<

It was an easy day. No big, earth-shattering events. Just the kind of things we took for granted before parenthood: being able to spend an hour or two browsing a bookstore in peace, driving around while ham-gnawing, going into little shops with breakable things, drinking a latte without divvying up rations of oversized chocolate chip cookie. Good stuff, all with the confidence that PKB was taking better care of our kid than we do.

PKB's been known to extoll the virtues of having a non-related kid in your life who you absolutely adore. I've had that for years, because I love her two boys as if they were my own. She used to tell me what a great feeling it is to have someone love your kids who isn't obligated out of bloodlines to do so. I get that now. Boy, do I get that.

Clara Jane's lacking in the relatives department. I don't have any siblings, and B.'s only brother isn't exactly in our lives. He lives in Austria, and we haven't seen him in over five years. He's never really acknowledged that he has a niece. Clara Jane's only cousins are second cousins. They're all awesome, but they're not here. Three of them are in my hometown, and The Cuz is way up in Minneapolis. It's not the same as the way I grew up, with all my aunts, uncles and cousins, second cousins, and even third cousins living within spitting distance. Literally. I grew up with cousins living across the street from me. While it sometimes makes me sad that Clara Jane isn't going to have what I had, I console myself with the knowledge that she does have aunts and uncles nearby - ones we've chosen for her.

Aside from visiting my parents on a regular basis, Clara Jane's never spent time away from us. Never had a babysitter, until today. Although "babysitter" is an understatement for PKB. "Worshipful Caretaker Who Thinks This Child Rules the World" is a little more appropriate. I love that Clara Jane has that in her life, and that I can leave her with PKB and not worry about her. At all. Not even a little.

This is to say nothing of the royal treatment my kid receives from PKB's boys, who are seven and almost-17. Something tells me The Little One is going to drive his mother crazy, asking her when Clara Jane's coming back.

Soon, my boy. Soon.

Tonight we're all back home, relaxed from having some time apart to do fun things. PKB described being around Clara Jane to opening the blinds and having the sun stream in. She's right, but you know what happens when you stare into the sun too long, don't you? You get a headache. Got to distribute the sunshine around a bit, which is exactly what we did. And it was good.

In a slightly unrelated note, it was brought to my attention that I have a bit of a following among the adolescent population of Edwardsville, Illinois. This tickles me to no end. Thanks, Kids. You're awesome. This, however, doesn't mean I will consent to buying beer for you. I won't. Don't ask.