What’s a Friday without a fire truck…or three?
(Waiting in the car while the firemen climbed the rainy rooftop)
I spilled coffee on my shirt yesterday morning. Walking down the hallway on my way to the kitchen to warm up the coffee that always seems to stay cold once it hits MY cup, I stumbled a little and spilled it. Yes, I was in my pajamas and yes GiGi was actually trying to stick her fingers in the cup. I stepped outside my usual o.c.d self and said f*ck it. I’m not taking a shower today, and the coffee stink will have to stay until tonight.
Friday night with a baby on my hands? What was I going to do other than eat popcorn and avoid the rain.
Fast forward to two hours later and you would have found me cursing my morning coffee and the fact that I didn’t have on clean underwear as I stood outside in my pajamas staring at the flashing lights of three fire trucks.
I was in my room getting ready to pack for a weekend away from home and I heard a little commotion from the other end of the house. My sisters were there for dinner and all five of the nieces were playing something in the front room. All of the sudden I heard “okay girls, let’s put our shoes and jackets on and go outside and wait for the firemen.” After that it was shrill yell-fest from a pack of scared training bra wearing hyenas. Parents calming each other and kids screaming at the other kids screaming…oi. I looked over and saw GiGI start to get upset with all the yelling but as soon as I put her coat on and told her we were going outside, she was mighty giddy. I grabbed 10 diapers, my camera, phone, charger, wallet, socks for GiGi and shoes – and left.
It seems that there was some sort of an embers in the chimney-blah-blah-blah issue and outside it looked like there was a firecracker coming out of the house. I’m glad it was raining because I’m sure that aided in diffusing the chance for anything horrible to happen. We stood around and watched the luke warm firemen, but I think I was more interested in the red flashing lights and sirens than GiGi was. All she wanted to do was get down and crawl around.
While she squirmed I wondered what I was supposed to take with us outside? I’m not sure if I was supposed to grab more, like clean underwear and oh, a diaper bag full of stuff, but that might have been better than electronics and 10 diapers. Standing out in the rain with flip flops on and a hoodie, holding my ever-wanting-to-escape-daughter, I realized that that was kind of a dipshit move. Sure my gut said that everything would be okay, but I just should have been more prepared for an emergency. Maybe I’ll make a diaper bag with ready to go supplies? I don’t know. Have any of you had to run screaming from the house and if so, what did you run screaming WITH (other than your child of course)??
Yes, have a diaper bag packed! With snacks and a water bottle too. Put in diapers, change of clothes, bibs, a sweatshirt, socks, meds if you need em’, a favourite toy/lovey, etc. the best thing is to have said diaper bag packed and in the car or in a storage tub in the trunk. that’s what i do, with extras that aren’t essential to having in the house (not the number one blanket or the number one soother). keep a list of contact numbers (doctors, etc.) and band-aids too. and think how handy it could be. and in case of emergency room visits too!
sorry to hear about your scary night, but, honestly, my initial reaction is, how cool! You actually got to live out the perpetual question of what would you take from the house in a fire! (without the consequence of all of your stuff actually burning down, of course). You got the most important thing (Gigi), so everything else are details. When I have thought about this in this past, I came down to the fact that you can buy diapers and clothes and bandaids and all the details (though having a few diapers on hand of course wouldn’t hurt) but there are things that are more irreplaceable, and ideally those are the items I would want to grab. I think pictures, my laptop (since it has a lot of photos on it), and my baby would be it! Of course, since i have thought about this but not actually followed through on it, this would involve me climbing into the attic and digging through bins to find the photos, but realistic plans are not my forte….
The trunk of my car is packed with a complete change of clothes for each of us (old clothes that would have been donated otherwise), beach towels, sunscreen, water bottles, motor oil, cat litter and a plastic tub (so the cats will be able to come with us), a portable potty for the kids, wipes, plastic baggies, paper towels, a few toys, some blankets, a pocketknife, and a family pack of those emergency food provisions.
Inside the car itself I always have more toys and some books, a magazine or two for me, some boxed snacks, and more water. With the ever present threat of an earthquake or wildfire it makes me more comfortable to know that (assuming the roads were open) I could get my kids away quickly.
This totally sounds like something i would do. In fact, now i’m compelled to go back an emergency bag. (anything to procrastinate from washing the dishes lol)
That photo? Is AMAZING. Just gorgeous.