I can hear the baby wandering around the house, going in and out of rooms aimlessly, until she finds me in the kitchen again. She comes to my feet and throws her hands in the air, leaning on me, saying, “UP!” and I lift her into my arms. She puts her right arm around my neck and squeezes me, her left thumb in her mouth, and she leans her forehead against my cheek. “Al-lay, ya?”
“Oliver is at school, baby. We will see him later. At three o’clock.”
“Daddy, ya?”
“Daddy is at work. We will see him tonight, after dinner.” This is a lie. Daddy won’t be home until long after bedtime tonight, but there’s no sense trying to explain that now.
“Aaa-aaa-aaw?” She whines, disappointed.
“I know. We will see Oliver and daddy later. Shall we have lunch? Would you like to have an egg for lunch today?”
“Ah… no. Uh-uh.” She is shaking her head.”
“You mean, no thank you?”
“No uuuuh, mummy.”
“What would you like to eat today for lunch, hmmm?”
“Pa-pa!”
“Pasta?”
“Ya.”
“Yes, please?”
“Yeh, leeee.”
“Okay. And what else shall we have for lunch?”
“Chee!”
“Cheese?”
“Um-hum.”
“And maybe some grapes?”
“Dape! Ya!”
“Okay. So pasta, and some cheese, and some grapes.”
“Ya.”
Leftover pasta and a handful of stuff from the fridge. Easy. And she’s talking a little bit more very day… life is good.
And this kid is adorable and everything, but I can hardly wait for naptime…
G.G.
