I have to go to Arizona for a few days for work. Addie was helping me pack tonight, and wanted me to make a list of everything I was going to put in my bags, and also a list of everything I was going to do while I was gone.
"Who's going to be in your hotel room at night?" she asked.
"Nobody, honey," I laughed. "I'll be by myself."
She threw herself into my arms, sobbing. "No, Mommy! Why don't you let me come with you? Please let me come with you!"
What's going on here? Is she old enough to be worried about me? Or is she just projecting her own fears about sleeping alone on to me? Maybe both?
Last week we were having trouble getting Addie to stay in her room and go to sleep. After an hour and a half of tantrums and pleading, she came out of her room one last time and wandered into ours. "It's not fair!" she cried. "You two get to sleep with each other, and I have to sleep by myself!" Which is the worst thing in the world, in her book.
Eric and I looked at each other and shrugged. She's pretty much right. To be honest, there are nights when we'd rather not sleep in the same bed. Eric snores and I talk in my sleep, and who wouldn't like to stretch out across a cool expanse of unrumpled sheets now and then? And there's nothing better when you're a little kid than getting to sleep with someone. The logic's a little funky, all screwed up by sexuality and tradition.
So don't worry, Addie. I'll be okay for a few nights in Arizona by myself. And you'll be okay, too.
"Who's going to be in your hotel room at night?" she asked.
"Nobody, honey," I laughed. "I'll be by myself."
She threw herself into my arms, sobbing. "No, Mommy! Why don't you let me come with you? Please let me come with you!"
What's going on here? Is she old enough to be worried about me? Or is she just projecting her own fears about sleeping alone on to me? Maybe both?
Last week we were having trouble getting Addie to stay in her room and go to sleep. After an hour and a half of tantrums and pleading, she came out of her room one last time and wandered into ours. "It's not fair!" she cried. "You two get to sleep with each other, and I have to sleep by myself!" Which is the worst thing in the world, in her book.
Eric and I looked at each other and shrugged. She's pretty much right. To be honest, there are nights when we'd rather not sleep in the same bed. Eric snores and I talk in my sleep, and who wouldn't like to stretch out across a cool expanse of unrumpled sheets now and then? And there's nothing better when you're a little kid than getting to sleep with someone. The logic's a little funky, all screwed up by sexuality and tradition.
So don't worry, Addie. I'll be okay for a few nights in Arizona by myself. And you'll be okay, too.
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