This is not even the first time she’s attempted to wear a balloon as clothing, for what it’s worth. I wasn’t at the birthday party where Kina obtained said balloon—home recovering, as you might imagine—but it sounded like a total blast, and with the shine of New York Fashion Week still on the streets, Kina’s emergence from her friend’s birthday ball with painted face and balloon bet hit the scene like a ton of bricks.

As for me, I’m slowly healing up. Thanks to those of you who sent kind notes today. Will be making my way to a dentist so that I can get various teeth removed and evaluated tomorrow. In the meantime, Kina “still has [her] sea parent”, in her words, which comes as a great relief to all of us.

I am completely in love with today’s Parade. Kina was reluctant to produce anything of substance today, until I pulled up a record of all the past issues of Parade and showed her a leaf drawing from fall of 2020. Inspired, she pulled out several pieces of paper and instructed her family to sit around at various stations devoted to drawing, cutting, and pasting leaves. We all contributed just about everything to this one today, which felt wonderful.

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