So far, my bank (since I can’t use the IRS website to verify my identity, not having a credit card and having an ID card so “blurry” that ID.me claims not to be able to read it) claims that they don’t see anything for the Advance Child Tax Credit being deposited into my account. I was eligible for all three stimulus checks, which I got, and I am the only person who can claim either one of my children as dependents — Monster’s father is now permanently denied access to him, and Bub’s father does not have enough overnights to be able to claim him, nor does he have any taxable income. (I’m told he won’t apply for SSI, making matters worse.)

I was going to buy Monster odds and ends with it, and I was going to buy Bub some more video games, but obviously that is pissing itself away since we might not even get the Advance Child Tax Credit to begin with.

I don’t know, though, I can be a bit of a pessimist when I put my whole back into it.

My neck, my back, my Netflix, and my snacks. Because that’s how it goes a lot of the time now.