Baby Scare

[Saturday 10:30pm]
Ring, ring.

Me: Hey.
Marc: Hey, what’re you doing?
Me: I’m just sitting here reading. What’re you doing?
Marc: I’ve been sitting at my computer watching ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’ for the past three hours. We’re total losers.

[27 minutes later]
Marc: I think I’m going to take a Zanex and call it a night.
Me: I’m about to take an Ambien. I’m sure I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
Marc: Ok, night.

[Sunday 8:30am]
I felt great. Sweaty and well-rested. Exactly how I want to wake up every morning. I went to the kitchen for water and noticed my phone had a missed call. Hmmm, I slept so well I hadn’t noticed my phone rang. I checked the time stamp: Mom 3:13am.

HOLY SHIT, OMIGOD, SOMETHING HAPPENED. OH NO!!! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE BABY. I started hyperventilating as I dialed my mom immediately. My parents were watching Dominic. It was his first overnight stay without my sister and brother-in-law who had decided to go out on their own for the first time since he was born.

My mom didn’t answer her cell phone. Quickly, I dialed our home number.

Mom: Morning Cat!
Me: Mom, is everything ok? Why did you call me at 3 o’clock in the morning?
Mom: Oh! (Giggles.) Dominic woke up in the middle of the night. I was changing him and gave him my cell phone to play with. You know how much he likes cell phones. And he dialed your number. I grabbed it away, but I think it connected. Anyway, I washed my old cell phone so that’s his new toy. No more phone calls. (Giggles.)
Me: Ugh, you should have left a message or called back. I was freaking out when I woke up this morning.

[Sunday 10:00am]
I headed over to my parents’ house to hang out with the fam. I walked in, bopping up and down excitedly. Dominic smiled and cooed. He’s 18 months old now. My mom pointed at me, asking him, “Who’s that? Who’s that?” He made a clicking noise with his mouth.

“When he doesn’t know, he starts clicking.” My mom described. I thought that was pretty cool. Instead of staring at you dumbfounded, he actually makes an effort to let you know he’s clueless. The kid sure is smarter than me. To this day, I opt for the dumb, confused look. My mom then points to my dad, “Who’s that? Who’s that?”

“Looloo.”

Then pointing to herself, “Who’s this? Who’s this?”

“Lala.”

Back again, she points to me. “What about her? Who’s that?”

Click, click, click.

“I’m Caca,” I declare.

“CaCa,” he laughs.

A few minutes later, my mom points again to me. “Who’s that?”

“CaCa!”

Smart kid, eh?