10.06.05 - 1:59 p.m.

baby lou, i want to be the aunty who takes you shopping
and braids your hair while you tell me about
your dad's evasiveness and your mom's enormous love
and hosts sleepovers where you're never shushed
because someone has to get up for work in the morning.
you are just arms and legs and a spine and bladder and the
makings of a vagina right now but soon you'll be
hair and eyes and riding a bike and going to school and
i want to be there for all of it.