Dear Babysitter, this is our first time away from the baby and though you are totally competent, I mean, overqualified, there are a few things I wanted you to know. One, please feel free to text us if there’s a problem. Like if she doesn’t take the bottle or seems gassy. Or if she cries. Or doesn’t cry. Maybe just text us regardless.
What if I’m not the only one who has poured water into her cereal and put trash in the hamper? I’ll pry my eyes open for another round of lullabies. Because maybe, just maybe, I’m not the only one awake.
I catch myself breathing a quick sigh of relief when the teacher keeps the lights dimmed at the start of class. Beat up as I am, I feel a little tinge of motivation deep in the pit of my stomach. This mushy, postpartum body is actually pretty strong.