Saturday, June 30, 2007

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?


I have just returned from a 10 day business trip. I knew it was going to be a long time away from home. DH knew it was going to be a long stint as a single parent. Alex didn't know what to think. Within 48 hours he was asking, "Momma go? Momma go?" Finally, late Thursday night, long after bedtime, I came home. I scooped him out of his crib and held him close. He stayed fast asleep through the entire homecoming.

He stirred at 5 am and I was there like a shot. I scooped him up again and brought him back to our bed. He slept through it all again. At 6:55 he finally woke up. I was up but in the room when he sat up. He scowled, threw his head back so he wouldn't have to look at me, and reached, whining, for his dad. He spent the first 10 minutes refusing to look at me. But I was patient. Eventually I took him from his dad and started down the hall with him. He wasn't happy with that at first, but by the time we got down to his room, he was grinning at me and holding me tight. I dressed him and we were back to normal - his anger was gone. His welcome home wasn't the huge happy smile I had hoped for, but it was exactly all Alex and I should have known that would be the reception I would get. And it was a delight to see how quickly he was able to move beyond the initial emotion...that is HUGE progress for him. Six months ago he got stuck in his initial reaction and could not move beyond that, no matter what.

While I was away he learned to play the piano. We have an electronic piano, and he's discovered not only the on/off button, but also all the tone buttons that convert it from grand piano to organ to harpsicord and choir. I haven't had a demonstration yet, but I understand many happy moments were spent at the piano with dad while I was away.

1 comment:

Kerry said...

who's the dog in the background?