Two square.

* Guess who's feet these are and win a prize!!!!!

(The feet have nothing to do with the post, except that there are 2 of them).

Nonie is smitten.

Dec is smitten.

They are both IN LOVE with the neighbor kids across the street.

And they should be.

These kids are older.

Our kids flirt with them at every chance. Calling out their names. Showing off their toys.

(It is disgraceful, really. I mean, who are these kids?)

The neighborhood children are far wiser and way cooler than Dec & Nonie's parents.

Or at least, let this be the night that Dec made that realization.

The night he received his FIRST EVER invite to join in a game of "Two Square".

The game was being played right out on the quiet street in front of our house and he was treated like royalty for the duration. Dec was "the beginner player" who (for some odd reason........wink, wink), never lost.

Our two neighbors rotated around him throughout the game.

He could do no wrong among these sweety pies who kept calling him "Decky", hence his permanent grin. These are the kids who have pinky sweared that they will say "hi" to Dec whenever they see him in the hallway of his Elementary School. And they will make sure he is never picked on by bullies. Really, they promise this to me each time I see them.

I'm pretty certain he played Two-Square wrong the whole night.

And I (me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me - that was for you T), I don't even know what two-square is. I think it is a modified version of four-square. Or boxball. Or whatever it was called when you were a kid.

But tonight Dame and I looked at each other over a cocktail on the front porch and realized that the lure of two square was nothing we could compete with.

*Cheers to us!* I guess.

He was off.

Nonie followed close on his heals. Through the gate - they each grabbed an outstretched hand.

It was 100% summer. Again.

The "odd man out" tonight was in charge of keeping Nonie safe along the road.

And, let this be one small step, though a significant tug on the heartstrings, of "letting him go". Letting him go a bit further than he was yesterday.

God forbid.

Two square: I'm not sure if I should love you or hate you.