Finding Your Keys Before You Know They Are Lost

Mornings can be a little nutty around the Daly household. Between 6:00 and 7:50am, we attempt to do the following (by the numbers): 

• 4 diapers.
• 2 showers and related morning routines for moms.  That used to take a little time -- not anymore!
• 5 breakfasts (1 dog, 2 babies, 2 moms).  Don't worry, the cat gets food, but only at night.
• 4 outfit changes including 4 pairs of shoes (assuming I find shoes that match my suit on the first try... sometimes more shoes are involved).
• 2 full sunscreen applications (babies).
• brushing of however many teeth we all currently have.
• 1 10-15 minute breastfeeding session.
• 1 daycare prep including 8 diapers, changes of clothes, milk, and other items. 
• 2 large cups of coffee consumed.
• Between 4-6 trips to car with babies and gear for work and daycare.

I'm sure I've forgotten things, and maybe Chris can help with rounding out the list.  Needless to say, like most parents and humans in general, mornings are not "chill".  Ergo, we have little time for lost keys.  Things like that threaten not just to undermine the efficiency of this slickly oiled machine, but can truly shift the world on its axis.

Enter Charlotte, who thoughtfully let me know I was missing my keys before I knew I was missing them.  Kids love adult gadgetry; it's pathological.  iPhones, keys, all of these things beat the wildest kid toys like a rock smashes scissors (in the kid-game vernacular).

On the day in question I was bringing the kids to "school" and Chris was about to leave the house.  I deposited Charlotte in the car and went inside for her sister.  The car started to whoop and chirp (technical terms) as I entered the kitchen.  As Chris asked what was going on, I blurted "oh ----" and ran for the car. The car was locked, chirping, and had a gleeful infant clicking a set of keys inside.  Thankfully Chris was still home.  I grabbed her keys, waited for a pause between Charlotte's nonstop clicking, and got into the car.

In retrospect, I find it remarkable that she can lift my keys without me noticing.  I am also thankful she didn't click the pretty red panic button, or we would have had a screaming infant locked in a car. As it was she was just quite pleased and sorry to lose her toy.

This tale now assumes position two in the ridiculous-things-I've-done-with-car-keys category, just behind the time we accidentally threw our friend's car keys down a street drain in Brookline while on the way to the airport.  Still friends, though!

*Tip*  I've since heard that you can actually use a car remote over speaker phone to unlock a car if you don't have the spare on you and, say, you lock a child in the car.  Here's hoping we never have to find out.