Separation Anxiety

For the past year, Lukas has gotten very used to staying with other people. When Natalie was in the NICU for 5 weeks, people came here for a few hours, or he went to someone's house while I went to the hospital every day (when Tom was at work). Then when Natalie was in the hospital for two weeks with pneumonia, he spent all day with someone else since I spent almost all day, every day at the hospital and Tom went to work. And ever since, he often stays with people while I take Natalie to a specialist appointment, and he wakes up to Irene in the house with him every Thursday, when I take Natalie to swallowing therapy. A year ago, I worried that he would have separation anxiety from being "passed around" to different people, but he was always quite happy to see me leave (and see me return). He is very social and loves talking to new people as well as people he knows...I've never seen him uncomfortable with anyone, or sad to see me leave (since he was 15 months old or less).

Well, last week when Tom and I went out for my birthday, and again last night when we went out for a few hours, Lukas finally showed separation anxiety. He says "I want you to stay with me," "I love you, I don't want you to leave." He cries and cries. Last week, Sandra gave him an egg timer and that calmed him down, so we suggested that to Cammie last night and it worked like a charm. I don't know how much longer the egg timer will work (he loves turning things, and he loves the "ding"), but hopefully until he's past this stage of separation anxiety.

Here I was, worried that my little boy had already grown up and didn't need Mommy any more, and he still does! Yes, he's only two (for another month), but we often forget his age (and his emotional age) because he speaks so well and often acts older.