“Don’t glue your brother! I MEAN it!” Most days you give a crap. You really do. You make sure no one does anything that could directly lead to bleeding from the ears or grand larceny. You don’t Helicopter Parent—who has the energy for that, anyway?—but you spew a nonstop stream of dialogue at the kids […]
Surviving Can Be a Goal
I entered 2018 a dichotomy. I was motivated and optimistic to finish a middle grade novel some literary agents voiced interest in just after hearing the elevator pitch. There were magazines and other outlets I had ideas for that I planned to get my words into. I felt I could find a way to increase […]
I Will Not Always Get to Do This
I look over to my right and see her eyes are closed. Gently, I lean over, confirming that her usually wildly expressive face and chatty mouth have gone soft with sleep. It crept in at some point during the movie while I was distracted, pressing on her until she couldn’t fight anymore, urging her to […]
A Letter to My Daughter Who I Believe In
Dear Daughter, When we bought our house I was too tired to use tools or do math, so I hired a baby-proofer to run through and make it less likely to give me heart attacks as you and your brother explored its sharp nooks and dangerous crannies. Just to be extra safe, the cabinets under […]
A Holiday Song for Moms
I find the original Santa, Baby song to be totally…icky. It is creepy and dirty and the women who sing it tend to be purring like a cat in heat or breathier than a phone sex operator. Gross. These days, it is EVERYWHERE. No matter how hard I try, I can neither avoid it nor […]
I Marvel
I open the door to the dark room and smell his warm little boy smell. He begins stirring as I walk across the room, so I silently watch him sit up on his knees and rub the sleep from his eyes. The first thing he sees are my eyes looking at him as he asks […]