Cherry Tomatoes and Red Balloons

So, Hubs, bebe and I are in Santa Fe.  We LOVE Santa Fe.  Seriously, love, love, love it.  Every time I come here I wonder why I don't live here.  That being said, I have heard it described as "America's lint trap."  In addition to hippies and artists, Santa Fe has more than its share of odd ducks and people who simply can't find their way in the regular world.

Personally, I have no issues with these folks because, though I am only slightly off-beat, I truly believe that it takes all types.  This does not, however, pertain to people who eats mounds of fast food and then winge about their blood pressure -- that I simply do not understand or accept.

So, bebe and I are at Trader Joe's, one of my fave places on the planet.  I loathe to grocery shop but I love shopping at TJ's and Whole Foods.  They are not farmers' markets but the closest thing... farmers' markets make me happy.

{This is one of those stories I am writing so that I don't forget the moment when I am senile and eating pudding in the old lady home}

Back to the point...  bebe's latest thing is cherry tomatoes.  He will eat dozens of them if I let him.  {And, of course, I let him.  They are healthy and portable -- two key elements for this mommy}.  He sees some at TJ's, grabs them and clutches them to his body like they are his long lost puppy.  Seriously, he is beaming, hugging them to his chest and rocking back and forth.  Quite the drama king I have here.

All is great with the world:  two separate people have commented on the beauty of our auras (they are intertwined, in case you care), I am picking up chocolate covered edamame, sea salt scrub and Two Buck Chuck and bebe boy is munching on cherry tomatoes.  Could life be any more perfect?

Enter the balloon lady.  Someone gives bebe a balloon and ties it to his hand.  And it is a red balloon to boot.  Apparently, to him this red balloon resembles a giant cherry tomato so he is long past giddy. Red?  And it floats and bobs?  And I get to play with it while I eat tomatoes?  BoNANza!

It is not long before bebe has drawn a crowd with his laughter.  Someone pulled the balloon down and  bebe was mesmerized by it floating back up.  This sent him into peals of laughter.  Peals.  Which drew a larger crowd.  It was quite the scene.  There are a dozen people gathered around my child, bopping the balloon and then recording (on video, camera and voice) his response.  I am his mom and I don't have a camera with me but he is surrounded by 12 Cecil B DeMille types (three of whom look homeless).  And two total strangers have his belly laugh as their ringtone while I have the theme song from "Sanford and Son" as mine.  I am pretty sure this makes me a bad mom...

Regardless, I take this as a prime opportunity to find a bench and drink my watermelon juice.  All is right with the world... a perfect Santa Fe moment.