And the Day Begins

In my previous post, I wrote about the magic of our morning snuggle/book time. I stretch it out each morning as I am reluctant to assume the work and responsibilities of the day. Because sometimes just getting through breakfast can be a hassle, like this morning . . .

Me: "Elise, do you want Cheerios or raisin bran for breakfast?"
Elise: "Cheerios."

I am surprised at her choice, but I pour her a bowl of Cheerios.

Elise, facing a bowl of Cheerios, tears rolling down her face: "I don't want Cheerios! I want raisin bran!"
Me: "You asked for Cheerios, you don't have to eat it if you don't want to, but I'm not going to pour a bowl full of raisin bran."

Elise, through her tears: "I didn't say Cheerios, I said raisin bran. How about raisin bran on top?"
Me, willing to compromise: "Okay, a little on top."

I pour a little raisin bran on top.

Elise, looking at her bowl of layered cereal: "I don't want raisin bran on top!"
Her crying has reached the hiccup stage by now. I am hoping her crankiness is due to her current illness and not a new stage. I send her to her room to pull herself together.

In a little while I join her in her room for a little talk and TLC. She heads out with a better attitude to restart breakfast. As I enter the kitchen, I hear the sound of falling water. Zion has dumped his whole bowl of cereal all over his highchair and the floor.

I clean up the mess.

Elise eats. Zion harasses Elise while she eats. I start to empty the dishwasher. Zion touches the dishes in the dishwasher. That is a no-no for him and an automatic time-out.

I give Zion a time-out. As I return to the kitchen, Elise proudly tells me that she is all done so she helped out and put her dishes in the dishwasher -- my clean dishwasher. My clean dishes are now splattered with milk and soggy Cheerios and raisin bran.

Once again I start to clean up a mess.

Then I notice Zion on the floor. Some of Elise's soggy cereal missed my clean dishes and splattered on the linoleum. Zion is picking up mushy bran flakes of the floor and eating them. Yuck.

And that is the start of my real day. The stuff of life that fills in between our morning snuggles and the relief of nap time.