Of Snuggling and Growing

Julie met Sara (also known as Graham and Connor's mommy) out for dinner tonight.  When she got home, she went into the bambini's room.  Clara was asleep, but Joe was still awake--just barely.  He asked if Julie was going to snuggle with him.  Julie said, "Do you want me to?", and Joe said yes and scooted on over.  Then, he was suddenly upright and a beehive activity, finally presenting Julie with Sheepie.  (Everyone needs an animal if it's to be a proper snuggle.)  Joe relayed that he'd heard a llama mama when he went to bed.  At least, that's what it sounded like to Julie who had her good ear pressed practically to Joe's lips--for once, he was whispering.  Finally, she doped out that he'd heard the lawn mower when he went to bed, and as Ted was showering when Julie arrived home, she put two and two together and realized Ted must have mowed the lawn tonight.

Then Joe asked if Julie had gone to dinner with Sara-and-Emily* Sara, or Graham's-mommy Sara.  Julie said Graham's-mommy Sara, and then pattered on about how long she and Sara had been friends--since college!--and Joe quickly broke in and said, "And me, too!" and added, "I like Aunt Sara because she plays hide-n-seek with me."  (He's conflating some things.  But suffice it to say, all the Sara's in his life not only to not spell their names with an H, they are also the bomb.)  And so there Julie was, thinking about how even though she likes her bed and pillows, and Ted is, after all pretty great, she could stay in Joe's "cozy little bed" with Joe, snuggled up like puppies all night, when Joe turned to her and said, "Mommy?  When are you going to go to your bed?"  Julie asked if he wanted her to go to her bed, and he said yes.  Sigh.  He did allow that there could be one more hug.

So Julie padded out to find Ted on the couch and after she'd relayed all of this, Ted said that he'd had a discussion with Joe about the relative merits of school versus work.  Ted said that he didn't get to play outside at work.  Joe, trying to be encouraging, said "You get to have morning snack, and lunch, and afternoon snack."  Ted did admit that this was true.  Then Joe asked if Joe got to paint.  Ted said that he did not get to paint; that there were no arts and crafts at work--just e-mails and meetings, just work.  That' when Joe told Ted "Maybe when you grow down you can maybe go to Ms. Kristin's room."

*Celebrity demi-goddess sitters.