Some days I really feel my brain has been abducted by aliens
as I sleep because I just do the stupidest things. I’m not in the Mensa league
but I do usually have some relatively decent smarts about me. Today I console
myself with the fact that I have chipped my incisor tooth and it’s made sleep
difficult. On top of that I love water and drink like 3 litres a day easily.
Due to the tooth, this is rather painful and uncomfortable, so I have had to
cut back. Therefore I may be dehydrated and this may be effecting my thinking.
Or in this case lack of thinking. 
The house we are renting is having its quarterly inspection
tomorrow and so I am in a spin getting it spick and span. I don’t know why
these darn inspections get me into such a flap but they do. I’d popped some
pain relief pills this morning and whilst toddler was preoccupied with Play
School I set about scrubbing things that are already clean. Just as the
television program ended I felt a bursting desire to use the bathroom. I had in
fact been putting it off for quite some time as parents do in the process of
getting things done first. I abandoned tools and rush, no run to the loo. My
cheeks had barely touched the seat when toddler starts screaming. I’ve been
holding too long and got to finish. Since he’s crying, I know he must be
relatively ok. I only need a minute anyway. As I stand up to flush I have that
sinking thought and realization I have left my cleaning chemicals in the
bathroom and that is where he must be. Rushing into the bathroom I find he has
sprayed my rather toxic bleach cleaner all over the bathroom. He was wanting to
be helpful and clean. In the process he has gotten a smidge in his eye. I need
to wash his eye but this bleach is everywhere: on taps, in the bath, in the
basin, all over the floor, on the windows and up the walls. It’s really quite
amazing how much mess a little person can make in such a short time. I use my
top to wipe his eye and clear the bath out to put him in. Ah clothes ruined,
towels ruined, bathroom squeaky clean, toddler sparkly clean, crisis over and
importantly toddler is fine.
Why on earth then would I tempt fate again? Everyone knows
you never leave cooking unattended. Especially not sausages in a saucepan. So I
cannot explain why I would leave them, on a low heat and go hang washing on the
line. I made sure toddler came with me into the garage and locked the door
behind me so he could not get back into the kitchen and possibly burn himself.
I filled the washing basket and almost as soon as I stepped out the door, bang
toddler slides the door closed and locks it. I’m locked outside, toddler is in
the garage and sausages are in the pan. I start to panic almost instantly
because I am more than aware how quickly this can all go exceptionally bad. I
wasn’t worried so much about the house or our things in it as we have
insurance. I am however worried about the toddler. I can see still see him and
he isn’t silly, so I knock on the door and tell him to open it. He smiles at me
and ignores me. He’s busy playing with my husband’s dangerous tools and lawn
mower petrol. My banging and shouting must have started to freak him out
because he ran away. I can no longer see where he is or what he’s doing but I
tell myself to calm down. The sausages have only just been put on and my very
sensitive smoke detector that loves announcing to my neighbors at 6am that I’ve
burnt the toast isn’t going off so everything is ok. Just breathe and relax. I
start hanging out some washing confident that toddler will then come back and I
can then calmly ask him to open the door, possibly bribe him with promises of
chocolate if necessary. Just as I peg the last little thing I smell smoke.
There is no alarm going off so its ok I just have to get in. Panic starts to
rise again as I bang on the door. Toddler is nowhere to be seen. Where could he
be? What could he be getting into? I bang some more, mind racing on other
options as the smoke alarm starts screaming. Thankfully it is this wonderful
alarm that shakes toddler into action as he is now upset and concerned. He
comes running to the door and opens it saying “Smoke mum.” I can’t quite
remember what else he said as auto mode took over, scooped him up, locked him
outside and took me into the kitchen. The kitchen is covered in thick black
smoke and the sausages are on fire. A small fire but fire none the less. I turn
the hotplates off and put a lid on top, smothering the fire and putting it out.
I am brought out of my auto mode fog by the sound of
distressed toddler crying and banging the door. I’m not sure my vice grip bear
hug was that reassuring but I was just so relieved he was ok and nothing had
happened to him. Didn’t seem to bother him though as almost immediately he
looks up at me with his big blue eyes and says, “Can we jump mum?” Oh yes honey
we can. We can do whatever you want as I enjoy you being safe and sound. Just
let mummy have a stiff drink first.
