My Dissappearing Daughter

by Melissa Albanese
(Wilmington, DE USA)

Ashlyn Xmas '10

I am a 31 year old with 2 sons, ages 12 and 13. Then out of nowhere I found out I was pregnant almost 3 years ago now. Then, my worst nightmare came true. I found out I was having a girl.

I know that sounds terrible but never in my life did I have any desire to have a daughter. My daughter , Ashlyn Emily-Rose, was born in November 2009. My daughter was born with a personality as big as her name is long.

She is 20 months now and not a day goes by without incident. We taught her how to play hide-n-seek a few months ago and the kid is a champ. I don't know how she does it but no matter where you hide she finds you. One day we were home, just the 2 of us, and I was cooking dinner.

Normally Ashlyn likes to just hang out in my bedroom and watch t.v.. As long as her shows are on (Icarly, Big Time Rush or Victorious) you won't hear from her for hours. As I'm cooking I can hear her moving around in my room, which is just right off the kitchen. I began to call her name just to see what she was doing but all I could hear was a faint lil giggle. So I decide to go in my room and check on her - but she wasn't there.

I know she didn't leave the room because I would've seen her so I'm thinking “What the Heck??” I’m calling her name by that point, but I'm not getting any response. Not a giggle a Huh! Nothing!

However, this whole time I'm feeling like someone is staring at me. Finally, as I'm investigating the situation I see the door to my Armoire open ever so slightly. I checked it out and darn if she was sitting on top of my towels way in the back with the doors pulled shut (doors do not latch so don't get alarmed she can't get locked in).

As I'm opening them we are both laughing sooo hard neither of us could barely breathe. She pushed my hands out of the way so she could hurry up and pull the doors shut again. I couldn't for the life of myself get her to come out of this darn thing. I even tried to bribe her with food and snacks, which would normally do the trick for whatever reason.

Finally I figured since shes not hurting anything, I'll just leave her go. I checked in on her about 10 minutes later and I see the one door cracked open just about an inch or 2 max. So without her seeing me yet I peeked in on her and she was just in a zone watching iCarly through the little opening in the doors.

That girl stayed in that thing for 3 hours straight. She might have come out for 10 minutes but I don't even think she did that. She doesn't like anyone bothering her in her spot. She'll just sit in there forever watching TV as long as you don't bother her.

Needless to say, my worst nightmare turned out to be the joy of my life. She also loves to help me clean. When she sees a piece of something on the floor, she runs and gets her vacuum or kitchen towel and tries to clean it up. Thank God for my child because without her I'd have not nearly as many reasons to laugh every day.