Survival in the City

After a bit of a rough patch Sunday afternoon and evening, J.P. has been great.  Little or no "go find Mama's."  Actually, after my longtime friend, Mike Matteson, had dinner with J.P. and I last night, then left, I heard a few "go find Mike's."  A welcome change, actually.

J.P. seems to understand that Jude is in Chicago.  When I ask him where Mama is, he says "Chicago."  Not that clearly of course, but I can understand what he's saying.  It helps, I think, when she calls before bedtime and he can talk to her on the telephone.  He realizes that she's not here, but I think he understands she's not too far away and, more importantly, that she's coming back.

Tonight, I took J.P. to my softball game - game 1 of the 2010 Nashville Bar Association Softball Tournament, an annual late summer event.  My mother, my sister (Tracy), and her 2 children, Kaitlyn and Matthew, came to the game, as well.  It was great, because they were able to watch him while I played softball.  Also, I was pleased that Tracy's kids got a chance to see their Uncle Phil in action on the pitcher's mound.  We won, 15-9, although we didn't play particularly well.

After the game, J.P. and Tracy's kids ran the bases.  Again, again and again.  J.P. was so tired when we got home that he went right to sleep after I put him in his crib.

It was a good night and it's been a good couple of days.  Still, I'll be glad when Jude gets home tomorrow.  We make a pretty good team and it's a hell of a lot less stressful than flying solo.