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Jacob is a pretty shy kid, on initial contact. If you've read the story of his first days of kindergarten, you kinda get the picture.
Well, as part of this big transition year, his group at daycare has also changed. He went from a gang of 6 kids, (at least 4 or them boys), to a group of 4, with him being the only boy. His best friend is in the 'school agers' group, so is away at school all day, and in a different room for the after school hours, so play together is limited, and the development of his relationships is changing, wherein Ryan is becoming friends with his peers, not clinging to his slightly younger friend...
(Insert Mommy guilt over having baby in January not December, as if there is anything I can do about this now!)
For awhile now, Jacob has been telling me on a daily basis about his tummy being sore. He complains of it every morning when it is time to go to daycare. Yesterday, he actually did have a sore tummy, and I had to go pick him up at school because we had sent him regardless of his complaint, assuming it was the same as always.
We are pretty convinced this is an anxiety driven state of affairs, and I am struggling with how to get him over this hurdle.
Yesterday was a great day for us, he and I spent his 'sick day' watching movies, playing board games and hanging out. At one point in the afternoon he said "Mommy, I never get to play with you, you're always going out and I have to play with Daddy instead."
Ouch! Now, admittedly, September has been a very busy month for us, with school and all our activities starting it has been pretty hectic and I have been out a lot.

And while my heart tells me to quit everything I'm involved in and spend every second I have with this precious child, my head tells me that if Jacob is ever going to function in the world, he's going to have to leave Mommy behind. So how do you find a balance that nurtures him, feeds his need to be loved and teaches him independence at the same time?
Nobody warned me that parenthood would be such an emotional roller coaster!