A couple of weeks ago on our way home from work/school I started feeling sort of car sick and I didn’t want Raelyn to get upset that I wasn’t playing with her so I told her that mommy wasn’t feeling good and that my tummy hurt. She said “Come here mommy” and reached her hand out to my head and then said “Lay your head down here mommy” and gestured for me to put my head in her lap. Then, she covered me up with her little blankie and said “I’m gon tick your back mommy” and started tickling my back to make me feel better… completely unprompted!! She’s the sweetest most caring little girl ever.

When we got home I laid down on the couch and she went and got her froggie for me (she knows I love to hug him). I was amazed that she didn’t get upset or worried that I was acting strange but she seemed to really understand what it meant that I felt sick and she knew how to take care of me. I think she’s going to be an incredible big sister some day – bossy – but very loving and caring too.

20 March 2005
Enjoying the First Day of Spring

19 March 2005
Easter Egg Hunt

Well, this week I have a business trip coming up where I’ll be headed for San Francisco to attend the Game Developer’s Conference with 9 other co-workers. It’ll be the first time I’ve spent a night away from Raelyn ever. Of course I’m excited to go but I’m also really nervous to be apart from her and I’m hoping she’ll behave well for Seth. I’m leaving on Tuesday in the middle of the day straight from work and won’t be returning until Friday night so that’s 3 ½ days away from both my babies (Seth and Rae). Both sets of grandparents are on stand-by in case Seth needs some help – Raelyn’s been a bit of a handful lately for Seth. For some reason she’s been really attached to me and has been pretty much a pain in the butt to him. If nothing else I’m sure this experience will help them re-bond and all will be well when I get back. But the time while I’m gone is either going to go really well, with them leaning on each other while I’m away… or it’s really going to suck and she’s going to be a beast.

I started explaining to her a couple of days ago that I’d be leaving for a few days just to prepare her. She’s so smart I know she understands. First she said “Mommy come back!” and then she said “Mommy stay here!” Luckily she’s been learning to talk on the phone for the past few months so I can at least call and speak to her. Of course I’ll be three hours behind so it’ll be a little harder to find a convenient time to talk, but we’ll work it out. I’m going to be so busy I know the time will go by fairly quickly for me – except for those moments when I have to climb into a huge empty bed in a hotel room alone. That’s gonna suck. And I won’t even be able to call Seth because it’ll be like 3am here. I think it’s definitely going to be a lot harder on Rae though.

In any case, I think it’s time. She’ll be two years old in a couple of months so it’s not like I’m leaving a newborn. A little separation is a good thing even though it hurts. Man I can’t WAIT (even now) for that hug when we’re reunited at the airport next Friday night. It’ll be the best ever!

This morning we were awakened at 8:30am to the sound of Raelyn through the monitor humming to herself in bed. I heard her take her pacifier out so she could sing more clearly and then got a lovely rendition of the “Good Morning” song they sing every day to the kids at school… except she was singing it to her stuffed animals in bed.

Good morning Lela (the sheep) how do you do?
Good morning Froggie how do you do?
Good morning Rae Rae how do you do?
How do you do? How do you do? How do you do?
Choo Choo!

Oh my god it was the cutest thing EVER. I so wanted to have my digital voice recorder to tape her but it was in the car so I couldn’t even sneak out to get it without her hearing me. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to continue listening (since it was adorable) or if I wanted to rush right in there and give her a huge hug. My impatience got the better of me and I ran in to see her. As I came through the door, she didn’t skip a single beat and continued on with the tune and sang for me “Good morning Mommy how do you do…” I found her sitting up in her bed surrounded by her pillow and stuffed animals. She was pointing to each of them and herself as she sang. She then said “Daddy come see what Rae Rae’s doin?” We called him in and the minute he came through the door he got a “Good morning Daddy how do you do…” After her third rendition she proclaimed “Mommy, I love that sownge!” Does life get any better than this?