This last week started off with excitement and a big adventure. A mommy and me adventure had been in the works for months and the time finally came for my girl and I to pack up our car and head out into the great wide open for a tent camping trip with some friends. We started talking about our adventure a few days before and shared how much fun it was going to be, just mommy and me and daddy was going to stay home. We set up the tent in the house to prepare for any bumps we might find, but found none. We looked at lanterns and glow sticks and all things rough and rugged to get ready! And of course some separation anxiety started...just a little bit but nothing to stop us. We stopped talking about it and moved forward with packing up.
The morning dawned and we eagerly jumped in the loaded car with coffee, snacks and a bag full of great entertainment to get us through our six hour drive. All was good! My cricket and I talked and sang and I listened to her read me books and we pointed to cows and birds and all that we could see outside the windows. Soon we needed lunch so we pulled over and enjoyed some french fries and a burger and laughed and giggled as she sat in the drivers seat and I in the passenger. My fears of her separation from her daddy begin to fade. Or so I thought.
Soon we arrived at our campground and were greeted with smiles and much anticipation of our time together. Introductions were made, hugs were given freely and stuff was unloaded and tents began to pop up and then I noticed something...my girl suddenly was not her smiling self. A very clingy little girl emerged from somewhere and my bubble began to leak. I instantly began to have her help me set up our tent with all the familiar girly things I brought from home. She lightened a bit but was still not quiet right and I continued to move forward in making the most of our time and the time I had with my friend who'd I haven't seen in a year.
And then after a quick goodnight call from daddy our world came crashing down and any hope for comfort was lost. After a long night and another heartbreaking episode the next afternoon I called it quits. My bubble completely popped. And calling it quits is hard for me to do but I knew I had to do it and I also knew I had to get my big girl pants on and drive the six hours home in the dark...and if you know me well enough, I don't drive at night. Period. But as soon as I told my struggling girl we were headed home she sighed and said thank you. Our drive home was full of giggles and lots of daddy talk. She never once fell asleep and as soon as we got out of the car and she saw the man who spins her world she literally jumped out of my arms and gave him the biggest hug ever. And since then all has been normal again.
Now you may ask, did this detour me from wanting to do this again? No. Will I do thing differently next time? Yes. Will I wait a while before trying again for a mommy and me adventure. Most definitely yes. And it will happen again before she's 25!! :) As you can see from the pictures that there were many times that a smile was there and I was able to sit her down for a few minutes without her thinking I was going to go too far. She did say she was having fun a few times too. She loved playing with new friends and was happy to let my dear friend and her Auntie Kelle hold her and love on her which made me smile.
2 comments
2 comments:
So sorry it ended early, but I am glad you were able to make the drive home and put her world right again.
I know how excited you were for this time away with your girl! so sorry it ended the way it did but good for you for putting her needs before your own. It will happen again....maybe when she's 24? But, it will happen! :o)
Hope you had a good time for the bit of time you spent with your friend.
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