homework and a wish for a sister

Sage told me that she needed to bring a picture of her family for school the next day.

No problem, I said. But as we rooted through all the pictures we had - over three years worth - I couldn't find any of just the three of us. How can this be, I thought. Then I realized that it was because I took most of the pictures, and for some odd reason, the three of us rarely posed together (perhaps it seems so...forced, in the way my mother would always have the entire family pose for a picture - none of us were particularly thrilled).

Sage and I spent some time looking at her baby shots and laughing and marveling at small she was.

SAGE: Dad, look! That's me!

ME: Yup.

SAGE: When I was a baby I fit in your arm.

ME: And I would sleep with you on my chest.

SAGE: I was so small, Dad.

ME: I think you'll be taller than your Mommy when you grow up.

Finally, Nikki found a picture of three of us in New York, with Sage something like a year old. I asked Sage if that would do and she said okay, so she's lugging around the entire album to school.

What completely slipped my mind is the existence of all the digital photos I took when my camera's battery was still in vogue - plus the digital shots our photographer friends took of us from time to time.

Next time, I'll just print out copies in the office so the little girl has more recent shots of her family to show.



Before we all went to sleep, Sage said something that gave us pause.

SAGE: I want a sister.

NIKKI: A sister?

ME: How about a puppy or a rabbit instead?

SAGE: No, Dad. I want a sister. A little girl.

ME: . . .

NIKKI: How about a brother? Sometimes, we can't control these things you know.

SAGE: No, Mom. I want a little sister. I will play with her and share my things.

ME: . . .

NIKKI: Where will she sleep?

SAGE: She can sleep with me on my bed.

NIKKI: Who will take care of her?

SAGE: I will, Mom. Okay, Dad?

ME: . . .

(Pause)

NIKKI: Husband, snap out of it!

ME: . . .