Let me preface this post by saying that I know that I am a little more paranoid than the average person. I attribute this to studying Criminalistics in college and seeing text book cases of murders and rapes and serial killers with graphic details and pictures. Ever since I was studying this stuff 12 years ago, I see serial killers behind bushes, child molesters around every corner, etc. So I do know this about myself, but still...
Now to the purpose of this post. Last night at around 1:00 in the morning Aaron and I were awakened to a thumping noise. I thought at first that maybe Camden fell out of bed. Aaron checked on the kids and they were fine. I went back to sleep, but Aaron never did, he wasn't sure what that noise was. To top it off, I guess it continued. I'm not sure how many times because I was pretty out of it. Around 2 in the morning I heard it again, really loudly. This time Aaron flew out of bed and turned on a bunch of lights as he went running downstairs.
This totally scared me. I slowly crept into the loft as I heard a loud thud. I called out to Aaron and there was no answer. I was kind of frozen, too afraid to go downstairs because I didn't want to be confronted by the attacker that had surely just done something to Aaron to make him fall to the ground with that loud thud. I kept calling out to him as I slowly came down the stairs. No answer. Finally he answered back that he was fine. "Why didn't you answer me?" I asked. He said he didn't hear me. I was relieved that he was okay.
I had a massive contraction and thought the situation could possibly have put me into labor. Aaron came upstairs and told me that he found the culprit of the thumping noise. A mylar birthday balloon had become entangled in our ceiling fan during the night and was thumping against the ceiling and fan as it spun around.
I let Aaron know how brave he was for keeping us safe. He laughed and said, "yeah, safe from a balloon!" We were both too freaked out to go to sleep for a while as we both tried to calm down. This is where my mind went into overdrive of paranoia. I started imagining that there really had been an intruder that really did kill Aaron when he went downstairs. Inevitably, as I imagined going downstairs to see what had happened, I was killed too. The kids slept in their beds and were unharmed. However, the next morning, Camden would wake up and come downstairs and find his murdered parents.
This is where I started panicking a little (not by being murdered of course. :) ) I realized that Camden would have no idea what to do. We lock the doors so he wouldn't be able to get out of the house to find help. Audrey would be stuck in her crib. It could be days before anyone discovered my children. Camden doesn't know how to use the phone and we haven't done any kind of 911 training with him. My kids would be scared, trapped, and starving, all while their parents lay dead on the floor.
So I expressed all of these fears to Aaron, who told me to turn my imagination off and try to fall asleep. He laughed at me and said that even my dad, who has an emergency plan for everything including Tsunamis, probably never had a "murdered in the middle of the night contingency plan." Being laughed at in these scary imaginary situations doesn't really help. So I realized that I do need some kind of plan. I need to have some kind of check-in plan with my neighbors or something where if they don't hear from me via text, phone or Facebook on any given day to just give me a call to make sure all is okay at our house and to pop in to check in on us. I realized that being pregnant this really isn't a bad idea anyway because what if I went into preterm labor or something?
As I lay awake last night making my contingency plan, I realized that had there really been an intruder, I didn't even have a phone upstairs. Both of our cell phones were sitting downstairs on the counter. I guess I will have to take my phone to bed with me from now on. But then this could be a problem too because if after teaching Camden how to dial 911, if the phone isn't always in a consistent place, how would even know where to look for it to call for help? I guess that's one benefit of landlines, they don't really move around.
I also decided that some 911 training is in order as well as just general phone usage. I'm pretty sure that the 911 operators don't appreciate you practicing 911 phone calls, but somehow I have to teach them. I wonder if there is some kind of program through 911 where they let you call to practice. I will have to look into that. :)
So, after all of this, I am just wondering if any of you also have a "murdered in the middle of the night contingency plan?" Okay, if that's a little extreme, then just tell me what your emergency plans are. I'd love to have a little feedback in case the mylar balloons ever attack our ceiling fans again.
