The thing about Aunt Amy

Over the Christmas holidays, Amy came to spend a few days with us, and they were probably among the happiest days of Mallory's life. Amy played Barbies and basement hockey and polished Mallory's fingernails and did I-can't-remember-what-else, and Mallory fell in love.

Amy is now legendary in our house. Mallory cries every time she sees a picture of Amy because she misses her so much, and yet the first thing she wanted to hang on the new bulletin board in her bedroom is this picture of the two of them together in December. She has already made Amy three Valentines and a birthday card. She told me one night a few weeks ago that she wishes Amy was her mom. And she asks a lot about when Amy is coming back.

Aside from nearly throwing Mallory out the window with the "I wish you weren't my mom" comment, I have mostly taken this in stride, and have commiserated with her about how much we miss Amy and pulled out the craft supplies every time she wants to make another card. I did try to talk her out of having a picture hanging up in her room if it means she cries every time she sees it, but I think having it in plain sight is actually helping and the tears are coming less often. Common sense tells me this is just a phase and that Mallory would not really run off from me if given the chance.

But, I may have a work trip coming up to Amy's neck of the woods, and I am keeping that quiet just in case. The last thing I want is a little stowaway in my suitcase.