GROUNDED...

This one - grounded!

The other day she asked to play outside and I said yes. I was outside for part of the time taking care of my flowers and then I went inside while she was swinging. Five minutes later I looked out the kitchen window to see a slightly swaying swing and no Syd. I went out onto the deck and called her name thinking she was probably just below on the patio but no response so I called her name louder - still no response. I went back inside and downstairs to ask Lauren if Syd had come in the house - no Syd. I checked the bathrooms - no Syd. I went to the front of the house fully expecting to see her riding her scooter in the driveway - no Syd. I walked around the house calling her as loudly as possible. No response. No Syd. I was starting to panic and could only think of that swaying swing which she must have jumped off just before I checked up on her from the kitchen window. The only way she could have been out of my hearing range is if someone took her - that's the first thing I thought. I jumped in the car and told Lauren I was going to look for Syd I drove around the block and stopped at our neighbor's who had been outside with her kids for a while. Have you seen Syd? Nope, no Syd. Okay now I was really starting to get worried because if Syd had gone to her friend Clare's house she would have had to walk past the neighbors house. So I kept driving up the street - hands shaking on the steering wheel. And then I saw her - halfway around the block and sitting on her friend Clare's porch with Clare. I pulled into the driveway and said in NO uncertain terms - SYDNEY ELISE GET IN THIS CAR NOW! Let's just say she did not hesitate. We drove back home, me chewing her out and telling her to NEVER leave the yard again without asking. And then I dropped the hammer - YOU'RE GROUNDED. No outside to play when we get home. No Toy Story III 3d. No Toys'R Us to spend the gift cards from your birthday. She was upset but I think she thought I was kidding - I wasn't - which she soon found out when she asked to go outside and I said no. She found out again when she asked me to take her shopping and I said no. And she really found out when we nixed the trip to the movie theater to watch Toy Story III. I don't think she will leave the yard again.

When does school start???

TTFN... Oh and she must have just jumped off that swing and sprinted through the back yards to make it to Clare's house in record time. Next time she tries to sneak out of the yard she better be more obvious about it.