THREE BIG WORDS

It's hard to drop the Little One off.

The Little One is better now- recovered from the virus that tackled him last week. With that behind us we really looked forward to the start of a new healthy week.

Still, Monday morning seemed to come too soon. Maybe it was the cold, dry winter air or the mile-long to-do lists waiting for us at our jobs. It was more likely the fact that, between holidays, mini vacations to visit relatives and back-to-back illnesses, the three of us have spent a ton of time together over the last few weeks.

Normally, The Husband does the daycare drop-offs and it's my job to pick up the Little One from at the end of the day. I know that I have the better draw in that one. Dropping off is not easy. As he gets older he is definitely more aware of our comings and goings. I fear the day that The Husband calls me at work to let me know that the Little One cried as he saw his Daddy walk out the door.

Yesterday was not that day.

In a last-minute change of plans, I took on the morning drop-off duty. As I said, I was feeling more glum than normal about our separation. From the time I started my car to the moment I arrived at the daycare I did nothing but quietly plot how The Husband and I could become stay-at-home parents. The Little One took a quick snooze in the backseat and his Mommy was down-right crabby in the front.

We arrived, went inside and I removed the Little Once from his car seat. We inched closer and closer to the moment of separation that I dreaded. Theresa, the down-to-earth, friendly woman who spends her days with our boy reached out and took him from my arms.

Then it happened.

He smiled. She smiled right back at him and then said the three words that made everything better.

"I missed you," she said, wrapping him in a tight hug.

That was it. I could go. He was safe and happy with someone who was happy to be with him. Once upon a time I wished that I could be the one to stay home with my baby. If not me, then family or friends. I didn't get my wish. But today it was abundantly clear that I got the next best thing.