I love my little girl. She is my proverbial sunshine. She is sweet, and smart, and oh-so-funny.
And she loves us too, so so sooo much. She can’t get enough of us, and, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to be getting enough of us. Adam has been extra busy this semester with some big projects (for class and for the science and engineering student group on campus), and, of course, with applying for med school (will May 13th ever get here?).* So, sadly, Daddy isn’t home as much as he wants to be. Neither am I, what with having a out-of-home job.
All this separation is taking a toll on our little miss.
As wonderful as her day home provider is, and as much as Lucy likes to talk about her friends at the day home, she misses us. Frankly, I miss her too. The problem is that Lucy seems to be more sensitive to separation than most kids, and more sensitive than she once was. Maybe it’s a stage, or maybe the last seven months have finally gotten to be too much for her. Either way, she’s been struggling.
Lucy has been spending a troubling amount of her time at the day home lying on the couch doing nothing. She hasn’t been eating enough (even according to toddler standards). She’s been spending 75% of her mornings crying, and not the I’m-a-toddler-who-gets-pissed-and-cries-at-the-drop-of-a-hat kind of crying, but the I-am-so-very-sad-and-tears-are-running-down-my-face-even-while-I-follow-directions-and-otherwise-behave-myself kind of crying. She clings to me as though I were life itself when dropped off at the day home. It’s been completely heartbreaking to watch my usually happy and energetic ray of sunshine become so distressed and depressed.
So, we’re switching things up. I’m going to give up a weekend day and add a bit of time to my shifts here and there so that I only have to take Lucy to the day home every other weekday, instead of everyday. And she’ll play with Daddy on my weekend work day. It’s not ideal (ideally I’d stay home again with her every day, which is my dream), but I think it will help ease her hurt, and my own.
What we will do when we move this summer, I’m not sure. But I do know, that for this child, and this mother, being at home is what we like best.
And what post about Lucy would be complete without a picture? This was taken this morning by Rachel at Madchen Studios. The mini Easter session was amaaaaazing. There were so many great shots it almost killed me to select just some of them. This was Rachel’s favorite.

As always, beautiful work by Madchen Studios.

*May 13th is the day applicants are notified of acceptance/rejection.