I flew down to Washington, DC on Monday and worked out of my firm's DC office on Monday and Tuesday. Before I left, I talked to the girls about where I was going and how long I would be away. The big girls were primarily interested in whether I would be bringing them any presents when I came back. Jane was mainly concerned with whether I would be on a big airplane or a small airplane. When she was confident that I was, in fact, traveling via a BIG airplane, she didn't have much else to say about my trip.
Until tonight. Here is the phone conversation that we just had:
Me: "Hi Jane, it's Mommy!"
Jane: (muffled sobbing)
Me (cheerfully): "Jane, hi! It's Mommy!"
Jane (sobbing): "I want Mommy."
Me: "Jane, this IS Mommy! I'm calling you from Washington, DC."
Jane (wailing): "I want my other Mommy!!"
Lindsay (in background): "Janie, that IS Mommy. She's calling you on the phone!"
Me: "Jane, honey, this IS Mommy. I'm getting on the airplane soon and I am coming home tonight to see you."
Jane (howling): "Where is my Mommy?"
Me: "Janie, I will be home tonight to check on you once you are in bed, ok?"
Jane: "I WANT MY OTHER MOMMY!! I WANT MY REAL MOMMY!" (Repeat seven or eight times.)
Oh, the unparalleled joys of working motherhood . . .
