empty nesters, sorta

This morning I sent my baby girl out into the world. And by that I mean Granny took her to the cottage for a few days. Did you hear that? My Abby girl is up north in an "eco-cottage" (think wooden tent) without her Mommy. However will she manage without me? Apparently quite well or so I gathered from her excited phone call to say good night (only two hours past her regular bed time *ahem*). [aside]I'm joking Mom! It's fine, you're on vaca. I understand.[/aside]

Now when my Mom initially called to ask if Abby could go to the cottage with her I told her I'd talk it over with Mike and Abby and let her know. Now I was fully expecting Mike to be on board 175% because he's the one always harping gently suggesting a break would do us all good. As for Abby well I wasn't expecting much of a positive answer what with her not wanting to leave the house and everything. Just goes to show you one should never assume. Abby was ready to go almost from the time I first suggested it to her. Mike on the other hand starting stuttering and stammering and may have questioned my mother's parenting abilities. So it looked like I was going to have to be the grown up this time.

I have to tell you though I really didn't/don't want to be. In five years she has never been this far away from me. And not counting my stay in the hospital to have Maya we've never been apart this many days (5). Don't get me wrong I am thrilled my Mom wanted to take her and thrilled that Abby wanted to go. I think it will be an awesome experience for both of them. Granny will spoil her and Abby will be adorable and funny and charming. She'll come home with a million stories, a memory card full of pictures and I'm sure a suitcase full of "treasures".

Oh but I miss her. I did get a little weepy when she phoned and I may have whined to Mike half a dozen times that I miss my baby girl. I think it surprised me a bit how much I'm already missing her. We were sitting on the couch tonight with Maya in between us watching TV. Maya was playing peek-a-boo with her blankey. There were no Polly Pockets on the floor. No Backyardigans on TV. And I wondered to myself what did we ever do before there were two? There used to be a time when one seemed like a lot of work, but now it's looking like a bit of a cake walk. It seems a little decadent around here. I read, played around on the computer, did a bit of charity work (got to pay it forward folks) and designed a new masthead. Oh and I even snuck in a very small nap. This may not be so bad after all.