Mimi has been in rehearsal for a few weeks and as a result is not home most nights. When Kiddo was younger it wasn't so much a problem as she didn't seem to notice or mind who was around as long as one of us with her. Now that she's a little older, not having Mommy around at night has been ... problematic.
Some nights she whines and cries and tells me to ask her if she misses Mommy a little. So I ask, "Do you miss Mommy a little?" And she says, "Yes" and then cries some more. Sometimes she is actually sad and other times she's just playing at it. One night she said, "I'm a big girl! I don't miss Mommy anymore!" That was almost worse than the crying.
Mimi has been putting in extra effort to stay connected with the Kid (and to be fair, Mama and Kiddo spend pretty much all day Thursday and Friday together as well as weekend time, but methinks our dear daughter has a touch of the Drama Queen). Mimi put together a special "Notebook for Yuki and Mama" in which she leaves notes and games and art projects for Kiddo to play when she gets home from school. They are quite fun. We go on scavenger hunts and color and do sticker projects. Kiddo seems to really enjoy it, although she shows just a touch of resistance when given a coloring project that appears compulsory (she really is my daughter!).
Mimi also usually preps dinner for us before leaving for the day, which is tremendously helpful. I think it also reassures Mimi that we will not be eating mac & cheese or pizza every night of every week. Did I mention I can't cook? I can't. I also have no interest in doing it. I think mostly because I will have to clean up whatever I use and I want to minimize that if I can. I might also be lazy. So Mimi setting us up for success every night is huge.
Another thing that dear Mimi does is occasionally leave notes for Kiddo that are from Kiddo's "friends." We got mail from Hello Kitty last week! And before that she received two notes from her friend "Sarah."
TANGENT WARNING: Okay, everybody is named Sarah right now. I think it started with the car navigation function on my phone. It has a lady's voice. One day I discovered that the voice is called "Sarah." There is also "Maria" but she speaks Spanish so we don't really hang out with Maria very much. So if Kiddo introduces a new "friend" or unearths a long-forgotten or newly-discovered toy, it's named "Sarah." Once in a while they have last names. We've met Sarah I Have to Drink, Sarah My Coffee's Too Hot, and Sarah Afraid of Bears.
But the Sarah I want to introduce you to doesn't have a last name. Perhaps none is needed. Say hello.
No, "Sarah Broom" would not be inappropriate.
I'm not entirely sure how this one came about, but somebody decided that this broom needed a hair bow. At some point clothing was added.
Anyway ... Sarah.
Then, a few days ago when Kiddo and I got home, there was this note from Sarah (click to embiggen).
We have very high educational standards. I guess.
Seems that Kiddo decided that Sarah should spend her day at Chinese school. Sarah, always happy to oblige, made the most of it.
I'm living in a cuckoo clock.
Some nights she whines and cries and tells me to ask her if she misses Mommy a little. So I ask, "Do you miss Mommy a little?" And she says, "Yes" and then cries some more. Sometimes she is actually sad and other times she's just playing at it. One night she said, "I'm a big girl! I don't miss Mommy anymore!" That was almost worse than the crying.
Mimi has been putting in extra effort to stay connected with the Kid (and to be fair, Mama and Kiddo spend pretty much all day Thursday and Friday together as well as weekend time, but methinks our dear daughter has a touch of the Drama Queen). Mimi put together a special "Notebook for Yuki and Mama" in which she leaves notes and games and art projects for Kiddo to play when she gets home from school. They are quite fun. We go on scavenger hunts and color and do sticker projects. Kiddo seems to really enjoy it, although she shows just a touch of resistance when given a coloring project that appears compulsory (she really is my daughter!).
Mimi also usually preps dinner for us before leaving for the day, which is tremendously helpful. I think it also reassures Mimi that we will not be eating mac & cheese or pizza every night of every week. Did I mention I can't cook? I can't. I also have no interest in doing it. I think mostly because I will have to clean up whatever I use and I want to minimize that if I can. I might also be lazy. So Mimi setting us up for success every night is huge.
Another thing that dear Mimi does is occasionally leave notes for Kiddo that are from Kiddo's "friends." We got mail from Hello Kitty last week! And before that she received two notes from her friend "Sarah."
TANGENT WARNING: Okay, everybody is named Sarah right now. I think it started with the car navigation function on my phone. It has a lady's voice. One day I discovered that the voice is called "Sarah." There is also "Maria" but she speaks Spanish so we don't really hang out with Maria very much. So if Kiddo introduces a new "friend" or unearths a long-forgotten or newly-discovered toy, it's named "Sarah." Once in a while they have last names. We've met Sarah I Have to Drink, Sarah My Coffee's Too Hot, and Sarah Afraid of Bears.
But the Sarah I want to introduce you to doesn't have a last name. Perhaps none is needed. Say hello.
No, "Sarah Broom" would not be inappropriate.I'm not entirely sure how this one came about, but somebody decided that this broom needed a hair bow. At some point clothing was added.
Anyway ... Sarah.
Then, a few days ago when Kiddo and I got home, there was this note from Sarah (click to embiggen).
We have very high educational standards. I guess.Seems that Kiddo decided that Sarah should spend her day at Chinese school. Sarah, always happy to oblige, made the most of it.
I'm living in a cuckoo clock.
Comments
As for Sarah, my friends daughter has a tendency to call all her stuffed toys and dolls "Sally." She also liked to call me Allison.
-DT