two years, one month, four weeks

Dear Zac,

The latest word in your vocabulary is "together".

"We need to play together."

"We need to walk together"

"We need to read together"

"We need to eat dinner together", you say, and I know you mean you want mommy and daddy to not only sit with you, but eat our dinner, too.


Together. All of us.


It absolutely melts my heart.


Mommy works very hard with 11 and 12 year olds to teach them how to work and be together. I plan to share with them your definition of the word "together", which I happen to love.

When you say "together", Zachary, you don't mean "sit with me while I play" you mean "you play, too, with the same toys, on the same spot on the floor, with the same attention to the game that I have. You will find this game as important as it is for me." If mommy squats, you push me over so I am completely sitting on the ground, not halfway standing. You tell me to put my phone away. You remind me I'm with you and not anyone else.

"Together", for you, seems so simple. But for most people it is very hard. It means putting everything else aside. Putting away the computer, turning off the phone, de-prioritizing everything else, turning off the brain and all the to-do's and only doing the one thing that actually needs to get done. Spending quality time with family. "Together", for so many, means doing what someone else wants you to do. And I have to admit, often, I'm the same way. I have my own to-do lists. But when I sit on the floor with you to play cars or trains, or when you climb into my lap with a book, or when we scramble around quickly to make dinner so we can "all eat dinner together", the smile on your face reminds me that "together" is exactly what I want.

Today starts a new year. At the end of every year, we try to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the year to come. My resolutions include lots of things for me that don't really include other people. But now, I'm adding to that list and I'm putting "together" at the top.

Thank you, Zac for teaching me what "together" means. Thank you for helping me put everything aside and just be exactly where I want to be. With you.

Happy New Year!

Mommy