Clingy

Natali has become clingy lately...but only with me (Darren).



I think it's because....every few days I leave. A few days later I come back. Natali has picked up on this pattern.

She is very happy to see me when I first get home. The next day things are normal. The day after that though...she becomes aware that I might be leaving soon.

Natali will follow me room to room...even when Kelli is home. She will randomly stop whatever she is doing and hug me or sit in my lap.If I am sitting on the ground she will walkup behind me and rest her head on my shoulder. Clingy.

Yesterday I was sitting on the ground when Kelli sat next to me and hugged me. Natali did not care for that and walked up and told Kelli "Back" and tried to hug me. We all then had one group hug.

I leave on a trip tomorrow....and I know Natali is aware. Each day her clinginess has gotten worse and worse. She knows I'm leaving.

At first I felt bad about leaving so often. I then did some math.

The average middle class Dad works 5 days a week. Thus he only sees his kid after work and on weekends.

I work 3 days a week...sometimes 4 days...but rarely every more than that. Thus I see Natali 4 full days a week while the average Dad sees his kid just 2 full days a week. I win. Kinda. The average full Dad is home every night. Eh.

As far a milestones. Natali can count to 12 out loud, can make all the sounds of the ABC song thru Z. She REALLY knows the letters A,B,C,D and W by sight. Natali is a whiz on the Ipad. Still not potty trained...but she knows when she goes and what it's called. She can climb the super high bed, couch and ladders. Finally she can adjust the timing on a 1975 Ford F100 just by listening to it idle.

It's almost been two years since Natali was born. Crazy how fast time has gone by.