Bit of a rough start today

...so, like I said in my previous post, I drank way too much wine last night and woke up this morning feeling like death warmed over. I took more Tylenol and raced in to Rachel's room when I heard her coughing uncontrollably. Luckily she wasn't choking or even sick, but I gave her some children's cough medicine anyway. Then I asked her to be patient and wait in the crib while I took a shower -- and, amazingly, she did! Then it was breakfast for her, Amanda and Jenn, with me frying bacon, drinking tea and trying desperately to feel better. Oh, if only Drew had been here, then I could have slept off my hangover. Jenn kindly gave me some migraine medicine which really helped; it relieved the pain immediately. But not the tiredness. So after she and Amanda left (they had a great time with Rachel Saturday night, apparently; she insisted Amanda read to her and so now there is Mommy books, Daddy books and Auntie books) Rachel wanted to play upstairs and I dragged myself up after her. I managed to build a house with blocks, then staggered over to the futon (after she curled up on the loveseat and insisted I cover her with a blanket), and rested.

Rachel was so grown-up. She played pretty much to herself for an hour or so. At one point she came up to my inert figure and said, "Tell you what. I go eat gingerbread downstairs." I went down with her, cut up some gingerbread, poured her some orange juice and told her to clear her plate when she was done. And then went back up to the attic, and pretty soon I heard her little feet pattering downstairs, then she climbed up and lay down next to me on the futon (Jenn and Amanda had folded it up, so there wasn't much room on it for both of us) and we fell asleep for 30 minutes. There is nothing nicer than sleeping off a hangover with Rachel curled up next to me, asleep. Just when I was ready to wake up, she woke up, too. (I later discovered that she had, indeed, cleared her plate when she finished the gingerbread!). We played a little more, I made some rice for a dinner I'd been invited to, then she and I headed to Canby and my friend Deni's house. Deni and her husband Bob had gotten back from Africa and invited some friends of theirs to view their slides. So, off we went!

And Rachel was absolutely amazing the whole evening. She charmed EVERYBODY by being so cheerful and well-behaved during dinner, she just sat next to me and quietly ate her rice and naan with a fork; so grown-up! The slideshow was really, really long but she never fussed or complained. Deni, who had grandchildren, had some blocks and cars and brought them out for Rachel; at one point she and I built a house together, and then she went over to Bob and sat in his lap while he explained the slides. So sweet! And when the animals came up she named them: Zebra! Hippos! Elyphants! We had a great dessert (fruit, chocolate and coconut bars) and as I was cutting up some canteloupe for Rachel Deni said for everyone to hear, "Can you imagine any 2-year-old who would be so well-behaved at a function like this?" There were nods of assent from everyone; one of the men complimented my parenting and then, when Rachel said to me quietly, "I'd like to leave," I put her down from her seat and she took her plate to clear it.

Dead silence. I said, "well, she does this at home and I want to reinforce it."
"It's true," Deni said. "I've seen her do it."

One of the women murmured, "Lisa, you are a GREAT mom!" and Rachel followed me into the kitchen and put her plate on the counter. After I buttoned up her sweater, she offered kisses all around and Deni told her she was welcome anytime. In the car I thanked her profusely for being so well-behaved and told her that I love taking her places and being around her. And at her request I sang "Clementine" without complaining the way I usually do.:)

Tonight as I put her to bed I said, "You are amazing, Rachel. Really amazing."
"I'm an amazing child?" she said.
"Yes, you are!" I laughed.
She snuggled into me and sighed, "You're my FAVORITE."
"Oh, Rachel," I answered. "You're my favorite, too!"