Cedric Scare

Cedric has always been one of those kids who wanders. Even as a newborn, he didn't hold still. He became mobile earlier than Lily or Jeff and has been on the go ever since. So of course there have been several times when Cedric's wandered too far or has gotten lost in public places. Never anything that has put me past panic mode, but it's definitely scary when I loose him. Last night was one of those times.
We were at the park for a big function my brother was putting on and they had a big bouncy slide that all the kids were playing on. At one point, I was eating my dinner and the kids were off playing. I had seen Cedric about five minutes earlier, but I was busy visiting with old friends and didn't see which direction he'd gone. Close by was the park road (not a busy street, but still, there were cars), and a canal. I figured I should do a quick kid count and got up to look for them. Lily and Jeff were on the bouncy slide, but not Cedric. I asked a few people around if they had seen him, but they hadn't. Then I wandered across the park street to the playground. I asked some of my nieces and nephews who were over there if they'd seen him, and they had, but it had been a few minutes. I checked the bathroom and decided to start heading over to the big court area by the canal. As I was walking that direction, here came Cedric around the bend, playing with a stick as if everything was right in the world. My sister-in-law, informed me he had just come out of the trees that were over by the canal. Needless to say, I kept a much better eye on him the rest of the night. That night I got thinking about what could've happened. What would I have done if we eventually found him in the canal? I ran through the scary scenario that us parents so often do when we think "what if..." and it made me so grateful that I've never had to experience a parents ultimate fear. I've been so blessed to have healthy children, who have never had any serious injuries or death.
So this morning, I was awake, but still laying in bed when Cedric woke up and came in my room. He just had the biggest grin on his face (it looked a little like this).
And it again made me so happy that he's a part of our family and is alive and safe. Cedric always makes me smile. He's the funnest and sweetest little boy. Here he is doing a doggy face (or ghost, they both look the same).
And here he is showing me the, to quote Cedric "watermelon in his eyes" (you know, the red part at the bottom of your eyes when you pull the skin down).
I couldn't imagine life without this guy.