Friday, August 16, 2013

Houdini's Disappearing Act - My OC Fair Nightmare


I had a very ambitious idea a few weekends ago. Lets go to the County Fair! My husband was not very excited about this and definitely voiced it. But when I have my mind made up, there's no stopping my grand plans. So off we went to find fried chocolate pickles and crazy carnies at the OC fair.

A Pretty Decent Salad Found at OC Fair
Having Fun....so far 





















It started off ok. Decent parking, short line to get in, a salad option for mama at the food stands. But that's about where the fun stopped.

We bought $30 worth of ride tickets and the boys got on 3 rides and of course the tickets were gone. Then while trying to find our friends, we realized we must have left Brady's baby bottle on a table somewhere. He was screaming and starving and we had no bottle. I desperately ran around the fair but never found it. So my husband did a McGyver move and fed Brady formula from a straw. (So ghetto but he stopped screaming bloody murder) 

McGyver Baby Bottle 

After another 30 minutes of heat exhaustion, $50 more in tickets and a bag of cotton candy as a bribe to leave, we felt defeated and headed towards the exit. 

That's when Houdini struck and I nearly lost my mama marbles. As we were walking out, a large crowd from a ride let out and swarmed around us. Hudson was just to my right and all of the sudden I looked down and couldn't find him. I shouted to steve who was ahead of us if he saw Hudson and he said no. 5 minutes of spinning around in a circle I started to really panic. And Steve started running through the area looking for him. The most horrible thoughts started running through my head. "Carnies", "how many 100's of people are here", "how many WEIRDOS were probably here", "kids being killed in bathrooms" etc...

I felt like such a loser parent. Hudson has been known to "escape". He feels too independent. He doesnt keep close.  I should have this kid on a leash, tracking device....whatever.

I ran to the info desk and let them know I couldn't find my son. I was really impressed by their response. They assured me that they had never, not found a kid. And let me know that the exits were being locked down along with bathrooms being checked and onsite OC Police involved. 

30 minutes later! Yes, 30 minutes later, while Steve was walking with an employee towards an exit he ran smack dab into Hudson. Standing by himself in the middle of walkway. Still holding/eating his cotton candy and staring at the clouds. No tears. No fear. He actually told Steve he knew where he was going and was coming to find us. 

I've had some scary moments in my 5 years of parenthood. But this 30 minutes of fear took the cake! 

I think I needed this warning. I have a daring, independent, fearless little boy.  I'm not an overly anxious, worried mom. I believe that most people are good and that most of the time your children are safe in the community. I made it through childhood with lots of freedom and adventure and I want my kids to grow up feeling empowered, not overly sheltered. But, this day could have ended much differently and changed my life forever. Lesson learned.

When Steve walked back with Hudson, I wanted to spank him, kiss him and I cry all at the same time.

OC Fair
$10 to Park
$30 entrance fee
$70 tickets for rides
$30 food & cotton candy

Total = Priceless Epic Fail

And my husband got to tell me "I told you so" for the next week. 

Now I'm seriously looking into one of these GPS Safety watches. GPS Tracking, Tamper-proof, 911 call-enabled. This safety device is something worth thinking about for my little escape artist...

Guardian Lion Leo - Retail for $249 (currently on pre-order)
www.guardianlion.com





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