The Red House and the Beach

Earlier this afternoon, while doing a Sponge Square Bob puzzle (which in Mexico, by the way, translates as "Mr Absorbency" and we have the beach towel to prove it) Jude told me it's no fun living in two places. We've been sort of selling him on the "you're so lucky you have two places with lots of love to live in" line, which seems to be protocol for this situation. Most days he is agreeable and seems to enjoy two homes, but he's right: It's no fun shlepping yourself and your stuff across 50th every other weekend, deciding where to stash newly acquired treasures:

Today at my doc's appointment he did very well and sat through the whole thing and did his dry erase book. As soon as the nurse left the room he went nuts. "Look Mama! Look!" I looked but I didn't see anything.

"Look Mama! Look! Over there!!!"

"I see a sink, some baby wipes, cotton balls... what Jude?"

"Gloves! Can I have some?"

Of course he meant the white latex surgical gloves, which he later named "Creamy." I said he could have a pair, probably, if he asked the nurse. He was shy about it, asking out of the side of his mouth, but she said "of course!" and that her kids also go nuts for the things.

He wanted to wear his new gloves out in the snow, but I made him wear the winter ones. Back in the car, he had the latex ones back on as soon as he got in and told me proudly. "Mama, I'm going to take these creamy ones to the Red House."

"Okay" I said.

"Yeah," he said, sealing the deal.

Then we went to Midwest Mountaineering and got some skis for him. I told him this was his Christmas and Hannukah present, but who am I kidding?


Back at the Beach he went into his frustration about living in two places. I tried to put a positive spin on it by asking what he liked about each house. About the Red House he said, "I like playing with my plastic donut. And I like being with Dada."

About the Beach he said, "I like playing with my toys and being with you." Earlier he wanted to play with the little statue on the altar of Shiva and Ganesha that I picked up at Arc. "It's you and me, Mama! I'm the elephant and the big tall king guy is you, Mama." Earlier he likened three socks to me, Dada, and himself. "This blue one can be Dada!"

Dada, maybe you can tell the donut story one of these days? I think honestly this blog is for the three of us.


Nighty night. Love, Mama