rivka

Just minutes before this picture was taken, Michael observed, "She's looking awfully sleepy."

"Yeah," I said. "But we can't skip her bath tonight. She's filthy."

She was leaning back in her booster seat, sippy cup spout in her mouth. From time to time, she took a lazy little sip. Her eyes kept rolling up and then focusing again. Then she fell fast, fast asleep.

It was a precarious position, so I helped her lower herself to the table. I tried to imagine waking her up and making her take a bath. Michael and I looked at each other, and then shrugged. We unbuckled her from the chair, eased her out of her jeans, and slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms. She stirred briefly and went back to sleep. She slept as I carried her up two flights of stairs. I put her in the crib. "Mommy," she said once. Then nothing. It was 6:20pm.

And now, for something completely different: a little picture I like to call 'After the human sacrifice.'