Rachel worries so much about Mommy....

Tonight we finished the last of Rachel's thank-you notes for her birthday gifts (10 for her little friends and 3 for family; you will be amazed at how colorful and artistic she is these days) and then I let her go bike riding to the playground. Upshot is that we didn't get home until 8:30 and we still had to eat dinner. Yes, this behavior has got to stop, especially since a) she needs to be on a firm schedule for kindergarten and b) she has lately found it difficult to sleep, so she's up and about past 10 p.m. even after I've tucked her in.

While I was rushing around getting dinner on the table and then cleaning up while she ate dessert, Rachel said: "Mommy. I don't want you doing all the work around here."

Me: "Well, I have to, sweetie, because Daddy's not here."

Rachel: "I can help!" You're not the only person in the house!"

Later as I put her to bed she ordered me to "go downstairs and do your work, and the SECOND YOU'RE FINISHED, go RIGHT TO BED."

Who's the mommy and who's the kid around here?

***

On the way to school today, Rachel said, "Do you want me to be littler?"

Me: "No, I like the age you are now. I like you at any age."

Rachel: "Will you still love me even when I'm sixty-five hundred?"

Me: "Of course! I'll always love you at any age. You're my daughter!"

Rachel (smiling): "Thanks, Mom."

That's when I really nailed it as a mommy today.