best day of my life (from july 22nd - posted today)

the backyard swimming pool is ready. the air is 26 degrees celsius. the pool water is even warmer.

DH: k, i'm taking Ninja in. you can go do your errands.

OHW: uh, no. guess it'll all get done another day.

i change ninja into a diaper cover and an adorable swimsuit alighted with pink and orange butterflies. and a towel that, when wrapped around her, makes her look like a piglet.

i hop into a bathing suit. look at myself in the mirror. i don't look too bad but i could lose a few inches, still.

dh and ninja jump into the pool. it starts to rain. ninja's not too sure about this. i snap a few photos. she sees i'm smiling and so she starts to play. i step into the pool. it rains and rains. the rain is cool and the pool water is deliciously lukewarm. we play and play. an hour goes by.

i blow in ninja's face and dunk her in the water. she comes up sputtering, sees my laughing face and she bursts out laughing, too. she giggles at the sight of her dada diving into the water and disappearing, then reappearing with a smile and a shout.

my eye makeup is running everywhere and my hair is a mess. i swim and float. i watch dh play with our child and the tears come. my red eyes are forgiven by rain and chlorinated water.

dh and i take turns playing with the baby. we hold her by the jet so that she's bathed in the warmest water.

still in the pool, i nurse her for a few minutes. she giggles madly at this odd turn of events and dh calls me a lunatic. she can't concentrate on sucking because it's all just too comical.

we go inside. i wrap her up in the big pink towel, dress her, feed her, and she's out for a long nap, dreaming of her looney parents and warm milk.

***

i pick her up at the end of her nap. she's still tired and she falls asleep again in my arms. she hasn't done this since she was 6 weeks old. she never ever falls asleep against me. i stand still and look at us in the mirror. is this the last time?

***

later in the day, she gives me kisses and kisses.

***

the best day of my life. the cost was worth it.