That's the first thing she said in the morning and the last thing she said at night for the last two weeks. Alan's in Australia.
After a week and a half of repeating myself to Bing Bing "Daddy's away my dear. He's back on Saturday", Bing Bing started to revise her statements every morning and night:
"Daddy's not home Mommy. Mommy's here. Daddy's coming home on Saturday. Today's Monday. There's Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Daddy's home on Saturday Mommy."
"Since when could you name all the days of a week??" She took me by surprised.
"It's only Monday Mommy. Daddy's home on Saturday on a plane" Her eyes were wide open.
"How did you know Daddy's flying back on a plane??" My eyes were wide open!
"Daddy's on a plane. Vewwww flying on a plane Mommy. Daddy's not home. Mommy's here. Mommy nằm, Bing Bing nằm"
Bing Bing's a very sensitive baby since forever. She asked me to lie down with her for a little longer before she goes to sleep - just to feel a bit more secured when Daddy's not around.
One day I brought three chocolate golden coins home from a London shop on Queen Street for Bing Bing. They were lovely shiny golden chocolate coins with different sizes. Bing Bing absolutely fell in love with those. After careful consideration, Bing Bing opened the smallest one for herself and ate up
"It's so yum, Mommy! Thank you!"
"You're welcome, what about these two chocolate coins?"
"Umm, you eat this big one." - She gave the largest coin to me.
"Cool, thanks, what about this last one, shall we give it to Daddy when he's back tomorrow?"
"Yes!! This chocolate is Daddy's. I'll give it to him when he's home tomorrow." - Her eyes lit up like stars.
After about 2 minutes, "Mommy, can you open this chocolate for me. I want to eat it!"
"I thought this was Daddy's and you're giving it to him tomorrow when you see him?"
"Yes, this is Daddy's but I want it Mommy"
"I think Daddy would love it if you give it to him. Shall we wait until tomorrow, I'm sure he'll let you eat it anyway darling."
"Okay, I'll give it to him tomorrow"
After about another 2 minutes, "Can I open this Mommy?"
"Bing Bing, you want to eat it now or you want to keep it for Daddy?"
"I... I want to eat it."
"Are you sure you don't want to give it Daddy?"
"Okay, I'll give it to Daddy. Daddy likes chocolate like me." She smiled.
About three very similar conversations like that happened in a span of ten minutes. Every time Bing Bing ended up saving it for her Daddy. Finally we decided to put it away so it's not too tempting.
It was a huge development for a toddler as little as Bing Bing to learn to resist presented temptation. I remember reading a book talking about an experiment with young toddlers. They each were presented with a chocolate bar. They were told that they could either eat it now and that's it or wait for 10 minutes and they'd have two chocolate bars to eat. Only so very few toddlers manage to understand and exercise the concept of resisting temptation in exchange for a larger reward. It's then proven that later on those did wait for two chocolate bars did exceptionally well in school and out.
It's now two days since Bing Bing last skyped with her Daddy, simply because we were too busy.
"Mommy, let's call him. Do you want to talk to him?"
The moment Bing Bing saw her Daddy on the phone, she reached out her wide open arms and said
"Bần nà, bần nà Daddy" (Pick me up and carry me Daddy)
She turned to me and said
"I can't touch him, Mommy. I can't reach Daddy." - Sobbed.
They talked and talked. Very often I saw Bing Bing kissed the phone screen. She loved her Daddy so dearly. She sobbed when saying goodbye to Alan but she always slept very well the nights they talked.
Bing Bing's a really sensitive toddler. The first morning Alan left, Bing Bing was up from 3am and didn't fall back asleep. She struggled. She asked for milk. She asked for books. She asked for play dough. She was just looking for something to comfort her. That's how she got so attached to Jordan - our baby doll. Bing Bing insisted on carrying Jordan everywhere she went. Jordan was not allowed to be out of sight.
Friday night, I took Bing Bing to a pub for a colleague's leaving farewell drinks. Bing Bing was upset after about five minutes
"I don't want to be here Mommy. I want to go home with Daddy. Where's Daddy. Daddy's home today."
"He's on a plane flying home at the moment my dear. You'll see him in the morning okay?"
"I want to go home Mommy. I don't like it here."
She knew Alan was coming home. She just wanted to be home waiting for Daddy.
Now every time we mentioned Saturday, Bing Bing jumped up and hugged Daddy
"No no, Daddy, stay home don't go..." She sobbed.
It was heart breaking to see Bing Bing going through a little trauma like that. During the two weeks Alan went away, Bing Bing kissed me more often. She said she loved her Mommy more often. She took care of me the way a child could. I took care of her the way a mother did. We were best friends who comfort each other in the absence of our man. It was really special.
Now that Alan's back. She was screaming in happiness all morning with biggest grins on the face. Her heart is now full.
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