These Digs Are Way Better Then The Mayflower! ~ The TR (11/19 - 11/26) About This Page:

[Shelley the Pooh]

Melissa, unfortunately I know how you felt that day and more than once. My lil miss Stephanie loved just wandering off without telling anyone where she was going. Even when we had discussions about bad people and danger and what not. She was just a very determined and independent child from the beginning. As she got older, she was better at telling me where she was going to be but I think she was rolling her eyes at me in her head still thinking nothing would happen to her. UNTIL a girl in the 4th grade (same as she was at the time) was kidnapped from our neighborhood 3 blocks away from our house by a guy saying her mommy was hurt and offering her candy to take her to her mommy. Thank goodness they found this girl alive a few days later outside of Houston in a deserted home in the woods. But I think that's what took my lil darling to figure out that things do happen. Hopefully Hope will understand and not need a life, so close to home, example!

So glad that it turned out ok! And you did great at keeping it together! I know I would have been a hysterical mess.

Oh and I loved the squirrels on my college campus. They were a riot!

[KMB733]

You weren't kidding when you said it was the worst day of your life. Kudos to you for staying so calm, I'm not sure what I would have done in the situation. I'm just glad that this had a happy ending!

[lauriep]

How frightening for you! You did really well not to just collapse, but, as you said, that wouldn't help to find Hope. Sounds like everyone did great, including the CM's. It's good to know they have a system in place to go into lock-down in cases like this.

[sc507]

Oh my goodness Melissa. I'm so sorry you had to go through that - it's one of my worst nightmares. Good for you staying calm and working on finding your baby.

[lazanya]

How scary! I'm so proud of you for being so calm in that situation. I know it was so difficult. So glad Hope was found quickly.

[Linnynad]

WOW, that was a tense post. I'm so sorry that happend to you and Hope too. Did she ever realize she was lost? I have had many talks with Josie about this topic and I will never stop having these talks either. She can be 25 yrs old and I will STILL be talking to her about this.
However, I am shocked and happy that there is a lockdown at the resorts. That is great!!!

[JKnott17]

Oh,Mellissa, I am so sorry you had to go through that with Hope! What a frightening situation. I'm dglad she was found safe and sound.

[ilovedisney247]

Wow! So sorry for the super scary moment! I'm so glad that everything turned out ok!

[dutchdisneyfamily]

First of all, the squirrel incident. I'm laughing hard because, yes, it's funny. However, we have a very similar story of my husband frightened by chipmunks at Mt. St. Helen's, and every time he tells the story it is like you can almost hear a "herd" of chipmunks storming over a hill. I think there may have been 4 or 5, but not to him!

Second of all, I hear you about the meltdown. When we put so much into a trip, people can't always see the behind the scenes work and don't understand that the good parts come because we, and Disney magic, made them happen. You dad said some sweet things to you. I'm glad things worked out. If it helps, my husband had a similar melt down and I saw it happening to others as well. The heat, the pressure, it happens!

Third of all, yet again, I can completely relate. Only my son was 6, the Main Street Electrical Parade had just begun. We went into the dessert fireworks party and he disappeared, just like that. After 20 minutes of searching in the dark and multiple cast members keeping in constant communication with us and trying to keep me calm (which I was soooo not calm), we finally found him. He had followed someone else that looked like his dad and just kept walking out to the street. It truly is the worst moment and sickening. I'm just so glad she was found safe and sound. Sounds like you have an independant one there. I can't tell people enough to label their child in some way. We had put a luggage tag on his fanny pack that had our names and our cell phone numbers. It was a true blessins. That and the lady who brought him to the CM because she noticed this poor little kid wandering around calling for his "mommy and daddy". Makes me shakey to even think about it and it's been almost 2 years!

[stardust190]

Oh my! I think I would be ready to head home after an experience like that too. How scary that must have been for you. I understand how easy it is to loose track of a child though. You didn't do anything wrong. Kids are just slippery little buggers sometimes. Hopefully you're able to enjoy the rest of your time in Disney and Hope learned her lesson about staying with the grown ups.

