True to start of the school year fashion, I end up at the middle school for Brooke at least 2x per week plus phone calls.
It's called separation anxiety.
Oh, the high-maintenanceness of it all (an official new word) and honestly, it's exhausting.
We are in week #3 of the start of the school year and yesterday I stepped up to the security camera, pressed the button to notify the staff to buzz me in, to have the secretary say, "Brooke's mom, please step closer to the camera." I must have been standing too far away, but it is the "Brooke's mom" that is the embarrassing part. They know me and my little frequent flier all too well.
Today I am back. This will go on another couple of weeks until I bribe, threaten, and refuse, then and only then Brooke will make it through one milestone week at a time without me.
Then, I called my grandmother who I hadn't spoke to for well over a week who was frantically worried when she heard me say, "Hi, Grandma!"
"Are you okay? Where have you been? Were you sick?" The questions made me feel guiltier than I felt prior to calling. After I assured her I was fine, it's just been a busy week and apologized for not calling sooner, she asked about my girls and I vented my frustrations of Brooke's separation anxiety at the start of every flippin' school year.
My grandmother confesses, "I understand [said in an understanding quiet tone], I feel the same way about you that she does when I don't hear from you. It's because I love you and we have such a good relationship that I need you, too."
