Zoe in bloom

For the past few weeks, I've been 'man of the hour' as far as Zoe is concerned. For her, it's "mommy do" everything, including many of the daddy rituals (ie, cheerios and milk snuggles before daycare). I must admit more than a fair amount of frustration on my part that she just won't let Dave do anything for her, or rather, for me.

This has actually prompted a few time-outs for her when she's been overly insistent about my doing something I either can't or would rather not do. (Did I mention she's getting a little bossy?)

This evening, upon arriving at home, her daddy invited her to accompany him to the mailbox (another ritual of theirs). She insisted that I do it. In the midst of the ensuing fit, I got her to sit on my lap and tried to calm her down with repeated proclamations of my love for her.

She then pulled away to look at me and wail "mommy, I missed you today!" I of course started crying which prompted her to cry out again. I told her it was OK, that I too missed her. To this she responded with another wail "I just want you to be happy!" Oh baby girl.

Now as painful as it was to hear all this (working mommy guilt is never-ending and ever-evolving), her getting off her chest the fact that she misses me was absolutely cathartic - for her and I. It's not that I didn't think that she misses me during her long days at "Bella's house", I get that. But that she had finally identified and spoken about missing me was huge. And for her to put a voice on her empathy for my tears was astounding.

After countless kisses and hugs, we found some mutual peace and made our way upstairs together so that she could "help me" change out of my work clothes. However, and I should have anticipated this, she actually intended to help me change out of my work clothes.

I can't put into words the feelings I had listening to and watching her explain each step in the process. First the buttons on my sweater, then the pulling off and on of my shirts, the putting on of socks and slippers. It was so beautiful to see her mirror the care I've tried to take with her in dressing her all these days.

You are quite the little girl, Zoe. A huge heart, a huge personality. You and the changes you reveal each day are simply amazing and I promise to cherish the reminders you give me to stop and pay attention to it all.