Mommy is out with a friend. I’m on the couch, enjoying the silence a few moments longer.
Sophie drools down her chin, down her shirt, onto the already soaked spot on my chest. She’s awake for the first time in 20 minutes or so. She looks up at me, and I have no idea what is going through her mind. Probably something profound like “I recognize this face. How long before it gives me food?”. She smiles at me because she knows it makes me smile back. I wipe the drool off her face with the back of my hand, something I would have cringed at watching someone else do years ago.
From the farthest bedroom I hear her older sister begin to chime in to the action with a silent wail. “Mommmmmyyy???” “Dadddddyyyy????” “Geeeetttt uuuppppp?????” Holding her younger sister I yell softly down the hallway, “come here Addie!!”. A soft thud, and a patter of footsteps on the wooden floor, she enters the room. Pony tail slightly undone, and diaper is sagging a bit inside those 2T jeans, but she looks at me and yells, “daddy!!!” The drooly one, the full diapered one, and I, hug briefly, before the chaos begins.
A bottle, some chocolate, and an episode of Dora later, we play. Play dough, dancing, and acting like dogs for a bit. Later we’ll eat vegetables, cottage cheese, and maybe even a cut up hot dog. Bath time, some more playing, and eventually bed. (before daddy’s 8pm show starts, hehe)
Outside of these moments, chaos in the world. Many are suffering. Many are alone. Economy threatens. Hope is offered in a million different vessels. Christmas stresses already rear their head. Extended family continues to extend, while attempting to maintain it’s bonds.
But here…here is an entire world. I love being a father. Thanks God.
words from wick 