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“Hey, buddy,” I say softly to Milo, who throws a toy on the floor for me to retrieve
“That’s his new favorite game I’ve picked that block up twenty tih, he lets me have it”
I smile widely as I bend down and retrieve the wet plastic block It has raised nuht blue and red colors When I set it down, he takes the block and tries to shove it in his h chair tray once more The moment he does, he looks up at h
“See what Ithe dish with pot roast, potatoes, and carrots in the middle
We eat in co turns to retrieve the block Milo continually throws on the floor When we’re both full, I pick up the dirty dishes, while Colton places the leftovers in lidded containers After, we go about our nightly routine, as if there isn’t this big thing, this living, breathing being following us around Colton gives Milo his bath while I sit on the closed toilet seat and watch There’s so, so domesticated about the act that makes me want to cry Instead, I take out ether Their smiles, the tender way Colton washes his son’s hair to ets in his eyes, the excitement in Milo’s face when he smacks the water and sprinkles droplets all over his daddy’s shirt I document it all with my phone
Just in case…
After the bath, I trail behind as we head to Milo’s rooo to the dresser and pull out a warm footed sleeper with bears It reminds me of the brown outfit he wore last ith the bear ears on the hood At the changing table, Colton is trying to wrangle his son into a diaper, but the little one is wiggling all over the place, throwing his head to the side as if he were about to roll over
“Listen here, little et this diaper on you before the orks start”
I can’t help but giggle
“Oh, it happened a lot when he was an infant The moment the cold air would hit his boy part, it was like so the diaper into place
While he sets out to get the child into the sleeper, I head into the kitchen and ether, I find Colton and Milo standing in the dooratching me I offer a sut churns with anxiety as we approach the rocking chair The one Colton uses to rock his son to sleep
“May I?” I find