Hand In Hand

Dear Connor,

You are turning 8 this fall (oh my god, 8!) and are pretty self-sufficient. You brush your teeth, shower and get ready for school and bed all on your own. You can pour your own bowl of cereal for breakfast in the mornings and when we go to restaurants, you go to the bathroom by yourself (unless it's a huge restaurant and the bathroom is way on the other side). If you spill a cup of milk, you get the paper towels and clean it up without needing my help. You are so big now but I am happy that you are still not too big for one particular thing: holding my hand.

When we go out, I am usually holding your younger siblings' hands or pushing DiDi in the stroller but during those rare times when my hands are free, you often grab one and hold on. It feels a little foreign at first because I am so used to holding your siblings' smaller hands and it reminds me that while DiDi and JieJie need more of my attention these days, you still need--and deserve--some, too. I am grateful for those moments when you and I can hold hands and for the fact that, as big as you are, you still like holding my hand.

Love,
Mom