Here's the routine. While I'm at school, Melissa is at home with Kennedy. Immediately after school, I meet Melissa in the faculty parking lot. She passes Kennedy off to me, and drives to work. I take care of Kennedy during the evening. Our daughter goes to sleep around 9 o'clock. I bide my time until Melissa comes home, anytime between 11 to midnight. We talk about our day, maybe watch some TV together. Go to sleep. Repeat.
Sometimes, if Kennedy is particulary talkative and I'm yearning for human contact with adults, I'll call my mom or my sister, so they can listen to Kennedy ramble. Since they're in California, they haven't seen Kennedy since she was just two and a half months old. Letting them listen to Kennedy coo and hollar is my way of updating them on my life. We'll talk some. Kennedy will make noises. They ask about school, which is the one subject I can't seem to carry a conversation about. School is school. I'd rather talk about Kennedy or Melissa, which we also do.
I ask what's new with them. Mom, like me, seems completely tired of talking about school (also a teacher), so instead she talks about my sister Liz. And when I talk with Liz, she talks about... school. Go figure.
Before we hang up, I tell them I love them. Liz has turned her "I-love-you's" into a full contact sport, making sure she gets the last one in-- "I-love-you-more!" She has to say it louder than I do, and with more energy. What can I say? She's got a lot of love. My mom says "I love you" with a warmth that makes you think she's hugging the phone when she says it. Also, a lot of love.
Do I call my dad? Sometimes. I think male phone conversations are predictably more task-oriented. I call Dan sometimes to "just chat". He's one of the few male friends I can do that with. But when I call my dad, we make plans for when he's in town for business. We talk about the Dallas Mavericks or good movies. Official updates, but still warm and friendly.
