Ernie the Babysitter

For more than 18 months, my sweet baby has HATED for me to be away from her. When I had to go back to my (microscopic) part time job, Beebz cried, screamed, and was pretty much inconsolable even though she loves her Ima dearly when I am around. It was horrible. They had a few good nights, where she cried less than 30 minutes out of the 2 hours I was gone. Poor Pablo was usually beside himself, since emotional conflict is one of the things that can drive him over then edge.

We kept thinking things would get better. They didn't. I kept trying to explain it away as normal separation anxiety, which worked for a while... but at 16 months, I didn't have much conviction left in my voice. Around 17 months, she would cry when I left, but would generally be happy after a minute or two, and for the rest of the time.

But then, we discovered the magic of the Sesame Street DVD. Once we let her watch it when I was gone, suddenly Mama leaving was AWESOME! For 3 weeks now, when I say I need to leave, she shouts, "NERNIE!!! DD!!!" and runs to the couch, waiting for someone to turn the TV on. I can barely get a hug and a byebye out of her, she is so intent on getting to watch her beloved Ernie (and Bert) sing and dance. I am so relieved that she is happy, I don't even mind that her transition object is a DVD!* I can't even say how nice it is to not worry about being away from my girl. My partner and I are going crazy this weekend and having the kids' godparents (and ERNIE, of course) babysit while we go see Harry Potter. Wish us luck!!!

(*Of course, the one downside of all this is that in addition to Ernie, Bert, Big Bird, Grover, and all the awesome cast of Sesame Street, she also knows the being that is the antithesis of all that Sesame Street used to stand for, Melmo. I can't stand that fuzzy little red moron. How could they have forgotten that you don't teach kids by talking BELOW their level, but at or above it?! And that the only kids Elmo talks up to are infants who have no business watching TV?! This would be why my kids don't watch modern Sesame Street. sigh. Rant over.)