Moment of Realization

Do you ever have one of those moments when you have to sit back and sarcastically say, "Well, isn't that great?" Today I had one of these most wonderful moments. Of course, right before the moment happened I was in a small state of panic running amok through the house while screaming, "ALEX!! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?!?" So on to the moment. I'd like to think of our house as kid/baby proof as it can be. But naturally, kid proofing doesn't always work despite all your well laid plans. The layout of our house leaves us with two exits. The front door and the back door. The front door is well protected from any clever escapee children. The handy-dandy hook and eye on the screen door (way up high) has proved useful multiple times. (Though it is only a matter of time before the monkeys figure out how to construct a climbing apparatus that leads them to the key for escape.) Now, our back door leads out through a carport that goes directly to the backyard. It is in a mud room that is off limits to the kiddos via baby gate. Well, as the story begins, we had just come inside so that I could make dinner. I went into the bathroom to help Abby wash her hands. All the while I was hearing Alex complain in the front room that, according to him, he had to "take his basketball outside and play." (Ah ha. You see where this is going, don't you?) After I get done washing miss Abby's little fingers, I go to find Alex so he can do the same. So begins my hunt. It began very simple by checking under the beds and in every room of the house. Then I hollered for him. Then I yelled for him at the top of my lungs upon receiving no answer. Enter: State of panic. I checked the front door and it was still locked tight. I checked the back door and it was still baby-gated. A wave of realization hit me when I remembered hearing Alex's plea to go outside. I stopped and listened and heard the sound of a basketball being bounced on the sidewalk outside in the backyard. This would be the part where I shot off outside like a mad mama bear. And there, merrily bouncing his basketball in the backyard, I found my clever little escapee. I instantly lost my panic but exchanged it for a sense of sheer ire. I took two deep breaths and asked him what the heck he was doing out there and he simply said, "I'm just playing some basketball, mom." I ordered him inside and explained to him that he is to never leave the house without our permission. But when I asked him how he got outside he looked at me with the 'duh' expression on his face and said, "I climbed over the baby-gate and opened the door, mom." This is the moment where I couldn't help but smile and think to myself, "Well, isn't that great?" I guess it's time to install a bell on the door so I know when these two little monkeys plan another jailbreak.