I want you to work this many

From Reid:

Mom is telling me that she's about to go away. I don't like it when she leaves, so I tell her I don't want her to go. She says that I'll be with Daddy. I like Daddy, but I really don't want Mommy to leave.

She says she'll only be gone for this many hours (holds up 4 fingers). That's probably a long time. Then she says that Daddy is gone every day for this many hours (holds up 10 fingers). That's really a lot!

I tell Daddy that I wish he only worked this many (I hold up 4 fingers).

He says he could do that (but I know he's saying he can't). He then says we'd have to get rid of some of our stuff and change how we live. He asks me to choose some toys to give to other children. Together we look at each of my toys, and all of them look fun. I want him to play with me.

Later we play with books on the bookshelf. He looks through them & hands me some to put in a box. He also gives me some old phone books to put in the recycling, but I want to stand on them and slide around the room. It's fun!

I'm glad I got to have a fun evening with my Daddy. But I missed Mommy, too.