You've come a Long way, baby

A: No one.

Here's why.

This evening while I was nursing Layne on the couch, Larkin stripped off her shorts and diaper and went running down the hall. I heard the pitter-patter of her feet, and up I got, still holding a hungry Layne to my chest, to retrieve her.

I couldn't find her anywhere.

I walked down the hall and looked in every room, three times each. I visited all of Larkin's usual hiding places. I checked behind doors, under beds, in closets, each time expecting to see two dimpled legs and a mischievous face peeking out at me.

I just couldn't find her. So then I got scared. Where could she be?

I didn't hear any of her sounds - giggles, calls of "Mommy!" or just plain movement. I hadn't heard the beep-beep alerting me to any doors to the outside opening, so I was certain she was in the house. Or was I?

I called to her and got no answer. I came back to the couch and looked down at Layne, still patiently nursing throughout my Larkin-search, feeling completely defeated and confused.

Then finally - finally - I heard her footsteps down the hall. "Tee-tee, Mommy!"

"Did you go tee-tee?"

"Yeah!" Big grin.

"Where?"

And she pointed to Layne's room. Sure enough, there was a small puddle in the far corner of Layne's room, behind the rocking chair. I'd forgotten about that hiding place.

I was not a happy mommy, but I was relieved to see her. Then she wanted to sit on the potty for 10 minutes. All this time, I was still nursing Layne.

Then later in the evening, I put Larkin to bed like normal, sang her a few rounds of Somewhere Over the Rainbow ("ay-bow!") and placed her blanket over her while she curled up with her head on the pillow.

Layne was fussy from a day of no good naps, so instead of keeping her up like normal, I decided to nurse her to sleep.

I was in Layne's room at least 30 minutes, probably longer. Putting her in the crib didn't work the first time around, so we rocked for a few minutes longer while I sang to her, and finally she fell all the way asleep so I could put her in her crib.

I peeked in to Larkin's room expecting to see my peacefully sleeping child, but instead I found her sitting up, playing with her babies. Grinning at me. Eyes twinkling.

Stinker.

And even now, I hear her playing. Go to bed, Larkin!