Chirp!

So, all was quiet in the Dew home this morning. McKenzie had just layed down for her nap, and I sat down to go through some pictures and enjoy the quiet. Then, "Chirp!"

"CHIRP!" It was the annoying call of a dying smoke detector - one of my biggest pet peeves.

Cris wasnt home, so I knew the task was mine alone. I faced it with trepidation and anger. For those of you who do not remember the great 'smoke-alarm-battery-incident-of-2002' I will recap: Around two in the morning several years ago, I was awaked by the same maddening, unrelenting chirp I heard today. The sound was in my head, driving me insane and taunting me all at once! I absolutely HATE getting out of bed in the middle of the night. I dont care if I really, really have to pee, I will hold it because I do not want to wake up. If I move around or wake my brain up, I can never go back to sleep. Its a curse, I know. I looked over at Cris, who was sleeping peacefully unbothered by the sound. I shook him a little and asked him to change the battery. I knew it was a dead end, but I asked anyway. Since Cris can sleep through anything he didnt see the importance of showing off his manly skills so early in the morning. Silly boy.

So, after a lengthy battle of finding a battery, trying to decipher which of the 4 smoke detectors was calling me and dragging a chair in to reach the detector (not an easy task for the vertically challenged) I was pretty worked up and angry. I reached up to open the battery compartment, and thunk! My head started pounding and I could feel my eye instantly starting to swell. The battery had fallen out and clocked me right on the bone below my right eye. I am slightly ashamed to say it, but I started to cry. It hurt! And I was a little frustrated!

I was sitting on the floor in what is now McKenzies room sobbing. Cris rushed in to see what was the matter. He looked over at my swollen eye (which soon turned pretty shades of purple, green and yellow...) and forgetting the conversation about the smoke detector, assumed he had punched me in his sleep. (Yeah, its been known to happen - I married a violent napper) He felt SOOOO bad, and I let him for a minute. I explained what happened and he actually laughed at me. (Okay, so I see the humor now, but at the time, I was more than a little bothered) Anyway, for about a week afterward, I was questioned about being abused and Cris was given plenty of evil eyes. Somehow, people didnt seem to understand how anyone with half a brain could be injured changing a battery...

So, this morning, I swallowed my fears and I did the unthinkable! I dragged a chair down the hall, I went on a frantic search to find a battery (lucky! I only had one left!) and I opened the compartment all by myself! And I did it without any permanant scarring! Wahoo! I think I need to reward myself! ;) hahaha