Toddler Tales

I've been getting a weekly email from Baby Center ever since Elliott has been around. It links me to articles on his development and gives suggestions and advice. Today so many of the articles were pertinent:

• Is it realistic to expect a toddler to sit still in church?
• Find out how other parents cope with a toddler who likes to scream in public.
• When your toddler refuses to brush his teeth.
  
• How to deal with a toddler who runs away from you in crowded areas.
  

Now let me just touch on this last one. I discovered on our little St. Louis trip that my son finds joy in running away from me in public. I need a toddler harness! Yesterday was no exception as we journeyed to a mall for our weekly playgroup. This mall was like a Mills mall for anyone who knows what that is; huge, carpeted hallways, outlets galore, and fun children's play areas scattered throughout. It was also mostly deserted. There were four moms and four toddlers there so we teamed up. Another mom and I shopped for 15 min or so while the other two moms watched the toddlers play. Then we switched. Well during my watching turn the other mom with me took one of the kids to the bathroom. I was keeping my eye on the other three (I don't have enough eyes for that really) and of course my son kept bolting and getting away from the designated play area. As I went to retrieve him I glanced at one of the other kids who suddenly got a mischievous gleam in his eye. But Ben's the sweet, quiet one so I just thought he was amused by Elliott running off. When I looked over to where Ben, the three year old had been playing, he was gone.

GONE.

So here I am in the middle of the mall with the 2 remaining toddlers, mine very likely to run off, a stroller, our purchases, and the other lady's purse. I look down the hallway (mallway?) and I see Ben running at full three year old speed already 3 stores away from me!!!! Aaaaaa panic! I ran a few steps toward him, a few steps back to my kid, torn as to what to do. If I waited too much longer, like for the other mom to get back from the bathroom, Ben would have turned the corner and been out of sight! There was an EMO looking couple walking by that kind of saw the thing unfold with my screaming after the running child to no avail. I said to them, "Could you please watch these kids for me for a second?" They gave me a "You are crazy, woman" look and I took off for the little rebel. I caught up with him as he was turning the corner, grabbed his hand, and made him run all the way back with me. Luckily he didn't put up a fight. We made it back to the play area and I thanked the strange couple. Then I didn't see Elliott.

It was a long 5 seconds until I heard him yell "Mom! Mom!" He was down the mallway the opposite direction hiding in a photo booth. Thankfully no toddlers were injured during my Jon and Kate Plus 8 moment today...and I only had 4!