[mommapants]

Oh Melissa, how terrifying. It really is amazing that it only takes a second and they can be gone. I've had Evan walk away from me but nothing like that - how horrible. However you must be proud that Hope is so smart and it is great to know that the hotel has lock down procedures. I'm sure in the way back of your mind the worst possible thoughts entered but I often think places like WDW, where people spend a ton of money to go there, aren't interested in snatching a child. You have to be more careful at the local playground than Disney.

So glad for her safe return and at least Hope wasn't scared by it.

[poohbr2015]

first of all, squirrel story, very funny!
second, I have had my share of little meltdowns because I feel that everyone relies on me to make all the plans and decisions too and if something doesn't go right, watch out!
third, how scary about losing Hope. I would have been the same way but you did handle it well. I am glad that the hotels have that sort of procedure with missing kids but its so scary to think that they can so easily get on an elevator and end up anywhere in the building. I am constantly telling Sammy he has to be where we can see him at all times, but no matter how much you tell them, they still think they are grown up enough to do things on their own! we have to have eyes behind our heads, really!

[mcc0313]

Oh Melissa, I am so sorry you had to go through that situation, so scary (and I have been). You held it together wonderfully, it is so hard not to panic when the situation arises but you know you have to try to stay calm. Sounds like the staff was great, so glad that your dad saw her when he did.

[OCEANGRLLG]

YIKES!!! So glad that she was ok!! Kids are soo smart and they notice everything we do!! I knowhow you feel, when my son was Hopes age, we were out at the mall and I let him out of his stroller cause me and my Mom where there and we could both watch him. I told him to stay right with me and soon as I turned back around he was gone!! I was callin his name, and no anwser, goin all round the department callin his name and still no anwser, the workers and not as good as the ones at Disney and just stood there lookin at me like I was crazy, then all of the sudden I heard my Mom say that she had him....he was in the middle of the clothes rack (the circle one) just standing in there and was only a few feet from me to began with! But he said that he was tryin to find Mia (my mom) a nice shirt!! That was the most scared that I have ever been, I had that sick feelin in my stomach and I could feel my heart beatin in my chest, and all I could do when I saw him was give him a huge hug!!! Yes it is very scarey to think that your child is lost. So glad all ended well.

[honeybee723]

Originally Posted by DawnK

Love the squirrel story. I always go out on my deck and watch chase each other. I had a squirrel a few years back that would come up to the patio door and knock on it when the bird feeder was empty.

I had a meltdown or two on our last Disney vacation. This year even though we have a plan, we are going to wing it, making sure that we hit everything we want to.

Proud of you for remaining calm in that situation with Hope. I would have been over the edge.

See, squirrels are smart! I mean, he was knocking on your patio door for more food. And I guess I had no other choice but to try and stay calm because it wouldn't have helped find her any quicker.

Originally Posted by buzzspal2

I'm so glad hope was found safe and sound.

Thanks, me too.

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

OMGosh Melissa, I praise you for staying so calm in that situation. I would have completely lost it! I'm glad Hope was found safe and sound!

Thank you so much. I almost lost it, but I didn't think that would help the situation.

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

How scary for you all!! My DD slipped away from me one time at the grocery store, and I was panicked. When I found her she told me she was just going to get the peanut butter! It's awful.

Glad you kept your head and stayed calm.

Hoping the afternoon before departure ends up a good one!

I never want to go through that again. I'm sure it's much worse in a store where they can easily walk out the doors!

Originally Posted by Cam22

Oh my, Melissa, that was the scariest moment! So glad you all located her! holding it together, Mom!

It definitely was. And hopefully I'll never had to remain calm for that situation again.

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

I'm hoping to hear your trip goes smooth this next time - and if it doesn't I want to know how to fix it on my trip.

I'm going to stick with Chad on the squirrels - they're cute - at a distance!

I was so nervous for you while reading that last update! I can't believe she went down to the lobby in the elvator by herself! I'm proud of the way you handled yourself because I'm sure I'd be a mess. I think we'll be taking the 'leash' with us this next trip for Lukas - I can see him running off and it makes me nervous! Glad she was found quickly and unharmed. I think I also feel better about the CM saying they'd put the resort on lockdown if she was missing.

I think our days of going on smooth trips are gone for a while now that we have little ones with us. But if by some miracle it happens, I'll tell my secrets.

I can definitely see how people could lose their child in the parks, mall or some other crowded venue, but in the club level lounge??? I'm still smacking myself about it.

