Mommy is Missing...

True story:

After a recent visit from family, we are in recovery mode. Not that my house was perfectly organized to begin with, but I have worked hard to reach some semblance of order in our son's room. Books on these shelves, musical toys in this bin, trains in that basket, cars over here...

We had a blast, with our family...the cousins don't get to see each other often enough and as they've gotten a little older, the disputes over "that's mine, this is yours," have been fewer and farther in between. This trip was fantastic...the kids had a great time and played together, beautifully. But mess, madness & melee come with the territory. Where there are children, there is clutter and things are likely to get misplaced.

So this week, during the baby's morning nap time, I've tried to make it a point to have some "intentional play time" with our son...both to spend some quality time and to put things back where I had originally placed them.

As a special treat, we pulled out the whole basket of Playmobil toys...vehicles and dinosaurs and a family on vacation. I confess, I'm a little obsessive about this stuff. There are soooo many TEENY-TINY pieces that come with each set, so I've organized each one in a Ziploc bag, in hopes that pieces are less likely to be lost. Motor home with itsy bitsy cups & flatware & pots & pans, and a family with two children, Dad and Mom...

Make that two children and a single Dad.

Mom is MISSING.

I'm not in a panic. Not really. I can go to the store & pick up another random set with some other woman who can "step in"...an understudy, if you will. My son has a far better time playing with the Dad & son, anyway. But it bothers me that he is not at all upset about the Mom's absence. I'm the one who's a little rattled. Silly, I know. But...

The Mom is gone. Did no one else notice when, as all of the other family members and their bicycles and accoutrement were loaded safely into the Ziploc bag, their mother was nowhere to be found? I mean, we picked up all of the rakes & shovels & even the miniature hats that go on top of the firefighters' heads. We have accounted for the steak that goes with the dinosaur and the hunter's binoculars. But no one bothered to say, "hey, where is Mom?" The Mom got left behind. Somewhere in The Land of Lost Toys is that Mom and I am feeling a little bit obsessed about finding her.

Sigh.

I say all of this with a chuckle. No therapy is needed. I simply have been watching "Toy Story" too frequently, with our son. One quick trip to the local supplier of all things Playmobil and the situation will be rectified. Kind of.

But this whole thing has really made me think...

Is Mom really so easily replaced?

I think not.

...

Epilogue:

Mom has been found! She was hiding in the trunk of a red Volkswagen, wearing a t-shirt that says, "Beach." Perhaps Mom just needed a vacation...

I feel ya', Sister.