“I’ve Seen You a Million Times Today!”

Kina loves it when I come out of the bedroom in the middle of the day; it is a Major Event. Lately, she’s taken more thorough stock of my travel patterns, remarking that she “just saw” me, and that I’m coming out of the room “so, so much”. It’s like she’s forgotten that I spent the last six months working in our bedroom—it seems so novel to her that I am around, for reasons I’m unclear about. Some days lately I barely see her during the day. If she’s here, I can hear her banging about in the living room; if not, I sometimes dip my head out just to get some air. On those days, I open the door after work and she squeals with glee. “Daddy! I haven’t seen you in a long, long time!” she’ll say. It makes me want to work at home forever.

Child Tends Tiny Plant

Last weekend, when we saw Andrew and Des, they helped Kina pot up a plant whose name I have forgotten, filling a tiny tomato paste can with soil and gently tucking a propagated shoot into the dirt. On the drive home, Kina asked if I would place the plant into the cup holder next to her car seat and looked lovingly at it as we drove. Once we got home, we stuck the can on a little plate and placed it on the windowsill in our living room. Every morning, Kina has asked to water it, despite knowing that we should only do so once a week. This morning she named it “Sooty”, which seems appropriate. I pray that I do not accidentally kill this plant.

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