Kenna saves the day!

Last Thursday we were out running errands with the family and decided we really needed to wash our car. Days earlier I miraculously ran across a hidden self-car wash facility so we were pretty excited. Now most people wouldn't think much of such a find, but apparently in Eugene Oregon, people do not believe in washing their own cars because we have looked for MONTHS for such a car wash to no avail. Not only that, but there are also no touch-less car wash facilities in this entire city!! (Guess I also need to say that we can't take our car through a "contact" car wash for fear that our gorilla-glued on side mirrors will fall off...it's a long story!) Needless to say, we had not washed it since one of our trips out to Utah (probably about a year), where there are car washes aplenty and self-service ones on seemingly every corner. Our car was a sad sight. So long story short, we headed to the car wash. Nate got out and started the scrubbing and I decided to be helpful and take out all of our mats so they could be sprayed down as well. I hit what I thought was the unlock button and shut my door. Upon trying to open Sage's door to remove the mat, I realized it was definitely not the unlock button that I had pushed. I had just locked both of our girls, strapped into their car seats, into our car.

Looking back, I am surprised how calmly I reacted in such a situation! After the initial shock, I timidly asked Nate if he had his keys with him (which he didn't), and then began thinking how I could call the police to come jimmy-rig our door open. Nate on the other hand, kinda freaked out (which he apologized for afterwards...obviously it was an accident). However, he was the one to come up with the idea of having Kenna unlock the door. We yelled through the car window for her to climb out of her seat belt and into the driver's seat - yes, go against everything we've ever taught and climb OUT of her car seat and into the DRIVER'S seat! (Of course the car was turned off.) She miraculously wiggled right out of that seat belt and then we proceeded to try to point out which button she should push to unlock the car. It took some serious effort. To be honest, it was probably a very funny sight to any onlookers. Here were two adults, standing outside of a car, yelling through the window "okay, do you see this button...no, not that one, don't push that one, look where my finger is, do you see my finger?...now follow it down and push the one right under where my finger is...no try it again, that's the wrong one...can you hear me?...look at me, push the one right under my finger!" Now just imagine watching that for 5 minutes! It was pretty humorous, but in the end she did indeed push the right button, which unlocked the car and saved the day! (It ended up taking her going to the passenger side to unlock the doors from that side - there are a lot fewer buttons over there!) Afterward we had to reiterate the fact that you really should never climb out of your seat belt or into the drivers seat...unless Mom & Dad are outside yelling to you to do so. :)

I am thankful that everything turned out well and that Makenna is grown up enough to be such a big helper. I love that at this age she is so intelligent and thoughtful, but still young enough to say things that make me laugh! For instance, a few nights ago at dinner Nate and I were talking about dreams we'd had the night before and Nate mentioned something about his parents. Makenna piped in and said "I had a dream about my parents, too." Nate said, "Oh really, do you know who your parents are?" Makenna replied, "Yes, they are Mulan and Boots!" While I was pretty happy with being compared to an Asian warrior princess, Nate wasn't too thrilled to be Dora's pet monkey. :) I can't take too much credit though, she's never actually seen Mulan and only Dora a handful of times at Grandma's house. Where does she come up with these things?

Kenna is also having quite an effect on Sage these days! She's constantly trying to teach Sage new words and songs. The other day she taught Sage to say "nobody", which has turned out to be pretty funny (and irritating). For example, while the girls were in the tub I said, "who wants to get scrubbed up first?" Sage whipped out a huge grin and yelled "NOBODY!" Or if Nate says, "who's ready to get in pajamas?" she'll enthusiastically respond, "NOBODY!" We've tried to trick her with it by following up with "okay then, who wants a treat?" Unfortunately she's much better than Kenna at thinking things through and will hesitate and then say, "I do!" What a turkey!