Claps
Essie learned to clap today. We clap clap at her and she clap claps in return. We painted the front door “brick red” and completed the installation of a new flat black lockset (this set, unlike the old brass one it replaces, actually works to do things like pull the latch clear of the faceplate so we can, you know, open the door), at which point we broke into applause. Essie joined us!
Then she was sitting on her mom’s lap on the couch and her mom pretended to be a horsey, bouncing Ess up and down to riotous giggles. Ess isn’t a giggly kid, so when we find something that makes her laugh it’s like a burst of warm sunlight in the room. Tears in my eyes, listening to our daughter laugh. I am a lucky man and today I am thankful for my life, such as it is.