The Scariest Thing Yet

OK, so I think I'm ready to talk/blog about locking my baby in the car the other day.
UGH.
It still kind of makes me shaky to think about it.
So. Our new (to us) 2004 Sentra has a couple very annoying things going on.
1) It's too small for our family of 3. (our non-parents - I was pregnant - at the time mistake.)
2) You can only unlock it from the driver side door. No keyless entry, no beeper thingy, no lock on the passenger side door.
I guess we really didn't think it was a big problem. Chris said he might take it to Nissan to see about adding keyless entry or maybe he could do it himself. None of these things happened. (not that I'm blaming my dear husband.)
After our (way too expensive-always) trip to Target the other day, I parked the cart w/Edward in his carrier on the back right side of the car and walked around to the driver door to unlock that door (see any problem here?) and, once it was open, click the unlock button for all the other doors. At this point, I must have thrown my keys on the driver seat....ugh, seriously, so, so stupid...walked back around to the cart/baby, unloaded the bags onto my front passenger seat, shut that door, opened the back door, unloaded Edward, climbed in, clicked him in the base, climbed out and shut the door.
Then, the realization sunk in.
But...wait. How did the doors get locked? Now that I'm spelling it all out, I don't remember clicking either of the buttons (one on the driver door, one on the passenger door) that would lock ALL the doors. How the heck did that happen? Color me confused.
At any rate, the TERRIBLE, AWFUL, stomach-sinking realization sunk in that he was locked in....did I have the key? Was I sure they were all locked? Did I have my phone? Nope, yes and nope.
I should mention at this point that Edward was peacefully sleeping away.
As I start to panic, I look around and the kind woman pulling out her parking space a spot away from me noticed. She rolled down her window and the questions, phone calls, tears began. She kept assuring me it would all be alright: was he sleeping? Did I have AAA? I used her phone, called Chris, tried to keep breathing all the while making sure he was still OK and/or sleeping. She did the same.
Chris at work-out in the field in his truck-couldn't find the # for our insurance and roadside assistance. The woman said we could call the police. She then flagged down some construction guys in their truck nearby. They are building a gym in this shopping center. They then called their boss who was over there and also a police officer. They thought he'd have the tool in his car to open the locks.
Meanwhile, Bonnie (I didn't even ask her name or give her mine until the end of this ordeal) said I needed to get one of those hidden key things for the car. Yes, yes, yes, I tearfully agree. She asked if I lived nearby, if I had a key at home. First of all, I said I'm not leaving my baby and it didn't matter b/c my house key was on my key chain locked in the car.
The police/construction guy shows up and starts to go to work on the lock. Minutes,minutes, minutes, hours? go by. It's not working. They say maybe Target has a metal hanger that might work, I run in, try to ask someone that, they say no and 2 of them start a discussion about whether or not they should call the police. I say,
"CAN YOU JUST CALL THE POLICE, PLEASE??!!"
At this point, I'm losing it. Tears, trying not to sob.
Back to the car and, ohLORD, Edward is now awake. I smile/talk at him through the back window (crying, smiling, talking.) We now have Bonnie, the 2 construction guys, the 1 police/construction guy, maybe 3 Target people and another guy comes over-tells us he's a volunteer fireman (I think.)
More than once, I suggested breaking the window. They said that would really be hard to do but the fire dept. could do it.
CALL THEM! BREAK IT! I'LL BREAK IT!
He's now awake and not so happy anymore. I think that must be the scariest, most sickening, most helpless feeling EVER and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not ANYONE...the feeling of not being able to help/comfort/hold/kiss your child. I had never experienced that up until then and I pray to God, I will never, ever have to again.
Then the fireman guy (or maybe it was the police guy-I have no idea) somehow gets the front passenger door open and (not nearly fast enough) gets the back passenger door open. I jump in and cry all over/comfort my sweet, sweet baby boy. He calms down a bit but is probably just hungryish/tiredish/annoyed. I leave him strapped in, somehow come to my senses again, and go to shake the hands of everyone...except for Bonnie. I hug her. I can't help it.
I introduce her finally to Edward and ask her name. She never asked for mine and I didn't even think to give it. She got the phone #'s of the guys. I asked for hers.
She was worried about me getting home in my state of agitation/distress/relief/anger/joy,etc. I said I'd be fine. I said I was going straight to the hardware store to ask about the hidden key thing but she said "No, go home!" I did.
I cried a little more in the car but didn't let it really go until I got inside my house. I sobbed. On my knees, thanking God for these people, apologizing for my mistake, thanking Him for keeping my boy safe & healthy. I asked Him to bless and watch over these people for the rest of their lives.
Bonnie, construction guys (Bucky & Mark, according to Bonnie's note), Target employees, fireman guy and whoever else might have been there that I didn't even realize. I can't possibly thank you enough.
Edward ate a little and went to bed. I felt (and still do feel, quite frankly) emotionally exhausted.
Thankfully, my "old" (high school) pal Tracy and her sweet 18 month old Allison came by and I felt better. Tracy totally understood all of my feelings and assured me it was an accident and it was OK. Thanks Tracy. That meant the world to me.
So the saga is over. While, I would love to get a new, bigger, fancy/safer locking car, it is not in our budget right now. I think the hidden key thing is the best option PLUS always keeping my keys IN MY HAND while unloading/loading baby/groceries/purchases, etc. Believe me, we went to Kroger yesterday (the day after it happened) and I was almost scared about it. BUT the keys remained in my hand at all times and now, they always will.
I learned the hard way.
PHEW. To say the very, very least.