11 years ago
8 comments:
oh my gosh you crack me up! Only because we are so much alike!!! I cannot tell you how many nights I lie awake thinking someone is in my house whenever I hear the smallest noise. I don't have a plan, but I guess I ought to think of something too! Do you have a home security system? Just a thought. Good luck with those "killer balloons"! :0)
I don't think it sounds crazy at all! I've laid awake multiple (yes, more than a few) nights silently panicing that Jimmy and I would be killed and Sophie would die a slow, horrible death because no one knew. It's so awful... the "what ifs" of a parent. I finally have to calm myself down and realize I can't focus on those evils or else I will drive myself crazy and Sophie too because she'll end up being the bubble girl because I never let her do anything! I always sleep with my phone right next to me at night and will even get up at any hour to charge it if it dies. I'm just crazy like that... and I blame that on working in the courthouse and seeing horrible crimes, photos, and freaky weapons submitted into evidence! Wish we lived closer so we could ease each other's minds and check up on the other daily! : )
I have started to make sure that I have a phone in my room at night for that very reason. I have my neighbor across the street programmed in to my home phone. (He is the only close neighbor under the age of 75 and he's up til 2 am every night, if I heard a noise I could call him from my room and he could just look out his window.) My kids would have to quietly sneak out of the bedrooms side window and could run behind bushes/trees without having to go in front of the house to the older neighbors who live to the side of us and they could be safe even if I couldn't get out, maybe they could. I am a paranoid wreck when I hear noises in the night, especially when Jeff isn't here.
I knew of a family whose parents were bludgeoned to death in the middle of the night. The kids awoke the next morning to their parents alarm clock that was not being silenced only to go into their parents room and find them both dead with bleeding head wounds. They called their bishop and help was on the way. These kids were a bit older than Camden and it happened in Brazil, he was a higher up with an oil company, even had servants and guards, is was suspected to be an inside job. Nonetheless it is always scare to know those things happen. In the meantime, show Camden how and when to dial 911 and quit freaking yourself out.
I don't have a plan, but I have a friend who has a plan. Something about the husband goes to investigate the noise while the wife goes into their kid's room and bars the door until she hears the "all clear" from the hubby.
Good luck with those mylar balloons.
Julie this is not abnormal, just cautious. We lived in fear often in Naples due to crazy ways they would break in to rob you...though in Naples it was usually not violent. OK use the old cell phone to only be used as an emergency phone put it next to your bed, always plugged in and does not need a plan as every cell can make 911 calls. Teach Cam how to call 911. Play pretend with him and a non working phone, role play to make him feel comfortable with what they say to him etc... I am sure you can find 911 calls online. You can also go to a dispatch center and have a tour, I took my young cub scouts (1st graders) to do this, they loved it. We still keep a golf club near the bed and have a 2 story ladder for escapes,(fire, etc.) I agree going to kids room and wait for "all clear." Maybe store ladder (sold at Lowes maybe, I've had mine for 15-17 yrs now even pre kids)in kids room under bed or closet? Make a plan, how you would barricade the door if needed, how you'd escape... it will give you peace of mind. We make a fire escape plan and even act it out, making sure the boys know what to expect, (learned it from my flight attendant days, practice is second nature. Make it important but comforting to practice. Fire Dept have coloring books that teach this, might be a little more then Camden will completely understand but children also have fears. Just make is natural and shown with love and concern. As for contact with neighbors, anyone would open the door to you where you live, Richie across the St, Archie and Reesie a couple doors down. Set an escape plan and get friendlier with them. Ask Morgan to txt daily I am sure she has similar fears and would love a quick hello, I guess you might miss my crazy face in the mix ;-) but we are all moms! miss you and make a plan and rest easier!
I have crazy dreams like this sometimes... but I think it´s because I am living in Brazil and it´s a bit more dangerous here! You are not crazy, it´s always good to be prepared! Like your friend said though, make sure you dont make the kids scared, or else your next post will have to be about sleeping in the same room as the kids! Hugs, Michelle
I am so glad you are all well and unharmed by the huge baloon. A contingency plan sounds like a good plan. It is too bad in our society today there is so much to fear and watch out for. Keep safe. MOM
This is hilarious!! And, no I do not have such a plan. But I must agree that we should have a plan. Thanks for the inspiration. One of my techniques for alerting me should an intruder enter our home is the crazy array of toys all over the floor that would make ALOT of noise if the intruder tried to walk silently through the house :) I think about these things too.
We miss you!
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