He sees palm trees everywhere

Dave has long had a thing for palm trees, mainly because he wishes he lived in California. When we first moved to the 'burbs fifteen years ago, the year I was pregnant with Max, he looked into whether we could possibly have one in our backyard. Hardy palms can grow in the Northeast, but once Max came along we never got around to it.

Max has caught Dave's palm tree fixation. This is because Max is planning to move to Orlando. Lately, he's seeing palm trees everywhere.

A few weeks ago, we were sitting in our porch when he started gesturing across the street and saying something I couldn't understand. It took a while for me to realize what he was pointing to: the giant weed trees on our street. It took a little longer for me to realize what he was saying: palm trees.

I had to laugh. This patch of woods typically gets to be an overgrown eyesore as the summer goes on. But there was Max, seeing palm trees.

"Yes, I can see how that looks like palm trees!" I said.

"It is!" he responded.

I wasn't going to argue. Especially because for the last few months, he's been telling us how much he hates our area. Because it isn't Orlando. At least he'd found something to appreciate.

After that, when we'd go out driving, he'd occasionally point out the window excitedly and say "palm tree!"

And I'd say, "Yes, that looks like a palm tree!"

It's kind of awesome to go through life thinking that you see palm trees everywhere.