I'm looking at a fourteen month old child strait in his blue eyes. Our bellies are on the floor. He's looking into my eyes too. He's trying to figure out where he stands with me. It could go either way in a a matter of nanoseconds. I've witnessed this moment thousands of times before.

I drop my neon green sunglasses in between us and he crawls after them. Now we have common ground. He's happy and occupied. I easily scoop him up into my arms and there's no crying for mom or any hint of brow furrowing. He giggles. And it's sweet bliss as I fantasize about having him for my own.