My favorite place

A few weeks ago my little man and I were watching a cheesy Steve Martin movie. One of the ones where he has ten kids, is busy working, mom is busy working and inevitably they lose one of their brood.  The family runs around their neighborhood, calls the police and is panic stricken.  Then the youngest of the 10 remembers where the missing kid’s favorite place is (his old house) and Steve Martin saves the day, rescuing the kid and quitting his job all in an emotional montage.

Well, after watching this movie my little man looked at me and assured me that I have nothing to worry about because he didn’t have a favorite place and he would never run away.  I changed the perspective and assured him that our home was his favorite place and therefor he had no need to run to anywhere else.  I fell asleep that night really proud of my awesome parenting skills – high five for the mommy!

The next morning as I was getting ready for work my little man came rushing to me with a serious look on his face. 

“Mom” he said, “I figured it out!”

Figured it out?  It's 6:30 a.m. what are we figuring out so aearly? I haven't even had my coffee yet!  

“Ok” I say, “tell me what you figured out”. 

He says “My favorite place! I remembered where my favorite place is. (He hesitates, trying hard to remember the name) It is where Paw Paw lives. (He hesitates more, still thinking)  You know where it’s cold? Morgan and my cousins are there?”

 I say “Baton Rouge?”

 He jumps up and down in agreement.  “Yep! – that’s it, that’s my favorite place!”

  I say “Ok, so if you run away, I need to go to Baton Rouge to find you?”

 “Yes” he happily says.  Then he hesitates and looks at me, “but Mom, I need a cell phone and Paw Paw’s phone number because I have no idea how to get there.”

Ok, I think.  I am still lucky he won’t be running away for a bit longer as Baton Rouge is a bit far. But if he does attempt it, then at least I know where to start looking.  As for getting him his own phone?  NOT going to happen little man…