gifts my daughters gave me

Just today:
a pad of paper transformed into a waiter's order sheet
a new game: clapping mama's hands together (riotous laughter)
giving gifts to one another: belly kisses/pieces of pancake

ah, my girls. Such sweetness. And great belly kisses, too.

they really are everywhere

Me: Come on, Lucy. We need to go to Starbucks to get the gift cards.
Lucy: I'm Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.
Me: Great, Dorothy. Get shoes on.
Lucy: Okay. They have those coffee shops in Munchkinland, you know.

I didn't actually, but I can't say I'm surprised.

this is that house

This is the house with the Daddy gone.
This is the baby waking up at five thirty, in the house with the traveling Daddy.
This is the kid with the runny nose, with the baby awake at half-past-five, in the house with the traveling Daddy.
This is the baby, coming down with it too, the sister sniffling a runny nose, the baby awake at half-past-five, in the house with the travelling daddy.
This is the baby, skipping her nap, that sickly, snotty, coughy baby, the sister sniffling her runny nose, the baby awake at half-past-five, in the house with the traveling daddy.
This is the friends, calling to cancel, the play dates scheduled after the nap, of the wakeful, sickly, sniffly baby, the sister in tandem, blowing her nose, the baby awake at half-past-five, in that house with the travelling Daddy.
This is the mommy, asleep by nine.