I don't usually pick Jonah up from school, since I have the longer commute. Daddy is only 3 miles away, so he gets both pick-up and drop-off duties. Still, there are occasions that require me to get Jonah and I enjoy seeing his classroom and teachers.
On some of the early pick-ups, when Jonah was only 4mo. old, I had this irrational fear that I would step into the room and wouldn't be able to pick out my own baby! Surely if he changed outfits during the day, I would be at a total loss. (I swear I have a mild case of congenital prosopagnosia.) Fortunately, there always came some moment of recognition on both out sides, which helped confirm that it was Jonah.
Now that Jonah is a little older, I find him far more distinguished than as a newborn, so I can walk in with more confidence. He also gets very excited and will come crawling across the room and over obstacles (tumbling wave mats) to get to me. My favorite is when I held him on my hip and he raised one arm to wave to his classmates with a huge smile, as if to say, "Later, I'm out!"
Today, I wasn't feeling so hot in the morning, so Daddy took Jonah to school and I stayed home to rest. I decided to pick Jonah up in the mid afternoon and drove over to school. When I arrived, I found that Daddy hadn't left the carseat! So here's the dilemma, do I a.) go visit my son but leave him, or b.) run away as if I was never there? I decided on choice c.) peek in the door to see what he was up to. He spotted me immediately - probably before I saw him! - and the gig was up. I went inside and held him and apologized to him and the teachers that I couldn't bring him home right now. He was very upset when I walked out the door without him! I nearly cried as I sped to Daddy's office to retrieve the seat from his car. (The correct answer was b.)
