(Unlike last hour's continued catch-up on months' worth of events, this is just an update on yesterday)

There was a great moment last night.

I sat on the grass at a park in Ottawa, with Littlest in my arms, and watched the fireworks. I could hear the lovely Politika behind me chatting with Eldest, and could see Stepmom cuddling my nephew out of the corner of my eye.

I knew I was surrounded by love, and at the center of it, I squeezed Littlest at random intervals for no reason other than just being so happy to have her there with me.

Moments before, she had sat before me, a little down and tired, saying there was nothing to do and no one to do it with (her cousins and sister were all off at the washroom). I told her to take advantage of the fact that we were together, a rare event, and talk to me about anything she felt like – the grass, the stars, her day, how she was feeling – whatever.

So she got into my lap and looked up and talked about the stars.

We lay down on the grass and looked up at which ones we thought were the brightest, and what they might be, and I fielded questions about shooting stars, explosions and space travel -- as if I know anything about those things! – and about suns and light.

Appropriately, right in the middle of the conversation, the night sky exploded in sound and light, as the fireworks got underway. My 4-year-old nephew, who moments before had been driving Stepmom crazy trying to run away, clutched at his ears and barreled into her lap. Littlest and I sat up and began our observance of the light show.

When it was all said and done, we brought the girls to Stepmom's (i.e. granddad's) and kissed them good night. They gave some mild objections to us leaving, but I know they'll have fun there for three days, and my Dad deserves a chance to spend some uninterrupted time with them, as he requested.

We'll come back to get them Saturday.

In the meantime, that moment on the grass, squeezing the stuffing out of Littlest -- Littlest who, the day before, told us that her mom in Toronto tells her she doesn't want to hear her voice, calls her a brat and swears at her – was one of those moments worthy of marking down here so I don't forget it any time soon.

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