Earache

Naomi woke up Monday night with a screaming earache.

The shock of acute pain. The fog in my brain left over from the pillow. Hot tears. McKibbin and I around bumbling around the medicine cabinet. The cold air. The unwelcome sting of bright lights.

Once the Motrin kicked in Naomi crashed back to sleep with the same ferocity with which she had awakened. Her parents were not so lucky. I don’t know how long we laid in bed, staring at the ceiling.

McK and I have an anniversary this week. Nine years. So I’ve been feeling maudlin generally. While this screaming earache episode was far from a celebration of us, I can't remember the last time I drifted off to sleep quite so grateful for his company.

Like A Star

The Majority

The other night we had a difficult conversation at our dinner table. Not what one would consider a fight. No raised voices or anything. Just a genuine topic of disagreement between the three of us.

I try to be mindful that Naomi is still a newcomer to these disagreements. Especially with those we love. The next day I thought I'd check in with her about it. See how the events had sorted out in her mind.

Me: So last night we had a difficult talk at the dinner table didn't we?

N: Yep. (pause) There for a minute I thought I was going to have to eat in the kitchen.

Me: Eat in the kitchen?

N: Yep.
Me: Naomi, nobody was in trouble last night. We just disagreed. Being sent from the table only happens when we're not respectful of each other. There's a big difference between disagreeing with someone and being ugly or disrespectful to them.

N: I know. I didn't think I was in trouble.

Me: Whew, ok, that's a relief.

N: I thought I'd eat in the kitchen because I was in the depths of despair.

Me: Really?

N: Yep.

Me: The depths of despair?

N: Yep.
Me: Woah.
N: But then I remembered the cats were probably on my side. So I felt a little better.

Double Knots

I have a test this week as part of my degree program. The exam schedule has preoccupied my brain. I've spent several late nights studying, nursed large cups of coffee all day long. Eraser dregs litter the surface of every shirt I've worn in the last three days.

Yesterday morning, though, N and I were sitting on the steps. One of those mornings where I was slow to move but getting there. N checked her lunchbox, I was putting VISINE drops into my bloodshot eyes. I sniffed and blinked back the VISINE as N put her hand on my knee. She had double-knotted my shoelaces so I wouldn't trip and fall.

And, I'll be darned if, those double-knots didn't stay in all day. I didn't trip once.