May 26, 2022

 

Lilly is happiest when she is next to Steve or at least has him in her sights. She suffers from separation anxiety. We hope time will provide enough experiences of leaving and returning that her panic fades.

Now, when Steve leaves the house to complete an errand, for example, she follows him to the front door and sings the most plaintive dirge the moment she hears the car door close. When he does not respond Lilly races out to the backyard where she frantically searches for him. 

Back and forth between front door and yard she gallops drooling in her excited sadness. I can grab her collar and pause her motion to stroke her face for a few seconds reminding her at the same time that she is safe and that dad will be home again as quickly as possible. Then she twists out of my hold and resumes her pacing.  

At the sound of the car pulling up the driveway, Lilly sings the WDA's lead in the "Return of Dad" chorus. And nearly knocks him over trying to be as close as possible as he moves into the house.