2 close calls!

Yesterday as I was doing a little damage control in the kitchen I noticed that my iPod was gone from its usual spot.  Earlier on wednesday after I had returned home from the gym, I set it on the counter where I always do.  It was GONE!!!!  I looked everywhere for it and about 20 minutes earlier, I had taken one bag of trash to the dumpster in the alley behind our house.  I turned on a show for Abby, locked all the doors and frantically ran out the back door to the dumpster.  I grabbed the bag of trash and ripped it open, out flies a gunk covered iPod.  I was happy to have found it and but wasn't sure if it was still going to work okay.  I got it all cleaned up and sure enough (for now anyway) it works great.  I think there were some little fingers that helped in that case.....which brings me to my next "close call".  Today I met my sister and some friends at the gym for a class that we have been attending together.  This class is held in the gym of the apple athletic club.  It's called stroller boot camp.....get all of your laughs out now.  This class is difficult!!!!!!!  Since Abby no longer requires a stroller full time, she gets to run around with the other kids in the gym while I sweat till I drop.  It is great!  Today after the class, I was saying goodbye to one of my friends and Emily started heading to the car with her 2 kids, a boy that she watches during the day and then Abby USUALLY follows.  I wasn't paying enough attention because she always stays near me or Emily.  I turned around from talking with this friend and she was GONE.  The first thought that went through my head wasn't worry, it was that she was with Emily, no big deal right.  I went up where Emily and the other kids were and she didn't have her.  I have unfortunately now felt what it feels like to loose your child.  I was sick at that point and practically started hyperventilating.  I went to some of my friends that were still working out upstairs to help me look.  It took about 10 minutes and then Emily found her and another child (the one Emily watches) running around.  When I saw her she ran to me saying "I missed you Mommy" which she says at home all the time.  She didn't know that she was lost.  I carefully and calmly explained to her that she MUST stay near me.  It really was my own fault for not paying enough attention to where she was playing and running off to.  On the way home after I had stopped crying, she kept pretending to cry while saying "mommy, I was lost, and I am soooo sorry for that"  As soon as we returned home, she said she wanted to watch Finding Nemo because "Nemo gets lost and his Daddy finds him, just like today when you found me."  It is very clever of her to make those connections like she does.  She is more intelligent than I give her credit for sometimes.  I am happy that she was found and don't know what I would have done, had the unthinkable happened.  I love that child so much and can't imagine life without her.....she is my little sugar-bean!  I would have been sad to have lost my iPod but would gladly give up an infinity of iPods or any earthly, materialist treasure for my sweet Abigail safety!