Runaway Child!

Not a lot has happened the last few days (including the weekend) that really warrants a lot of comment (although come to think of it...that probably isn’t wholly accurate).

Have you ever been in a shopping centre and heard the message over the intercom "we have a little lost boy here wearing jeans and a red t-shirt" or worse still have you been the parent of that little lost boy? Well, on Saturday Byron took the bolt and ran away from me whilst I was at Big W looking at some clothes. One minute he was next to the stroller talking to Nanna and I and the next he was gone. Therefore, for a moment, I was that parent.

To be honest, at first, I didn’t immediately go "where’s Byron" and start my frantic search! Mum, who was with me, didn’t think much of it at the time either. We just thought he was in the next isle looking at something. Then mum saw him about 30 meters away. By the time I went to where mum said he was he was gone! I was calling out his name and he wouldn’t respond. I had absolutely no idea where he was until a lady said to me "are you looking for a little boy? He just ran that way...!" When I finally caught up to him, he literally ran away again. He thought it was one big game! The site of me (very pregnant) running after him was definitely not pretty. Nor was my reaction when I finally was within reach to grab his shirt!

To say I was ropable was an understatement; I was down right angry. At the time, I think my anger was directed at him (Byron did get a big smack and talking to), when really it should have been directed at myself – the fact that I took my eyes of him and let him wander thinking he (nearly 3) would stay put; angry that I couldn’t catch up to him (ie. he could out run me!); angry at what could have been.

I was discussing the incident with Mum on Saturday afternoon (after the incident) and in reality, there is so much that could have happened, which at the time we didn’t give a lot of thought to. Thinking about it now puts a whole new spin on the “what if” scenario. It’s funny what retrospection can do. In future, I will be more vigilant when out and about. However, I am quite confident that Byron won’t be running away from me anytime soon...

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I took Byron to the doctors today just to make sure everything was ok. Everything is fine. Apparently it is the tale end of a viral infection, which is what I suspected. He does have a little red rash around his mouth, which I thought may have been wind burn. The doctor suspects it might be an allergic reaction to something he could have eaten and suggested I put some ‘steroid’ cream on it. It’s not a big rash just a few little red circles; but it is noticeable so hopefully the cream does the trick.

Before I go, I just wanted to note for the record...