My 27-month-old said “I love you too, Mommy” for the first time today and I immediately broke down – hysterically crying, grabbing him and hugging him tighter and tighter. I didn’t want to put him down for a nap, I just wanted to rock him in the glider the rest of the day.

Everyone says it. Doctors say it, grandparents say it, your friends say it… Even you say it.

It only takes seconds.

. . . . .

I was scheduled to pick up the boys from school this past Friday afternoon. My husband called — just minutes before I was going to wake my toddler up from his nap — to tell me that his meeting turned into a phone meeting, so he could pick up the boys from school, just like he does every Friday.

Five minutes later, my little guy woke up from his nap.

Anticipating the arrival of daddy and the older boys, we opened up the garage, pulled out the toys and began playing. Earlier in the week I painted with chalk paint on part of the garage wall and after letting it dry for three days — Friday was the day we were finally able to draw on it. I had pulled two colors from the chalk box, but my insistent toddler wanted four colors. I set my phone down on a nearby chair and made my way over to the workbench on the other side of the garage — where the box of chalk was hidden the day before.

During the time it took me to put my phone down, grab the chalk, put a screwdriver away (before the toddler saw it and decided he must have it) and walk back to get my phone (checking it to see if daddy text me from the grocery store)…

He was gone.

I ran outside and looked towards one of his favorite hangout spots, my neighbor’s front porch. He wasn’t there. I ran around my car to see if he was by the gated walkway watching the cars go by on the busy behind our house. He wasn’t there. My heart sank.

I called his name.
No answer.
I yelled to him that I had more Pirates Booty in the house.
No answer.
I screamed his name.
No answer.
I cried his name.
No answer.

My neighbor across the street walked outside and asked if I needed help. I yelled back, “I can’t find B!” She ran down our street while I ran the opposite way towards the busy street.

The panic set in.

He’s not the type of kid that will quietly hide or turn down a snack.
I stopped looking near the busy street and ran back down our street, stopping five houses down. There was a lady vacuuming her car with her front door wide open. I asked if she could please check her house. I found another neighbor out playing football with his son and yelled for him to help. I ran back up the street hoping to find my baby back inside the garage but he wasn’t there. I pounded on another neighbor’s door and she ran out to help.

I called my mom and then my husband.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t walk.
I collapsed to the ground every few feet.
Then, the horror set in.
9-1-1 was called and a deputy was dispatched.

It wasn’t long before every single person — that was home at 4:15 pm on a Friday — was on my street, in my backyard, in my house and asking me questions. I answered as precise and as quickly as I could between trying to catch my breath.
My friend grabbed me and hugged me as tight as she could and with a stern, confident voice, she told me that we were going to find him. She told me what I wanted to hear… She told me what I needed to hear so I could keep moving.

Another 10 minutes went by and I was started thinking the worst. I thought I would never see my baby again.
I couldn’t move anymore.
I stood in my front yard crying and screaming.

. . . . .

About a minute later, my neighbor’s front door opened and I saw a little silhouette out of the corner of my eye.
“Hi, mommy!”
My tears instantly changed from fear to relief.
I ran to him, grabbed his little body, stumbled to my neighbor’s couch and cried even more. He sensed my fear and allowed the embrace.
As I walked outside with him in my arms, I saw everyone walking towards the house. Everyone burst into tears when they saw him in my arms.

My neighbor had left his front door unlocked when he left his house earlier that day.

My curious toddler must have ran to his porch, tried the front door, found that it opened, then quickly closed it behind him. In less than 45 seconds.

Both my dad and the Deputy arrived a few minutes after I found him. Seeing the two of them was a welcomed sight instead of a fearful one.

While he is safe and unharmed, I will never forget the fear and anguish I experienced during those excruciating 20+ minutes. I never thought this would happen to me, I watch my kids like a hawk. This just goes to show you just how little time it takes for things to happen… and I was extremely lucky it wasn’t a bad thing.