The Cookie Combustion

Halloween is the official start to the holiday season, and there's no better way to kick it off by baking spooky cookies with your kids. Or, in my case, buying refrigerated, pre-cut sugar cookies with pumpkins in the middle because I don't have time to be messing around with made-from-scratch shit when my kids always give up ten minutes into the process, leaving me to finish EVERYTHING alone. Nope!

Everything was going great. My 4 year old was next to me at the counter, and my son was in his high chair on my other side, watching intently (or so I thought). Thirty minutes later, the cookies were cooked and cooling on a rack, and my kids and I went about our day. About another fifteen minutes went by when I thought I smelled gas (from the oven, not one of us). I checked the kitchen, but the stove was off. It's not uncommon for my stove to take its sweet time cooling off, so I figured that's all it was. More time went by, I took the trash out, and when I came back inside, I was overwhelmed with the smell of gas. Again, I checked the stove, but it was off. I put my hand toward the back, and not only could I feel heat, I could feel gas hitting my hand.

Internally panicking, since this has happened to us once before a few years ago, I call our local gas company to report a possible leak. I opened the windows and took my kids outside to play while I waited for them. Thankfully, they were here within twenty minutes and the guy went in to check everything. He came out a few minutes later and said, "I don't know whether you will be relieved or pissed with what I'm about to tell you." Considering the age of the stove, I was convinced he was going to tell me I needed to replace it (which would have been fucking amazing, since I hate it). He says, "your back burner was on. It hadn't been lit, but the knob was turned just enough to start the gas flow." My response was a resounding, "WHAT THE FUCK?! I HAVEN'T USED ANY OF THE BURNERS ALL DAY!" Then it clicked in my head: My son close to the stove while we were baking cookies. Him reaching for his favorite toy: the dish rag hanging on the handle of the oven. Him succeeding. He was absolutely close enough to nudge the knob ever so slightly.

People have different reactions when faced with near-death experiences. Some cry, some praise God... I laugh hysterically then call my family to tell them my son is secretly trying to kill us so he can start his mission of taking over the world. Don't worry though. Even though I have been joking about this nonstop for the past 24 hours, I am very grateful for the outcome. Am I embarrassed that I panicked and reported a gas leak instead of realizing it was probably a lit burner? Absolutely not. My need to keep my kids safe was the only thing driving me in that moment, and it's very easy to overlook minor things when your mind is in overdrive. I'm glad it was only a lit burner and not a full on gas leak, and I'm glad we are all safe and sound.