Bye-Bye

Abby loves to say "buh-bye." She waves as she says it over and over at night before bed; when I'm hanging up the phone (with someone else); to characters on TV when the show is over. But she also hates saying goodbye. She says goodbye to Silvia, our au pair, when she goes out for a fun evening. She says goodbye to me in the morning when Silvia takes over baby duty, although I'm just in the next room. She says goodbye to Daddy when he leaves for business trips. Most importantly, though, and most painfully, Abby says goodbye to her brother and sister when they leave after a short weeknight visit. She runs to the window and bangs on the glass, watching until the car drives away, and then she cries. Sometimes a hug helps; sometimes she wants to be held; sometimes she puts her head on the floor and just gulps and sobs her little heart out. I'm told that in heaven, there will be no more goodbyes.