alanmt

Our baby daughter cries; it is 5:30 a.m. My turn, so I rise early and go to her, hobbling so I don't put weight on my broken toe. She is half-asleep, but her diaper is puffy with a nightful of urine. I deftly lift her and carry her to the changing table, change her and return her to the crib. She is still fussy, probably hungry, so I limp out to the refrigerater. The bottle of formula I prepared last night is still there. I return to her room and she swallows a few ounces before falling asleep again.

I am up for the day, though. I wander upstairs to my computer in the loft, checking the baby monitor to make sure it is turned on, and hit internet explorer. I check out WritingForums; nothing needs moderating, so I review some posts and a couple short stories, banter a bit, and then navigate away to read a political blog or two. I play a bit of Guild Wars and a turn or two of Napoleon Total War before my family awakes. My husband wanders upstairs, blear-eyed and wanting coffee. Sophia wakes up again. He goes to change her while I make coffee, but before I do, I follow him, because one of my favorite parts of the day is "happy wake-up baby" realizing that it's morning and daddy is there to take her from her crib to face the world. Cheered by her thrilled smile, I make the coffee, he changes the baby, and we return upstairs to enjoy our coffee, our baby, and the morning news.

We shower together, while baby watches, safely strapped into her stroller. She laughs and throws her pooh bear onto the floor. When we finish, her Grandma has arrived to watch her for the morning, and brought ham and crescent rolls for breakfast. She gives Sophia a bottle while we finish getting dressed. We eat quickly, kiss our daughter, say bye to my mother-in-law, and leave for work.

Another ordinary morning for my ordinary family. Someday, Sophia will learn that most kids don't have two dads. She may learn that she is the first girl in Montana to legally have two dads. Someday kids may make fun of her and other kids may be protective of her and we might even get called by some principal because she whacked some kid who was disrespectful. Someday she may notice that people look at her family with disapproval. I myself kinda hope that someday it won't matter too much to anyone.

Today, though, she is just a happy laughing baby who loves to bounce, pull grandma's hair, and whose eyes light up when her daddies get home for lunch. Ordinary baby, ordinary family, ordinary morning. Just how we like it.