"Can we watch?"

We went to a baby shower for good friends on Sunday eve. "What's a shower?" he wanted to know, of course, as we busied around getting ready.

Absentmindedly is no way to answer questions in a hurry, but it is the law of the land around here. "What's a shower? Oh. you know... you go give presents and celebrate the baby being born... Now, where did I put the tape?"

As an aside, last summer we walked into the birthing barn at the State Fair and just happened upon a calf being born. Mama Cow's water had just broke so our timing was perfect. An hour and half later, the calf was born. We watched the entire thing and it was quite an unexpected memory, very moving, we'll never forget it, etc. The whole thing lasted about two hours, which happens to be how long I told Jude we'd be at the baby shower.  So... naturally:

"Oh, so you mean we're going to go watch?"

"Watch?"

"The baby borning?"

Wa wa wa wa wa wa wa... C'mer Baby...

AT the bird sanctuary in Del Mar, CAL, where we fell in love with a bunch of parrots...  We love her!

when I go to Dada's on Wednesday...

"Ya?"

This out of the blue, hovering on the middle of the stairway, where he likes to do circus tricks. Pausing on his way up, lording over me at the table below.

"What's that honey?"

"I'm gonna write a comic book called 'Beast from the East'."

"Cool."

before school (6.30 am) yesterday morning

The zombie theme continues, as does talk of dreams. In between bites of Cheerios...

"Well, so, last night I dreamt-ed that me and Noah were working at Target as security guards."

"Uh-huh," I say. "You and Noah, huh?"

"Only I was about 17," he clarifies.

And Noah? How old was he?

"Oh, about the age he is now. Like 40."

"Uh-huh."

After their shift is over, they both start walking to their cars. And then suddenly—for this he has to stand up and act the rest of the dream out. "We hear a noise that sounds like this..." He makes a screeching sound.

"And then we both feel something attack our left upper leg, right here." He shows me where.

"And then we both back up like this..." He walks slowly backwards, mouth agape.

"Be careful of Buddha, honey," I say, for he gets very involved in his acting, compromising spacial relations.

He stops. "And then suddenly..."

The zombies come. It's mayhem. It's the end of the world. There's like hundreds of them. The two of them against the zombies.

"So we had to call for help. We needed help to kill the zombies."

Who did you call?

The police.

Oh.

"But there was no place for them to park."

"Oh. So they had to park far and walk, did they?" I smile, feeling in on a joke he is clearly not making.

"But then guess what?"

What?

"Well. Suddenly the entire Target parking lot was full of flesh and police cars."

Jews are like bats... who knew?

On the way to BareBones last Saturday...

"Mama, how do you know you are Jewish?"

"Well... you are born Jewish. If your mother is Jewish, you are. I am Jewish because my mom is. You are Jewish because I am. Noah is Jewish because his mom is. Dada isn't Jewish, but you are because I am. Technically anyway..."

"Oh."

"Now, we're not really practicing Jews, per se..."

"What's pactising Jews?"

"Well... like, you know, our friends L and J in St Louis Park?"

Yeah?

You know how they do Shabbat every Friday? Which is why they couldn't come Trick or Treating with us this year?

Yeah.

"Well... " So I explain how Shabbat is a time of rest. I focus on the rest. The time to be together and rest. Not to work or do, but just to rest. "They rest from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday," I remind him, adding they don't use electricity or drive or anything. I wonder if he will want to start doing this. I ponder it now and then. "You know?"

"So, they're like bats," Jude concludes.

Bats?

Yeah. They rest all day and come out out at night.

I guess I'll have to work on my explanation of our religion. Though I can't deny how much I delighted in thinking and imagining my dear friends as bats hanging upside down in their beautiful home.

I don't want to be a grown up

Why not, Jude?
How will I know how to do anything...?
Honey, you have years to figure it out. You'll learn. People will teach you. Day by day...
But how will I know how to do things?
Like what?
Like get a credit card.

on the phone at Dada's Friday night

The usual call from Mama needing to know exactly what is going on over at The Red House. I have no boundaries. I can't help it. Even though I know exactly what is going on, I have to call.

Hi honey, how are you?
Good.
What are you doing?
Playing Super Mario something or other I don't understand.
Is it fun?
Yes.
That's good. Make sure and also go outside.
I know.
How was school?
Good.
Did you have pictures taken?
No.
Okay. Was school fun?
Yes.
What did you learn?
I don't know. Dada! Here...
Dada tells Jude to turn off the video game and talk to Mama.

Time to end the call.

"I miss you, honey. I know it's only been two days, but it feels like a long time..."

"It doesn't feel like a long time to me."