Who needs Waldo?

Yes, another chronicle in the life and times of Ethan McGrath.

Tonight, as I was in the midst of baking a cake, Ethan came to me fully dressed in pants, shirt, cowboy boots (just a wee bit too big), winter coat and scarf. He needed me to zip him up so he could play outside.

We have a fairly good sized backyard, completely fenced in, with a gate we keep closed. I told Ethan to stay in the backyard and I continued my baking.

About 3-4 minutes later Phil walked by and I asked him to peek out the back window for Ethan. He was not to be found. Phil walked the complete backyard and still no sign of Ethan.

Phil asked me to check out front. No sign of Ethan. We checked the backyard again. No Ethan. By this time both boys were looking as well. I was frantically looking everywhere in the house, just in case he sneaked back in. I also had to take my toprol and lorazapan because my heart was dangerously close to another SVT attack. Logan took the van to check the side streets and Jordan took off on foot.

Where was Waldo (aka Ethan)?

Somehow, don't ask me how, Phil is still out back trying to have Ethan recreate the incident, Ethan climbed over the back yard fence into someone else's fenced backyard. He knocked on their back door. The family was having a Bible study class and the house was full of people. This kind family welcomed Ethan in and gave him a Bible and some lemonade (true story). As Jordan was walking down the street the man of the family noticed him, opened the door and asked if he was looking for someone. When Jordan replied in was looking for his brother about "so high" the man waved him in saying "I think you had just better step in here!".

When Jordan found him Ethan had taken off his boots, had his coat and scarf on the back of the couch, propped up his feet and was thumbing through a Bible. Everyone at the get together thought he was the cutest kid and said he was welcome back anytime. They helped him get his boots on and bid him a fond farewell.

It took about 30 minutes for him to recreate what happened, and even then I am not sure he actually climbed over the fence. There were no mud tracks on the other side - but honestly, the gate was closed tight.

So - bottom line - when asked what happened Ethan signed that he was "called to come play". He was gone so quickly it absolutely boggles by mind. He can be watched 99 times with no problem but the 100th time, when we aren't watching, something happens. He has no clue that anything he did was wrong. That is the frustrating part.

The mystery may never be solved. Just another reminder to be diligent.

Ah......the excitement.