Left Behind

Ben frequently gets left home with me while Abby gets to go on fun excursions. For instance, Daddy has taken Abby with him to run errands - the bank, Home Depot, a fishing store in Seattle, even all the way to Westport one time! Grandma also periodically calls and says things like, "I'm heading to Costco, would Abby like to come along?" Well, duh. The answer from Abby is always yes. Each time Abby heads out the door, Ben cries his head off at the unfairness of it all.

Longingly watching Abby and Grandma pull away from the house (notice the big crocodile tear below his eye).

The reason for this at the beginning was simple: Ben was too young to be away from his Mama. But Ben got older, took fewer naps, stopped nursing (finally!), and still he got left behind. I decided to take up his cause and would frequently drop hints to Kevin and my mom, like "You know, Ben would love to go with you sometime," "You don't always have to take Abby," and, "You realize that you took Abby out on errands when she was Ben's age..." Now I must be honest and admit that I did not have purely selfless motives in mind. It is true that I felt badly for Ben getting left behind over and over, and I knew that he would enjoy the experience of getting out on his own. But I also realized that Ben is my more difficult child to deal with and I knew it would be nice to get a break from caring for him and some one-on-one time with Abby. Is that so bad? :)

Well, finally my hinting (or begging - however you want to look at it) paid off. Last week Ben got to go to the store with Grandma for the first time. Abby was heartbroken. This time she was the one to burst into tears, while Ben happily waved away as he and Grandma headed to the car. It was hard for Abby, but also good for her to be on the other end of the experience for once. Ben was simply ecstatic. And Mama was pleased. :)