This is a snapware full of rice.
Let me tell you why this snapware is full of rice.
Wednesday morning our two year old fake daughter niece Madilyn came over to play for a few hours. This is a regular routine for us- we have cereal and play zoo and read stories and take naps. Isabelle loves having a playmate and I love pretending I have two kids. This particular morning I was feeling adventurous, so I decided to take the girls to the clover creek preserve, which is just about a half mile from my house. It wasn’t too hot out, it would be good exercise for me, the girls would love it. Perfect.
So after breakfast, I strapped Isabelle to my chest in the bjorn, buckled Madilyn in our stroller, and away we went. I felt so courageous. Look at me! With two babies! Going on a walk to the preserve! At 8:30 in the morning! And so it went for awhile.
We walked clear around the preserve to the pond filled with ducks and geese and frogs and other animals for Madilyn to try to chase down. As you walk toward the pond, there is a nice little lookout area with a few benches and a little plaque with information about the animals in the preserve. From there, there is a sloped embankment down to the water, where all the ducks hang out. Can you see where this is going.
Madilyn of course wanted to get out and play so I popped her out of the stroller, we were just sitting on the bench talking about the birds when it happened. The sunshade from the stroller acted like a giant sail as a gust of wind picked up the stroller and rolled it down the embankment, right into the pond. Right. Into. The. Pond.
Now, I’m not the kind of person to be surprised by many things. However, as the stroller raced by me like a runaway semi-truck, my jaw dropped and some sort of emergency noise lept from my throat. In that split second, I debated whether or not I had time to chase after it and possibly make a heroic save. Before I could decide, the stroller was too far gone, sitting soggy in the duck pond. I watched my cell phone fly over the handlebar and plunge into the water. Following my phone was our access into my house- the garage door opener. Along with diapers, wipes, a bottle and a paci.
Not having had two children to handle on many occasions, I didn’t know what to do. Can I leave the two year old on this bench? Should I set Isabelle down? Should I go for help? Send Lassie?
Madilyn sat on the bench and watched as I waded to my calves into the pond to retrieve my cell phone and other damaged items. The stroller was on it’s side, full of pond water and mud. Back up the embankment, I sat on the bench next to Madilyn to dry off and together we laughed really hard about the crazy wet stroller. Madilyn kept saying, “Silly stroller,” except it came out more like “Siyee sole-ler.”
We were getting ready to head back home when I realized that without the garage door opener, we were locked out. Just two babies, no diapers, no food, no water, no cell phone, hanging out at the preserve. Luckily, my mom lives close by. Not quite as close as I do, but close enough that we could walk. Madilyn got back in the wet stroller (“Soggy bum!”) and we walked the distance to my mom’s house. Arriving on the doorstep twenty minutes later, Madilyn rang the bell and when the door opened, threw her arms up in the air to exclaim “Surprise!”
Surprise indeed.
I sheepishly called Jazz to let him know I would be needing his assistance in gaining entry to the house, and when I told him about my phone he told me to immediately put it in rice. FOR FIVE DAYS. Apparently the rice is very absorbent and can help draw the water out. In the mean time, it’s back to my old blackberry pearl.
Next time, weigh the stroller down with boulders. Or a big bag of rice, just in case.
the sorensen six 
I currently have an iPod in a container of rice after it took a bath at my parents' house. I walked in to check on a niece and nephew and immediately was presented with a sopping iPod Touch and Reese telling me, “Leo just threw it in!” Oh, good day. I keep trying to write it off in my brain, knowing that if I am lucky enough that it ever works again I can just be happy about it rather than disappointed again that it doesn't.Kids. Sigh…
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What a morning! You are a trooper for taking 2 kids out in the first place at 8:30 in the morning. I can just picture it all happening in my head now (laughing to myself at the thought)! Thank goodness your mom lives close!
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Update: My iPod touch works! So very happy for the rice trick and hoping it works for you, too.
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We have used the rice trick after our youngest daughter dipped my hubby's blackberry in the toilet (and rubbing alcohol “sterilized” it for us). It definitely works! As for the stroller incident… I would suggest putting the brakes on anytime your hand leaves the handles. That's how I keep my kids from pushing the baby all over the place when I'm sitting down or trying to visit with a friend.
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