A horrible nightmare!

This january we got to go to Orlando with the family. If you would like to read about it, click here.

However this is not about the fun part of the trip but about something I wish to no parent EVER. We got there a day before around 2pm, took care of the rental car and drove to the resort to rest because we had been up since 3am! We were so tired, and if you have kids, and you've been on a plane with them on a 3 1/2 hr flight, you know what that's like. 

Anyways, we got our room, and we set the the hide-a-bed for Philippe and put Belle on the crib to sleep for the night. However Philippe would not go to sleep, he was awake and playing, watching TV, and wanting to eat more and more. Finally, he took a few naps, and around 2am he woke up again, I (Marcel) took him on a drive and went to Walmart to buy breakfast for the next morning. THen we came back and entertained him a little longer. Finally I put him to bed again around 5 am. I went to bed and at 8 am I finally woke up. Everything was quiet, Candice was sleeping and so was Belle. I got out of bed and went to check on Philippe, but when I did, HE WASN'T THERE! I ran around the room looking under tables, inside closets, behind counters, everywhere and MY SON WAS NOT IN THE ROOM! I ran into the bedroom and yelled PHILIPPE IS NOT HERE! PHILIPPE IS GONE!!! Candice jumped out of bed and did the same thing I did while calling his name. Philippe is so curious and observative and likes to play with switches and buttons, well, he figured out how to unlock the door and remove the safety lock too, turned the door handle and walked out to explore.  I ran outside looked both ways and... nothing! I ran upstairs and downstairs and around the parking lot screaming his name but he was nowhere to be seen. I was so close to break down but the thought of my son being lost didn't let me and I simply kept running, I heard water and remembered that behind our building there was a lake with a fountain, Philippe LOVES water and for a second I saw in my head his little body floating on the lake, I ran to the lake but he wasn't there either. I ran back to the room and we had LOCKED OURSELVES OUT with Belle still being inside the room by herself, at least she was in her crib, but our phones were inside too! I ran and stopped a man that was walking to his car and said "Please help us, my son is missing, he can't talk, he has autism and epilepsy, and we just locked ourselves out of our room with our baby girl inside" The gentleman stayed with Candice while they called someone to open the room and see what else they could do, but I couldn't stay still, it was as if I had drank 10 Redbulls, my hands were shaking as was my voice. So I ran to the visitors center as fast as I could, I ran inside to the front desk where there was a line of people waiting and just went straight to the counter and told whoever was there "My son is missing, he is lost, he walked out of the room this  early morning, I explained everything trying to catch my breath and sound coherent, but I couldn't, they tried to calm me down and a security guard called on his radio. Within seconds, he got a call back and he told me that they had Philippe and that he was fine. They asked me to go to my room and that they would take him there. I thanked them, and I tried to walk back but I was running without even noticing. After 10 minutes, the security vehicle pulled up with Philippe in the back seat covered in a blanket. I tried to hug him, but they didn't let me, they said they had to verify my ID first so I ran back in got my wallet and my phone and showed them pictures and they gave him back to us. He had gotten a messy diaper and his pijamas were dirty that's why they changed his diaper and had him wrapped in a blanket. We thanked them, and as soon as the door closed i dropped to my knees and held him tighter than ever, bawling. I couldn't stop sying to him, I'm sorry Philippe, I'm sorry! I'm sorry buddy, I should've been watching you and checking on you, I'm sorry!, Candice was crying too. Philippe was just happy to be with us and eager to eat some breakfast. While we were waiting, the security guard told Candice that a guest had found him in the fourth floor of our building and had called them. Then only words that they could get out of him was "mama" and "dada".  I felt and still do like such a bad parent for choosing to fall asleep instead of being aware. But more than anything else I am grateful, I'm grateful that today I got to tuck my little boy in bed and kiss him goodnight. So many thoughts crossed our mind while he was missing, and I simply don't know... I just don't even want to think about it if we didn't have him with us and were still looking. 

I love you buddy! and I'm sorry.