Originally Posted by chezp

Oh my goodness - how terrifying! Thank goodness she was found safe and sound.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Shelley the Pooh

Melissa, unfortunately I know how you felt that day and more than once. My lil miss Stephanie loved just wandering off without telling anyone where she was going. Even when we had discussions about bad people and danger and what not. She was just a very determined and independent child from the beginning. As she got older, she was better at telling me where she was going to be but I think she was rolling her eyes at me in her head still thinking nothing would happen to her. UNTIL a girl in the 4th grade (same as she was at the time) was kidnapped from our neighborhood 3 blocks away from our house by a guy saying her mommy was hurt and offering her candy to take her to her mommy. Thank goodness they found this girl alive a few days later outside of Houston in a deserted home in the woods. But I think that's what took my lil darling to figure out that things do happen. Hopefully Hope will understand and not need a life, so close to home, example!

So glad that it turned out ok! And you did great at keeping it together! I know I would have been a hysterical mess.

Oh and I loved the squirrels on my college campus. They were a riot!

How horrible that your daughter had to learn her lesson because of a classmate being kidnapped. Thank goodness she was found and unharmed, but it's just a scary place out there. I'm definitely keeping a more watchful eye on her now that I know she's a sneaky one.

Originally Posted by KMB733

You weren't kidding when you said it was the worst day of your life. Kudos to you for staying so calm, I'm not sure what I would have done in the situation. I'm just glad that this had a happy ending!

Told you. Thank you and I'm glad it had a happy ending as well.

Originally Posted by lauriep

How frightening for you! You did really well not to just collapse, but, as you said, that wouldn't help to find Hope. Sounds like everyone did great, including the CM's. It's good to know they have a system in place to go into lock-down in cases like this.

The CMs definitely did not need to worry about me as well as looking for her. I just wanted to find her as quickly as possible without any distractions. The CMs must be pros at this sort of thing.

Originally Posted by sc507

Oh my goodness Melissa. I'm so sorry you had to go through that - it's one of my worst nightmares. Good for you staying calm and working on finding your baby.

It's something that no parent should have to go through, but when it does, it really opens your eyes to how quickly they can disappear.

Originally Posted by lazanya

How scary! I'm so proud of you for being so calm in that situation. I know it was so difficult. So glad Hope was found quickly.

Thank you so much.

Originally Posted by Linnynad

WOW, that was a tense post. I'm so sorry that happend to you and Hope too. Did she ever realize she was lost? I have had many talks with Josie about this topic and I will never stop having these talks either. She can be 25 yrs old and I will STILL be talking to her about this.
However, I am shocked and happy that there is a lockdown at the resorts. That is great!!!

I don't think she knew what she did was wrong. She might have started getting scared if she had missing a little bit longer, but I think since she was found so quickly, it didn't really sink in. We have had many talks about this, and like you said, I will continue having these talks with her.

Originally Posted by JKnott17

Oh,Mellissa, I am so sorry you had to go through that with Hope! What a frightening situation. I'm dglad she was found safe and sound.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by ilovedisney247

Wow! So sorry for the super scary moment! I'm so glad that everything turned out ok!

So am I.

Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily

First of all, the squirrel incident. I'm laughing hard because, yes, it's funny. However, we have a very similar story of my husband frightened by chipmunks at Mt. St. Helen's, and every time he tells the story it is like you can almost hear a "herd" of chipmunks storming over a hill. I think there may have been 4 or 5, but not to him!

Second of all, I hear you about the meltdown. When we put so much into a trip, people can't always see the behind the scenes work and don't understand that the good parts come because we, and Disney magic, made them happen. You dad said some sweet things to you. I'm glad things worked out. If it helps, my husband had a similar melt down and I saw it happening to others as well. The heat, the pressure, it happens!

Third of all, yet again, I can completely relate. Only my son was 6, the Main Street Electrical Parade had just begun. We went into the dessert fireworks party and he disappeared, just like that. After 20 minutes of searching in the dark and multiple cast members keeping in constant communication with us and trying to keep me calm (which I was soooo not calm), we finally found him. He had followed someone else that looked like his dad and just kept walking out to the street. It truly is the worst moment and sickening. I'm just so glad she was found safe and sound. Sounds like you have an independant one there. I can't tell people enough to label their child in some way. We had put a luggage tag on his fanny pack that had our names and our cell phone numbers. It was a true blessins. That and the lady who brought him to the CM because she noticed this poor little kid wandering around calling for his "mommy and daddy". Makes me shakey to even think about it and it's been almost 2 years!

