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I don't believe I did, because I was waiting until after "Christmas" in Texas, so I didn't give away any gift surprises. Yes, that was three-and-a-half months, and an entire visit ago, but here they are.
This is was Peeper made (with a bit of help from Mama, of course) to give to her grandparents, aunts and uncles for Christmas:
Yesterday afternoon, Peeper and I made a quick run to the grocery store, so I could get a snack to take to MNO and some cash for the babysitter.
While we were there, I told her that she could choose a "healthy snack," perhaps a fruit or veggie, to "share with Ms S," and reminded her that she already had a "sometimes food" to share (the cookies).
She chose watermelon, and selected a package of three pretty big (for her) slices.
She ate one while I was getting ready to leave, and pretty much did in the other two today.
After the Mother's Day Out fiasco, we realized that we really don't need a preschool, we just need a babysitter, so we've been cultivating a relationship with the teenage daughters of one of our MOMS Club friends. (Yes, she has four kids: 17, 15, 14 and 3.)
First, Peeper and I went over to their house to play with the little girl and her big sisters, then the big girls came over together and played with Peeper while I cleaned house for our Easter party. During that visit, I made a quick trip to the convenience store to pick up treats for everyone, and give them a little time alone.
At their house, Peeper was apprehensive about me even being in a different room, and when they came over, it took a while before she would go off and play, instead of hanging out in the kitchen, watching me clean.
The older of the girls came over on Wednesday and watched her for about and hour and a half, while Shrike and I went out to dinner, and then she came back this evening so I could go to MOMS Night Out.
Both times, she spent more time fretting and worrying and crying that "I am going to miss you!" and asking "You're gonna come back?" than the amount of time we were actually gone!
This is not at all how she was before MDO. Granted, she'd not stayed with anyone other than family or MOMS Club friends that she knows very well, so of course she would have been more comfortable with them, but this is just very different.
That experience was a real blow to her self-confidence about being away from us, and she now has a separation anxiety that we've not seen since we started leaving her, when she was a little more than a year old.
Even when we did have a rough good-bye, the tears and upset didn't start until it was actually time to leave, but now, as soon as she gets that it's going to happen, it starts and it just doesn't stop.
I asked her today if next time, she'd rather I wait until the last minute to tell her that the sitter is coming and we're leaving, so she doesn't have to worry for so long, and she said that she would. I thought that might be kind of the chickenshit way out, versus preparing her, but if that's what she'd prefer, then that's what we'll do. Anything has to be better than five hours and "I'm going to miss you!"
The first couple of times the sitter(s) came, she got okay pretty much as soon as I left, but tonight it took a little longer to calm her down, and then she melted down in the bathtub for a while.
The calming trick (and the reason for the bath - which I had totally anticipated) was cookie decorating.
I happened to spot a package of frozen break-and-bake sugar cookies in the freezer this evening, so I whipped up some icing, and then baked the cookies right before I left, and let the sitter help Peeper to ice and sprinkle them.
Peeper may not be so thrilled about us leaving, but I think this sitter is a keeper.
Peeper and I went to a MOMS Club play date this morning, in a friend's backyard. The kiddos had a great time running and climbing and playing (those who are mobile), and the moms enjoyed sitting and talking.
Today's event was for the 0-3 crowd, so little Peeper was the "big girl" of the bunch.
(We have play dates for 0-3 and for 3-5, as well as some "all ages" ones. For the next six months, we get to go to any one that we want!)
After inhaling a few cookies, Peeper choose a baby carrot and a slice of cucumber, and then decided that they were her best friends. She carried them around all morning, occasionally taking a nibble, made me hold them for her when she needed her hands, and even brought the poor soggy cuke and grubby carrot home with her.
They are sitting in our fridge right now.
We met up with a couple of MOMS Club friends and their kiddos for lunch at McDonald's.
At one point, Peeper and our friend D's kids (4 1/2 and almost 2 1/2) decided to "take a nap" in the playground.
A half naked butterfly, playing with "Rapunzel's hair," which is actually a piece of decorative rope.
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Peeper and I have been breastfeeding for...
Six Weeks
Three Months
Six Months
Nine Months
Twelve Months
Eighteen Months
Two Years
Three Years
Four Years Four-and-a-half years and counting! | |
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