Petite Mani-Pedi

One aspect of parenthood that has surprised me is the physical intimacy that I have with this new person. I know all her little parts. I clean them, I cuddle them, I spluhbert them, I monitory their growth, and I make sure they are all in good working order. And when no one is looking, I might even take a little bite of them—the feet especially are very tasty. All her body parts are still kind of mine in a way. I wonder when they will be liberated from my possession. When will her body become her own? I wonder about this. And then I realize that my own parents had this special secret knowledge of my baby body over thirty years ago. Did they feel the same sort of bossiness over my feet, my bum, my crusty little hands, my cheesy neck rolls? Was it hard to start giving Young Molly her own way with their care and maintenance? Someday I will have insight into that change. Until then, I will enjoy giving little pedicures to little feet to the sound of little snores.