My baby, nanny, and MIL were lost in the woods for hours yesterday!

[somegirl99]

Got everyone back home safe and sound last night, thank god.

The nanny usually takes DS for a walk with him in a back carry every day.  She likes to explore the area, we are surrounded by county parks and the area is popular for hiking and camping, but normally she is back within the hour.

Yesterday my MIL decided to go with them.  I was working from home.

They left home at 1:30.  At 3:00 I started to worry.  At 4:15 I got a call from the ranger's office with some garbled information about them getting separated and they were trying to reunite them, baby and nanny were ok.  I was to stay home by the phone (cell phones don't work anywhere around here).  Didn't hear anything more until 5, at which point I got about 4-5 more calls from different dispatchers and a visit from a ranger asking me for information and a description of everyone, then I really started to freak out.

5:40 I got a call that nanny and baby were at the ranger's station of the adjoining park miles away, still looking for the MIL.  I was still to stay by the phone (are you kidding me?  She didn't have a bottle or spare diaper or anything for him).  Luckily DH came home a couple of minutes later so he stayed by the phone and I raced off and got to them just after 6.

DS was in great spirits, apparently didn't cry the whole time, was pretty hungry/thirsty but not really dehydrated thankfully, and a bit rashy from being in one diaper for so long.  Ironically had he cried, they probably would have been easier to find, but I think he thought it was a great adventure.  On the other hand, nanny was quite upset over the whole thing and had been crying for hours.

MIL was found a little over an hour later, just when we were about to get an item of clothing for bloodhounds to sniff. 

Turns out that the nanny wanted to turn back at a safe spot that she knew, MIL suggested going further (she has no common sense and no sense of direction), then they got lost, then MIL couldn't keep up so they got separated and nanny found a phone and called 911 for help. 

MIL is grounded for a week, nanny will stick to safe known paths and shorter walks from now on.

My boy is really living up to having "Danger" as his middle name.  I thought we'd have a few years before he got lost in the woods!

[SubliminalDarkness]

Oh man! Your poor nanny. And geeez MIL. Sheesh. 

I'm glad everyone is ok. I can only begin to imagine how nervous you were through all of that!

[syn_ack89]

Craziness! Glad everyone is ok!

[Terrilein]

so glad everyone is ok!

[P.J.]

Glad they are okay, you must have been so scared!!!

[expat-mama]

WHOA... How on earth did you keep it together? Insane. So glad everyone made it home safe and sound.

[somegirl99]

Thanks everyone!  I was pretty panicked but am so thankful that the nanny had the sense to get help for herself and DS first, and that we have such a great group of rangers.  It was quite a scare, didn't sleep very well that night.