I'm no longer a parent.

I'll never get to see my little 3 year old again. I didn't get to say goodbye. I know I only met her when she was 2 but she loves me and I love her so, so much. She calls me mommy and says I love you and she asks me to pick her up and to play with her, and she combs my hair and falls asleep on my tummy. I help her go potty and get dressed and brush her teeth, and I push her dangerously high on the swings because she loves it.I read her books and encourage her to try again after she fails, to teach her perserverance and problem solving. I let her help in the kitchen and I've never ever yelled at her or spanked her or been anything but loving and patient. She asks me questions and I answer them like she's an adult, and I never say because I said so.My fridge has all her favorite foods and she has a toy chest by the bed. I read Playful Parenting and Unconditional Parenting and How to Talk and all the other parenting books. My phone is filled with pictures of her. She calls me mommy and I don't know whose face lights up more when the other walks in the door.The last time I saw her, her mom, her real mom, was taking her to the car and I said I love you and she said I love you and I said it back and so did she and we went back and forth and back and forth until the car door finally closed.But her mom and I broke up last night. And I've been crying all day. I was such I good parent and she was such a good kid and I'm never going to see her again and she's only three so she'll forget about me.And all I have are memories. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32CIiH8