My Little

Every day during my lunch break I run over to see the Animalia at the Nana and Tata's house. I open the door and sometimes she hears me and runs and says "Mama!" and I say "Hi, my little!" Sometimes she hugs my legs. Sometimes she throws a mini tantrum, revenge, I think, for not being there all morning. Those times her Nana says that she didn't cry til I got there. But I never touch her until I've washed my hands. Most of the time she's ok with this but sometimes she's impatient and wants me to pick her up and makes slightly angry, slightly dejected sounds. I tell her "lavando las manitas," which is actually a lyric from a song I sing her when I'm washing her up. Sometimes she knows, and it's fine, but sometimes she's still impatient after the explanation.

As soon as I can I lift her up and give her besitos. I ask for an abrazo and she mostly obliges. Sometimes she's too excited though and has to show me what she's been working on. She'll point to her project, usually a pile of libros or her Elmo that is wearing a new vestido or needs to be diapered, a packet of seeds that needs shaking or a puzzle that needs putting together. We'll go look at that for a few minutes. She starts telling me things, her own language, punctuated with the words Nana and Tata. She's telling me what they did so far and I respond appropriately with "ooohhh" and "mmmmm" and "¿si?" and "¿y luego que pasó?"

Then Nana takes over. I need to eat. Sometimes the Animalia is ready for food too though. Sometimes Nana feeds her, sometimes I do. Sometimes she acts like she's not hungry until she sees my food. Those times she wants the food off my plate and hovers around me, mouth open, like a baby bird. Sometimes she's already eaten but does the baby bird thing anyway, with me, with Nana, with Tata, with Tío Tío, whoever is there and eating.

Sometimes she hasn't napped yet and she's cranky so I take her to a quiet room, close the door behind us, and put her to sleep. Sometimes she takes me there, expecting to be put to sleep I think.

Then lunch is over and it's time to get back to work and leave the Animalia behind for a few more hours. I never actually want to leave but it's easier now that we're used to it. I guess.