Yesterday, when I dropped Ishu off to school, he walked into the gross motor room, turned back to look at me and said, “Have a good day at your book club!”

Which made me chuckle all the way home because I think it’s hilarious that my 4-year old thinks that, whenever we’re not with each other, it’s because I’m doing book club things.

There was also this moment of pride I felt in walking away, thinking about how my big kid has wrapped me up in this identity.

Over the past year, I feel as though I’ve stepped more into myself. Who I really am. What I really like. And I think his farewell yesterday made me realize that he, too, can see it. He’s not just sending me off back home, thinking I’ve got dishes to do or dinners to prep. He thinks I’m off to go do book-related things and I love that that’s his perception. (And, honestly, I *wish* that’s what took up the bulk of my day without him, haha).

And I guess he wasn’t entirely wrong. I hung out with SOME of the book club girlies at Diana’s place yesterday. She hosted a cozy Halloween brunch for some mamas and babies. And, though we didn’t actually discuss a book, it still had cozy book club vibes that I’m welcoming more of into my life.

It was a beautiful way to start the week.

And then, in the evening, after we picked Ishu up, we stopped in to say hi to Jeej who is in town for another conference! I feel like the kids have some sort of comfort with him that they don’t quite feel with other people right away. And I think it’s because they get to see him so much. I love it.

Like, I was half expecting the baby to cry when he wasn’t in my arms. But he just cozied up to Jeej because he KNOWS that those were the arms that put him to sleep so dang much, back in July. Ha.

Okay, I’m going to go wrangle the big kid into his school clothes.

For me to then drop him off. So he can then turn around and say, “Enjoy your book club today, mama.”

I just love it.