How Mysterious

 Before I forget these stories...

I took our work babies outside to the swings one afternoon last week. I put them in the swings, buckled them in, and gave each one a graham cracker. (I think I broke the rules there... , but I also forgot their sun hats... ) My little friend Emmy had a pacifier in her mouth which I plucked from her lips and placed beside her in the swing. It was not a terribly sunny day, but it was rather hot and sticky. When 10 or 15 minutes had elapsed, I put them back in the buggy and headed back toward the building.

It wasn't until the next day when we had a inconsolable 15 month old that we realized her Binky was missing. It was nowhere to be found when Amber asked if I'd seen it anywhere. I wracked my brain and suddenly remembered. "I know where it is!" I said, and hurried off to the baby swings only to discover it wasn't there either. I couldn't understand where it could have gone. It wasn't in the swing or on the ground, and I knew I'd had it last. How would the poor child manage? More importantly, how would Amber manage? Who might have picked it up?

On my way back inside, and feeling foolish at having lost this precious item, I decided to ask a few other teachers. The toddlers had been outside just after the infants the previous afternoon so I started there. "Did any of your kids find a pacifier outside?" I asked Caitlyn. I was grateful for her answer.

"Yes," she replied, "Maggie did. It's in my sunscreen basket up on the shelf." And there it was! Mystery solved. That little pink Binky, still in the swing, had caught the eye of a newly turned 17 month old, and therefore the attention of one toddler teacher. I was much relieved to return the missing soother to my new friend Emmy and I'm sure Amber was more than relieved as well.

(There was another mystery this week as well, but it has mysteriously vanished from my memory for the time being. I thought it would come back to me as I wrote this, but it hasn't. Perhaps it will return in time for a subsequent blog of it's own. Since I have not pictures of work babies or pink pacifiers, you are blessed to feast your eyes on little Henry who had a paper plate for dessert at his brother's birthday celebration this evening. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAKE!)