It started raining, so we went back to the rental for some indoor family fun. Well, Des and I had family fun. Sophia found a covered spot outside to lie out by the pool and relax. At first, I felt a bit miffed. I wanted us to hang out as a family because once we get back home, our responsibilities will pull us in different directions, and we’ll have to go back to creating time for each other. But after thinking about it, I let it go. I think sometimes mistake my role as the primary parent for me doing more. Taking care of a child is a lot of work, but so is taking care of our house. Sophia keeps that place spotless and never complains. My work might be mentally and emotionally draining, but hers is physical, and she deserves to do nothing and relax how she chooses.
We all needed to relax, so I start the family fun with a little TV. I turn to the kids’ channel, hoping something relatively interesting would be on. Desi, however, isn’t interested in the show and gets up and dances to the jingle, and it’s the cutest thing. She reminds me of how Mama always danced for no reason, sometimes without music. I feel like I’m watching her spirit live on in Desi. Hopefully, she’ll be a better dancer than me and make Mama proud.
Eventually, the bright, colorful, moving pixels captured her attention, and she sat down and watched the show with me. She finds humor where there is none, and it dawns on me why I never liked this channel. The creators make these shows specifically for children, and their world is not the same as ours. Still, I want to enjoy this time with her and try to strike up a conversation. Luckily, she beat me to it.
“I like ow-wah house,” she shouts.
I never even considered what Desi would think about this whole vacation situation. If she thinks the rental is our new house, and she’s feeling this positively about living elsewhere, I suppose things will go smoothly when we do finally move. Come to think about it, she doesn’t have enough memories in our house to be attached to it, anyway.
“This isn’t our house, Des. We’re just borrowing it.”
“Ba-woh?”
“Yes. We’re on vacation.”
“Bay-cay-shin?”
Oof. How do I explain these things to someone who, a.) is learning about it for the first time, and b.) has a limited understanding of most things?
“Yeah, vacation. It’s like…uhhh…okay, so sometimes when you live in one place, you want to go to another place to visit. But if it’s far away, you need a place to stay, so you borrow a house like this.”
I am not confident I explained that well at all. But a fit of wild giggles from her side of the couch told me she was at least amused by it. I just wish I knew what I said that tickled her so.
“You funny daddy!”
“Ehhh…thanks? I guess.”
