medicine for mom and dad

When we left for the hospital Sunday morning, I hardly said good-bye to my little girl.  After all, I would be seeing her shortly to introduce her to her new baby sister...the one she has been patting in my tummy for several months.  Little did I know it would be Monday evening before I would see her again.  Never in her whole life have I been away from my girl for so long.  True, it was only a little more than 24 hours, but so much had happened in that time period, it felt more like years.

I was so happy to see her pretty face on Monday.  She squeezed her daddy tighter than I've ever seen her hug anyone...then they went on 30 elevator rides together.  She came again this evening to visit us.  We played in the grass and ate french fries for dinner.  I know she is in the best hands right now, but it is difficult to be away from her.

She obviously has no understanding of what is going on, and I'm glad for that.  She still thinks baby sister is in my tummy.  When one of the nurses met her in the hall today, she asked me "Is this big sister?" and Laci responded by patting my tummy.  Since she doesn't really understand what a "baby sister" is, I think that is just fine.  Her innocence is so precious, I wish she could stay that way forever. 

Watching her leave with my parents is the hardest part for Ryan and I.  When they left this evening, I just hugged her quickly and went upstairs, it is too difficult to see her go.  As much as it usually irritates me, I would love to sing her to sleep while she picks at the mole on my neck.  I miss our routines.  The worst part is, she seems so grown up, much more grown up than I remember her being when I put her to bed Saturday night.  She is at the age where her vocabulary expands by a few words each day and I feel like I've already missed so much, even in just a few days.

But, as hard as it is when she leaves, Ryan and I need to see her, and she needs to see us.  Despite the fact that we are playing in a hospital, we can pretend we are normal again, if just for a few hours.