Shifting loyalties

As I've documented on this blog before, Jack goes in phases where he seems to prefer either Tom or me. Lately, however, his loyalties seem to shift to whomever isn't there. It's fabulous.

The other day, Jack woke up after Tom had to leave for work. Tom has always had wake-up duty, so now Jack expects his daddy to be there in the morning. When he saw me walk through the door, he started screaming, as he always does, "NO Mommy! I DON'T want Mommy! I want my daddy! I want my daddy!"

I told Jack, "Daddy will be home for lunch in a couple of hours."

"I want Daddy to come home right now!" Jack whimpered.

"Jack, Daddy can't come home right now. He has to work."

"I don't want Daddy to go to work every time," he sobbed. ("Every time" is an idea he is just beginning to grasp.) "I want my daddy right now every time!"

As usual, in these instances, it took about half an hour and a cup of apple juice to finally get him to get out of his crib and start the day.

The next day, I was going out with some friends. I told Jack I was going out for awhile.

"No Mommy go! I don't want Mommy to go!" he screamed, as he wrapped himself around my leg. "I want my mommy! I want my mahhhhhh-meeeeee!"

Resisting the temptation to tell him that screaming, crying, and throwing a fit was most definitely NOT the way to get me to want to stay, I extricated myself out of his grasp before sprinting out the door as fast as I could saying one last bye-bye.

Of course I'm glad he loves us, but I do wish he would take Stephen Stills' advice and "love the one you're with." Or at least figure out that there's no reason to have a tantrum. Mommy and Daddy always come back to their Jack-Jack.

Every time.