Anyway, so I asked my neighbors daugther who is in fifth grade to sit in my house while i ran the meal over.. i thought this would take 15 minutes. I told her if Shannon woke up and started crying, she could bring her over to her mom. Ok. All set.

So, now 30 minutes later I make it home. (traffic in mcminnville? protestors/picketers on 99W??). Anyway, I find Shannon in the arms of my neighbor, being consoled doing fine. Of course, as I knew she would, she woke up and was displeased that someone else greeted her. After trying to console her on her own, my little neighbor took shannon to her mom... as asked. But first, she tried to "take care of her". She lovingly tried to bounce her and get Allie to sing to her. She checked her diaper (really, a 5th grader is brave). She even decided to try to feed her. This is where my blunder comes into play. You see, earlier in the day, I had broken a bottle of Childrens Tylenol somehow (cracked on the bottom) and in quick desperation I poured the contents into a medela bottle and put a lid on it. I then set it on the counter. Not thinking, of course. You see where I am going. My little neighbor saw this, and in trying to help, put a nipple on the bottle and tried to feed it to Shannon. Thank GOD, shannon was too mad to eat and wanted nothing to do with this...

When my neighbors daughter told me she fed her the bottle of "orange" juice on the counter, my heart dropped into my toes. I nearly shouted out in fear. Not at her, it was clearly MY fault and she was doing what she thought she needed to to take care of this little one. However, I quickly examined the bottle, and was relieved to realize she did not drink any..... but still, my head race. What if? I cannot stress how much I was not upset with my neighbor, as I should have known not to leave the bottle out, known that she might want to try to console shannon before taking her to her mother... i know better than to leave medicine out, especially sitting in a baby bottle on the counter, unmarked. really? mother of the year.

again, God was watching, and no harm done to Shannon.. only to my own ego and a renewed understanding of being careful.