Shoelace

My lovely wife and I each put one of the two kids to bed every night, alternating which one we handle. She stopped carrying the boy to bed when he got too heavy. I stopped at some point this year when, as a result of weakness and clumsiness from the ALS, I stumbled and almost dropped him. Now we walk him to his bed after stories.

On nights when I put the girl to bed, though, I hold her up so she can see herself in the mirror while she brushes her teeth with water. She weighs 25 pounds. Sometimes my left arm gets tired, so I have started holding her up with the right arm. One night this week as I walked into the bathroom with her, I did not notice that my left shoe was untied, and the lace dangling. My right foot stepped on the lace and I staggered against the wall with the window. "Daddy stumble," my daughter said. It was of no consequence, but it scared me, and now I always take off my shoes before I carry her into the bathroom.