My Toddler, the Clinging Vine

I suppose it all started when we flew to Virginia a couple of weeks ago. Kari would not let me out of her sight. When we went through security at the airport, she was upset when we had to walk through the security scanners separately. I had Gary in my arms when I walked through, and I believe she didn't understand why I couldn't carry her either. Her crying lasted until we boarded the plane.

Kari wouldn't even bond with my parents. My mom was most patient with her and it paid off because she would be comfortable sleeping with my mother in the end. I felt bad that she didn't want to bond with Dad. It's as if Kari was afraid that I would abandon her if I should ever leave her sight. My mother said that I was the same way when I was her age. (No! Say it isn't so!)

Now that we've returned home, Kari is still clingy. She didn't want to be left alone with Larry's parents or her cousins. Thankfully, Larry used his patience with her and after she finished her crying fit, she would let Larry hold her. In fact, there was a couple of days when Kari did not want her daddy out of her sight. Now that Larry's returned to work and we won't see him until the weekend, she has resumed her tight grip on me.

Words like glue, Velcro(R), siamese twin come to mind when I think of my daughter's present behavior.

I suppose this is normal with 2-year-olds, yes? Is this where the term, "terrible twos," comes from? Nevertheless, I love you, my clinging vine.