The other woman

I used to hate it when at the end of the day I could smell her perfume on you after you had spent the day together. Or when I found her hair on your clothes. I felt jealous when you would rather go to her for comfort then to me, and when the two of you would laugh together about something I didn’t get.

At first I found it really hard bringing you to her but over the past months I realized how much you like it there. And now I love that she is there for you during the day, and that you feel comforted by her. She knows the signs when you are tired and rocks you to sleep. She knows when you’re still hungry and gives you some extra food. She knows the books you like to read and the things you like to do. She taught you to talk on an imaginary phone, so that now every toy that you have has become a phone to you. She may even have seen you stand by yourself but hasn’t said that to us, so that we think that we’re the first to see your milestones. It gives me such an enormous peace of mind knowing that while I’m at work, you’ll be fine with her at daycare.

But now you’re almost turning one and after the summer you’ll leave her and go to a different class. I hope you will get a new teacher that is as loving and caring as she is. And if not, I will find peace of mind knowing that she will be right next door from where you are.