A.D.D.?

That must be what it is. I simply don't have enough attention to concentrate on three children simultaneously.

Yesterday, as we did our lessons, I watched L toddle off behind her father as he was showing some people the available properties in our area. The problem was, I assumed he knew she was tagging along. Well, you know what they say about assuming, right? We all raced out of the house in a panic after he returned without her and indicated he had no idea where she was. Dad checked the water near the docks, S ran to the beach, G ran to the neighbors', and I stayed combing our yard and the yard of the house next door. It turned out OK, she had traipsed through the woods over to a neighbors house for a visit. Her sister arrived just as the neighbor, Mrs. N, began to walk her back home. We, Mrs. N, Dad, me and the sisters, all gave her a talk about how serious that was and how worried we were.

This is my danger baby. The only one who's been to the hospital, to have her stomach x-rayed after she refused to tell us whether or not she had swallowed the Legos we found her choking on; the one we had to call Poison Control for when she proudly exclaimed that she "dwank the bwown bottle" (hydrogen peroxide); the one who climbs and likes to hide... I was about to post how I thought she may have finally passed through this horrible stage (PLEASE let it be a stage) and then this.

It was embarrassing enough, looking like a completely neglectful parent, then she did it again.

At dusk, she snuck out of the house with a flashlight. Dad was repairing the water pump which had gone out and instructed her to go back in because he was working with electricity and it was dangerous, but the little bugger had other plans. She went back over to the same neighbors' house. This time Mrs. N told her that she would not let her in, because she had broken the terms of their agreement by arriving alone.

This is the child my mother believes is revenge for my high-spirited youth. I can't have been that bad.