it almost happened to me, too.

This happens every year. And every year, with more frequency thanks to facebook, parents and non-parents alike preach about about how careless these parents are. Preaching about how children are our "most precious resource" and "HOW can anyone JUST FORGET a CHILD?!" 

I am so glad that Gene Weingarten of The Washington Post wrote this article, albeit three years ago, and one of my friends chose to share it today. Mainly because it almost happened to me, too.

Like many of the parents mentioned it the article, my daily routine had been shaken up for the day. It was a Thursday in the fall of 2011. Zoey was still in a rear-facing carseat (this is important!) at a little over 18 months, and we had just dropped Shepherd off at preschool. She went to Mom's Day Out on Tuesdays, but not Thursdays. Got all that?

My typical routine after dropping Shepherd off involves a trip through the Starbucks drive thru, sometimes a phone call, and a trip to the grocery store or straight home. That day though, I had a doctor appointment, and I can't even remember what for right now. I remember I called my mom, as I do at least once a day, and Zoey fell asleep. I auto-piloted through my other tasks and went straight to the doctor. 

I must have thought it was Tuesday. The car was so quiet, and it was a beautiful day. Normally my purse sits in the back, but that day it was on my passenger seat. I grabbed it, locked up and left. Without my baby girl. I made it all the way to the elevator before yelling, "SHIT!" and hanging up on my mom, sprinting to my car and crying as I unbuckled her and hugged and kissed her all over. 

She must have been confused, because I woke her from a sound sleep. 

Let's all realize that yeah, maybe it could happen to me. Or maybe someone I know. And it has nothing to do with how much you love your children. At all.