I was reading your post from my phone last night and started laughing out loud when I read the chipmunk story. Chad was sitting next to me, so of course I had to share it, and he thought it was pretty funny too. He said, "Well, it probably was a herd of chipmunks then". See...men stick together.

I can't even imagine losing a child during the parade! I do not want to go through that ever. I'm so glad he was found. I learned on a tour one year, that Disney doesn't have lost children, they have lost parents. They tell the children that to make them feel more comfortable.

Originally Posted by stardust190

Oh my! I think I would be ready to head home after an experience like that too. How scary that must have been for you. I understand how easy it is to loose track of a child though. You didn't do anything wrong. Kids are just slippery little buggers sometimes. Hopefully you're able to enjoy the rest of your time in Disney and Hope learned her lesson about staying with the grown ups.

It was definitely time to say good-bye after that one. I did feel like a bad parent after that though. Especially with where it happened and how there were four of us watching her. But I've learned to forgive myself. If she would have been hurt, then that would have been something I wouldn't have been able to forgive me for.

Originally Posted by mommapants

Oh Melissa, How terrifying. It really is amazing that it only takes a second and they can be gone. I've had Evan walk away from me but nothing like that - how horrible. However you must be proud that Hope is so smart and it is great to know that the hotel has lock down procedures. I'm sure in the way back of your mind the worst possible thoughts entered but I often think places like WDW, where people send a ton of money to go there, aren't interested in snatching a child. You have to be more careful at the local playground than Disney.

So glad for her safe return and at least Hope was scared by it.

I think you're right about Disney being a very safe place, but when it happened, that was the first thing that popped into my head. That tells you the kind of world we're living in now.

Originally Posted by poohbr2015

first of all, squirrel story, very funny!
second, I have had my share of little meltdowns because I feel that everyone relies on me to make all the plans and decisions too and if something doesn't go right, watch out!
third, how scary about losing Hope. I would have been the same way but you did handle it well. I am glad that the hotels have that sort of procedure with missing kids but its so scary to think that they can so easily get on an elevator and end up anywhere in the building. I am constantly telling Sammy he has to be where we can see him at all times, but no matter how much you tell them, they still think they are grown up enough to do things on their own! we have to have eyes behind our heads, really!

I don't know how many times I've told Hope not to run out into the street. We live at the end of a court, and I guess because we don't get a lot of traffic at our end, she thinks it's safe. So I totally get what you're saying about telling them over and over about things but they think they're little grown ups and know better than us. I'm sorry, but they will never know better than us.

Originally Posted by mcc0313

Oh Melissa, I am so sorry you had to go through that situation, so scary (and I have been). You held it together wonderfully, it is so hard not to panic when the situation arises but you know you have to try to stay calm. Sounds like the staff was great, so glad that your dad saw her when he did.

Thank you. It's weird how the mom instinct kicks right in and you go into survivor mode. Never thought I'd be like that but it just happened.

Originally Posted by OCEANGRLLG

YIKES!!! So glad that she was ok!! Kids are soo smart and they notice everything we do!! I knowhow you feel, when my son was Hopes age, we were out at the mall and I let him out of his stroller cause me and my Mom where there and we could both watch him. I told him to stay right with me and soon as I turned back around he was gone!! I was callin his name, and no anwser, goin all round the department callin his name and still no anwser, the workers and not as good as the ones at Disney and just stood there lookin at me like I was crazy, then all of the sudden I heard my Mom say that she had him....he was in the middle of the clothes rack (the circle one) just standing in there and was only a few feet from me to began with! But he said that he was tryin to find Mia (my mom) a nice shirt!! That was the most scared that I have ever been, I had that sick feelin in my stomach and I could feel my heart beatin in my chest, and all I could do when I saw him was give him a huge hug!!! Yes it is very scarey to think that your child is lost. So glad all ended well.

My brother did the same exact thing to my mom when he was little!!! He sat right in the middle of the racks and I will never forget how scared she was. He probably looked at you like "why are you so upset mom? I was just looking for a shirt."