Something doesn’t seem right. There is only one car parked in front of the house.
“Wait, let me check the invitation again,” I say to myself (yet loud enough) while pulling my phone out.
Tim and Elena come to a halt behind me. He holds the gift, and Elena holds her excitement.
I look up and say, “The party is tomorrow.”
We get back to the car while Elena asks, “Emma, happy birthday?”
Sorry, Mamashanta. I rushed us out the door and cut your nap short for no reason. I know I will teach you to keep calendars when you grow up; just make sure you read the days right!
Tim, being the kindest person I know, smiles as we drive off—I apologize nonstop. He says, “Let’s get you some food and head home.”
I eat a burger on the way home that tastes like shame and bacon.
“We’ll leave around 6:30 (pm!) to make it there on time, stay for about an hour, and head back.”
Tim agrees with that logic.
I say, “yeah. It will take us 35 min to get there. And just in case, I double-checked the date on the invite. This birthday gathering IS today.”
We don’t typically bring Elena to adult events past her bedtime, but it’s her aunt and uncle’s birthday—a good opportunity to check the promise I made myself to stop obsessing over her sleep.
Within 5 minutes on the road, we hear a particular thumb-sucking sound. Car nap it is.
My brain tempts me, “Her body must be thinking, ‘This is it! Night sleep!‘ What are you doing to her?”
Stop it. You’re being ridiculous. Time out.
I force my attention to the sky as I drive and tell Tim something about last year’s slice, in which I described the blue-orange combination I appreciate only at sunset or sunrise.
It feels like it’s just us in the car. My brain comes out of time-out, ready to get it right.
“Today made me think of how much I love hanging out with you,” I tell Tim.
He laughs and asks, “What about today made you think that? The 2-hour trip to Pembroke?”
We drive East on the Dolphin Expressway at 9:45 (pm!) Tim asks, “What will you slice about today?”
Thumb-sucking sounds have faded as Elena goes deeper into sleep—Fox pajamas, messy hair, heavy eyes.
Today felt like a multi-layered cake with various slices to choose from, but my brain will be too tired to pick and develop just one. I also feel guilty about not reading other slicers today, so scheduling something is the goal.
“Do you mean which of the many events from today I will choose from?”
We both quietly laugh, and I pull out my phone to start typing. At this point, all I want is to show up and go to bed. I think of what I told several of our KLA Slicers: if all else fails, just write something and share it. It doesn’t really matter.
Start with a Story 
Mori con shame and bacon 😂 some says feel like this and the inner dialogue feels like a mirror for me! Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️❤️
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Thanks, Celia!
It was my first and most likely won’t be my last 😅
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Oh yes!
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I felt like I was inside your head while reading this. This was so cute: He says, “Let’s get you some food and head home.” Barriga llena, corazón contento—am I right?
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You had me at shame burgers! I’ve dressed my kids in their finest party outfits and arrived a day early to the event. Ahhh, I feel that frustration. I also love your inner tug of war of sacred sleep vs family. I get that too! Love this!!!!!
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I love how you add your thoughts, it captures my attention while I read the rest. Las veces que me ha pasado equivocarme de dia… you’re not alone jaja
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I love the details in your stories and the way you express yourself. Your slices are always very real and thought provoking. I can’t believe you arrived at a party on the wrong day, though!
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Your writing here is incredibly honest – the way the pieces are held together by hope, the way you reveal yourself in tiny bits. Here: I, too, obsessed over my first child’s sleep. I worried & fussed & barely went out… He’s fine. I’m fine. So is child #2, whose routine was much less regimented. Such is life. And I, too, feel guilty about not reading others’ slices – people are so generous with their reading! And me? All I’ve done for two days is whine & travel… or so I tell myself when I’m tired. But it’s not true – and you showed up here today & wrote – and Sally nailed it when she noticed how your slice is full of love. I’m so so glad you are part of this community & that I “met” you here. 🙂
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I was right there with you, both days! Especially listening to your daughter falling into deeper and deeper sleep, ‘fox pajamas, messy hair, heavy eyes’ was enough to make me feel as if I saw her completely, and that thumb-sucking noise!
I say, you are correct to just write and put it there. But then you also managed to craft great description and this line that I love:
’Today felt like a multi-layered cake with various slices to choose from, but my brain will be too tired to pick and develop just one.’
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I make it a habit to read the slice of the 3 people below me and today, you are one of them! I enjoyed your honest overview of 3 events. I’m a new grandma and find my daughter worrying too over keeping the sleep schedule so related to your inner thinking: Stop it. You’re being ridiculous. Time out. As the reader, I noticed a glimpse at a young family showing so much love. Husband ensuring you eat, couple honoring extended family by showing up, time spent inside the car together. Thanks for sharing. Glad you still sliced!
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