Breakthrough

I'm interrupting my self imposed bloggy break to document a significant event that happened over the weekend. (Don't worry... I'll be back after the holidays. I just needed to clear my head a bit.)

About the time Tess turned one, she started a phase of "I no longer like Aunt Krista". Call it separation anxiety or whatever other term you want. But the fact was... I couldn't even look at her without causing her bottom lip to quiver. Seriously. I'm talking crocodile tears if I got too close. Or tried to talk to her. And gawd forbid if I touched her. No way! There was no holding her during that time. Especially if mom and dad were anywhere within a 50 yard radius. Forget it. She hated me.
I don't recall ever experiencing this with any of the other T's. I secured my "coolest most super awesome fun aunt in the world" title immediately amongst this rest of this group. I mean they battle over who gets to sit next to me at the table. They beg to spend the night at my house. Seriously... I'm a fan favorite in the T's household. Except for that littlest one. She was having no part of it. I was at a loss for how to fix this situation. So I just took my time and stood back.

But on Sunday, while over at the T's house for our annual Christmas cookie making, something shifted in her. Just as I always do to gauge her reaction.... I held my arms out to her in the universal sign of "come here baby I want to pick you up". Usually she looks at me like I'm crazy and goes to hide behind a parent or sibling. But not this time!! She paused, sized me up and took a step TOWARDS me. What? I was baffled. Then in a shocking reversal she actually lifted her arms to me to communicate in the universal baby signal of "hey pick me up". So I did. There were no tears. None. No writhing and squirming as she reached out for a parent to save her as before. Nope. She actually let me hold her. A breakthrough!!Later in the evening, just to see if maybe that was a one time fluke... I tried again. I reached down for her Even Though Her Mother Stood Right Next To Her. I thought "she's never going to go for this with mom in the same room". But she did!! Not only did she let me pick her up... but I got Kisses And Hugs, too!! I was so excited. Maybe the spell has finally been broken. We shall see.

But I just had to document this so when she's older and can't imagine me as anything but "the coolest most super awesome fun aunt in the world" like the rest of them... I will remind her that there were about 4 months of her young life when she wouldn't give me the time of day. LOL!