Last night we celebrated your Mom's 33rd birthday a day early. I came home from work to a nice southern feast of fried chicken livers, whipped potatoes, creamed corn, and grilled vegetables. You made a cake with Nani and Mom, and they said you really helped them well. Poppitia came too and ate with us. It's always nice for Jessica to see her parents together, it happens so rarely.

That night as you lay in bed, restless in your sleep from eating too much icing, you were talking to Mom. All the balloons for Mom's birthday instantly became yours and you had them all floating and dancing on your bedroom ceiling. You held the string to the biggest, shiniest one in your hand as you lay on your back.
"Where's Papa?" you asked.
"He's in the office, probably," Mom answered.
"Where's his office?"
"Well, actually he's probably in the den," she re-thought.
"Where's Nani?" you asked.
"She's probably in the den, too. It's nice and cool in there," Mom answered.
"What are they doing in the den?

long pause

"....Are they watching cartoons?"

Mom smiled.
"We wouldn't watch cartoons without you, sweetheart. They're probably watching some grown-up news stuff." You nodded your head in satisfied agreement.