"My" Family

What does family actually mean? Is it blood relation? Those you live with? People who care about you? Do you have to see them regularly for family to apply?

Last night Husband was brushing his teeth getting ready for bed and I was running around getting Baby Boy settled down and ready for bed. It was the typical evening routine. Baby Boy picked up Husband's watch and was playing with it. He thought the clasp was cool and asked a lot of questions about how it worked and why it was made the way it was made. We answered all of his questions as he took it on and off of his wrist. As I was walking Baby Boy out of the bathroom to get him into bed he said to Husband:

"Can I have this watch after you die?"

I laughed. Baby Boy cracks me up with the things he thinks of sometimes.

Husband did not find this funny however and said very seriously:

"No. Someone in my family might want it."

Baby Boy wasn't phased and happily walked out of the room, while I looked back at Husband with shock and disgust.

After Baby Boy was tucked in, kisses were exchanged and he was on his way to dreamland, I got into bed next to Husband who asked me if I was mad at him. Um, YES!

But I said: "A little"

He said: "I'm sorry about the watch thing. I took that too seriously I guess. What should I have said?"

"You could have said, 'I don't know. Maybe'"

He agreed.

I thought of my next words carefully and said: "Baby Boy was only 2 when you came into his life. He doesn't know family to be anything different then how it is now. You are his family."

Husband was quiet. We snuggled together for a little while. Then husband said, a little choked up: "He is my family."