the scariest moments

I took the kids to Target yesterday while we were out running errands and we were looking at the clothes when V said he didn't want to sit in the stroller anymore. Usually, if he gets out he will stand near me, so I told him he could get out, but he had to stay next to me. Well, he stood next to me for a minute or two and then he took off running through the clothing racks. I ran after him (big belly, stroller, and all), but when I got to the back of the area he wasn't there. (he had weaved in and out of racks I just can't move as fast as he can anymore!)

I started screaming his name and after I don't know how long I am running back and forth (with the stroller still since M is still in it) screaming his name and crying. A Target employee came up and within seconds was on her little speaker thing calling out a "Code Yellow." Other people were helping me look for him, but all they knew was that he was wearing a red shirt because that is all I could get out through my tears (well that and his name) and how many kids are wearing red shirts at Christmastime!

I don't have any idea how long he was actually gone for, but it felt like an eternity. I had all of these horrible visions running through my head and kept thinking that they needed to lock the doors to the store. Finally, a lady called out that she saw him and when he saw me crying he realized something was wrong and I think that scared him.

I have never been so happy and so mad all at the same time before.

After that we paid for our things and went home. The whole way home, V kept saying "I'm sorry I ran from you Mama." I tried to explain to him how dangerous it is, but I don't think it sank into his little three-year-old brain. I called H to tell him and started bawling again, and after he calmed me down he started laughing. He said it must have been pretty funny to see this big pregnant lady running around screaming and crying pushing my monster of a stroller! He also said people were probably thinking "this lady can't even handle the two kids she has, how is she going to handle THREE!?!" He's probably right, and sometimes I don't even know how I'm going to do it, but I figure I will figure it out!