Missing my little girl

As I'm sitting here enjoying the quiet of two boys upstairs (one napping and the other pretending to), I can't help but miss my little girl.

Kimmy flew out last night to visit her dad in Cali for a week and a half and I miss her already. It's been an odd thing. I frequently don't count her as one of my children because she doesn't cause me problems like the boys do...she is old enough to take care of herself and so I don't need to spend a lot of mental energy or physical effort to make sure she is alright. When people ask how it is being the mother of 3 kids, I frequently reply that I don't know...I only feel like I have two. But now that only having two to take care of is a reality, I realize the deep hole that has been created.

As we sat down to dinner yesterday and her spot at the table was empty I was crushed by the reality that she wasn't here. I realized how Logan felt when it was time to leave the airport yesterday and he said "I don't want to leave, because then I would miss Kim." As I got up this morning and realized that I would have to get the boys breakfast because Kim wasn't here to do it. (She has been a wonderful help through this pregnancy...getting the boys going with breakfast in the morning so I can sleep in those extra ten minutes.)

She is such a great helper around the house...even though it takes her three times as long to do the chores that it does me...she gets them done without too much complaining. She is tirelessly patient with two little brothers (soon to be three) who are constantly trying to play with or tickle her. Yesterday she was bored and wanted to play on her DS. I told her it was okay. A short while later, I looked up from my cross-stitch and found her sandwiched between her two brothers. They sat there for quite a while just watching her play.

I can't take too much credit for how awesome of a kid she has turned out. Sure, I changed her diapers and breastfed her for the first part of her life, but what else could I have done. She managed to survive toddlerhood with a single mother who worked two jobs and went to school...mostly due to the help and influence of my parents for those many years. She adores Steven who has considered her his kid from the moment he met her (which was on our 2nd date).

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better first kid....lets just hope that we can all survive the teenage years ahead of us. And also the upcoming 6th grade year while she learns how to play the flute. :)