Missing Gum

Any mother knows that asking, "I wonder where (Sarah)'s gum went?" is the beginning of a misadventure. But perhaps the misadventure started with the giving of gum to a two year old. Desperate times call for desperate means, and we wanted to attend the Good Friday evening service at church. It appeared that gum might occupy Sarah and keep her from outbursts during the service.

Things were going (fairly) well, until Sarah indicated her gum was gone. I did a quick scan of the bench (cloth covered), and the floor, with no gum spotting. I thought she had swallowed it.... until I did laundry on Saturday.

The missing gum was located on clothes that had gone through the washer and the dryer. Not only did her jumper have gum on it, but one of John's undershirts, and perhaps other clothes I have not yet identified. I believe the gum fell out of her mouth, and was trapped between her shirt and her jumper, where it remained until laundered. Hmm, didn't notice it when she was changed into her jammies.

Lesson learned: look harder for missing gum (and consider carefully whether a two year old should be given gum).