for audra, who is turning out to be the kind of co-parent who lets me sleep late after a difficult night, volunteers to cover for me at work for a couple of hours so i can try to get our son to take a good feeding/nap at home (he is not, sadly, sleeping any better), and then sends texts like this:

which is especially wonderful because it turns out that i'm the kind of co-parent who doesn't deserve so much kindness at all---who, deranged from several all-night shifts tending bar in the nursery for a certain repeat customer who cannot be convinced that in our town, last call is 12:30---says things like "why did you let me sleep so late? now i don't have time to shower!" while weeping into my coffee. i am, in short, a shrew: a self-righteous, self-pitying, miserable bitch. but a lucky one. one who will try, again, to be better and kinder tomorrow.

*

for the news that legally married gay couples will be able to file their federal taxes jointly from now on, even if the state they live in does not recognize their marriage.

audra: "we can file them retroactively which would make us some money, but i don't think we will. because we're democrats who don't actually mind paying taxes, and also, we're lazy."

*

for c., who came down from her nap asking "to learn about all of the bones," and for t., who signs "i love you."