Mommy Agony

So, I'm not sure what this stage that Rachel is going through right now is called by the "experts" but I think Mommy Agony would be a fitting name for it. She went through mild stranger anxiety many months ago, and got over it after a couple weeks, or so. Since then she's been fine with most anyone and says hi to strangers and doesn't mind hanging out with random people (as long as she's not tired). Now all of a sudden, last Tuesday Rachel decided that she had to always have me in eyesight and within 5 feet, and no one else, including Daddy, is safe to hold her, especially if there's any chance that I might leave the room, or worse yet, the house. She is currently crying herself to sleep after my having pried her hands from my shirt to put her in her crib while she was screaming. She has fallen asleep on her own with no problems for many many months now. Yesterday afternoon I left Rachel with my mom, who she loves to have watch her, and apparently she would see a picture of me, or reach the word "mama" in a book and break down again crying. Poor girl. I'm hoping this ends SOON. Even when I'm right there, half the time that's not good enough and she comes over and says "up" and wants me to hold her and gets mad when I don't. Any tips?

This weekend is Roadshow weekend for our stake and since I work with the youth in our ward, I get to be with them tomorrow night, Friday night, and Saturday from 1 pm to 9pm. I am really excited. I think it'll turn out really great. The only thing is, since I won't be around, Rachel gets to hang out with Daddy without me around. Wish him luck. Maybe this will be a good thing and she'll realize that she's okay without me around and that when I leave, I always come back. Or maybe it'll be 8 hours of poor Jake trying to distract a distraught toddler.

Update: I haven't heard her cries of agony for the last 5 minutes. I guess she's cried herself to sleep. It only took 45 minutes.