Mom Is The Place

Dear Elijah,

Tonight you went to a friends house while your dad and I took your siblings on a date to a movie.

When we got back to the house to pick you up, as soon as you saw me you started to cry and walk as fast as your little legs to carry you to my arms. The girl babysitting said, "Andrea, I promise he has been just fine the whole time until seeing you!"

Feedback like this used to bother me, until a little while ago. 

It reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom (your Mimi). Something similar happened with Natalia, when she was with someone else and was fine until she saw me. Then she just cried and had to have hug after hug.

After telling Mimi of this situation and trying to figure out why that happened, she said, "Oh, can I tell you something? It never goes away. Look what you are doing right now! You are expressing your emotion to me and needing as much feedback as possible. How many times has something happened to you as an adult and you act just fine until you talk to mom about it? How often do you stay strong until the moment that you talk to mom and break down and cry? It doesn't stop, I assure you."

It is true! I used to feel like if my kids are fine until they see me, and then they cry, that something was wrong. But I have changed my opinion about that. It just means that mom is the safe place. Mom is the place to cry. Mom is the place to lean on. Mom is the place to emotionally throw up. Mom is the place for all of that.

So, I am sure this will happen with you again. But that is okay. Because mom is the place where you can go.

I love you,

Your Mom