Yoo hoo, Good Neighbor!

This is why we practice. You have to be prepared ahead of time. I have recently discussed all of the practice with Daniel staying on his own for short spans of time, and our fear when he wouldn't answer the phone.

Wednesday the need arose to quickly leave the house. Zachary was supposed to stay at school for art club. It was the first day back after a 5 day weekend. I had reminded him several times about art club, sent him a snack for it, and still he forgot. This is not like him. He usually reminds ME of these things, but on this day, he jumped on the bus and came home. When he walked into the door I wondered allowed what the heck he was doing home and told him to get into the car, so I could turn around and bring him BACK to where he just came from. Daniel was on the computer in his post school bliss. Making him jump into the car for a frazzled ride to the elementary school would NOT have gone over well. So I grabbed the home phone, called it (so my cell was the last one on caller id) handed it to him and said I would be back in about 20 minutes. He knows the rules. Only answer if mom or dad calls, don't open the door, etc etc. He happily complied. I left.

I pulled into the school only to have my cell ring. I looked down to see my husband's name. I hit ignore. (sorry honey) I wanted to run Zach in to make sure everything was ok with art club and it didn't get cancelled or something. Then my phone rang again. Neighbor Laura. I answered in case there was a naked 13 year old running through the snow or something. There was not (thank goodness) We had a short conversation and hung up. My phone rang AGAIN from Todd. I ignored. (sorry again honey). I dropped off Zach and started to wonder if Todd had a problem or if he somehow knew this madness was happening. So I called him back. Only to have him say, "I didn't call you". It was at that moment that I realized on my cell phone under our home number it says "Todd" instead of "home". (it no longer does, I changed it right away) and my dense self didn't realize it was DANIEL trying to call me.



I then noticed the little voice mail icon on my Blackberry. I called my voice mail stuck somewhere between panic and confusion. Daniel wouldn't leave a message would he? He never has. He has only ever called me once before. If I were more technologically savvy I might be able to download the voice mail to my computer and then to here, but I am NOT. So I can only TELL you what it said, which really detracts from it, but it just said this, "I love you" (think of Barney saying I love you...that is the same way he said it, an example of scripting but using it appropriately and in context). My heart melted. How sweet is he? Calling me to show he can (again) and just telling me he loved me. I called him, I was already driving home by then. I heard him answer, and after a moment of silence he says "YOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!" in a very goofy, high pitched, sing songy way. We chatted and I told him he was doing great and that I got his I Love You message. He was very proud. I could "see" it through the phone. We hung up.

Driving down my street I saw Laura, who had called me earlier. I stopped and we chatted. I told her I was sorry I was abrupt on the phone but was getting bombarded with calls and explained the situation. She understood of course but then shared a piece of the puzzle I didn't know. . . before she called my cell. She called my home phone. Daniel answered it and said, "Hi mom!" Laura answered, "it's not your mom, it's Laura from down the street". At that moment panic must have set in, because he is not supposed to answer unless it's from myself or Todd, so he just hung up on her! Kind of an "oh crap, I'm not supposed to talk to her, so I'll just hang up as fast as I can and then maybe no one will know and it will have never happened" hang up. Which is why she called my cell, to make sure I was indeed home and Zachary and Daniel weren't in a bad situation. I still laugh when I think of Daniel realizing he'd answered the phone and hanging up on her! I am also very grateful to have good neighbors looking out for us and having my back as well as my children's. And also don't mind if they get hung up on occasionally...