Simple mornings

I love spending time with my girls. As much as I love sleeping in, I love being the first to see their sweet faces in the morning even more.

They're fickle waker-uppers. I never know if they'll greet me with a big smile (Ella: "Hi Mommy! My dipee wet!" or "Moommmmmy......boo, hoo, hoo [frowny face]." Kate either cries like she's a bit delirious or is standing there, holding her mousy under one arm, smiling ear to ear.)

I love changing their diapers in the morning. Really, I do. I actually like it. Something about the tenderness of it all. That I get to start my day by taking care of one of their very simple needs.

I love that Kate always points to her birdie mobile....wants to greet the birdies before we leave her room. Ella ALWAYS says "I want my Pooh!" and insists SHE personally be the one to grab her poodle from her bed before we go downstairs for breakfast.

Walking down the stairs in the morning is always a challenge on those days they wake up at the same time. I feel like I'm making poor Ella grow up too quickly if I don't carry her down. I feel like I'm favoring Ella if I make Kate crawl down the steps on her belly. And I feel like I'm risking our lives if I carry them both down the stairs.

But we manage to get through it.



I love cutting up berries for Kate. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries. She loves them. And she picks them up with her little finger and puts them in her mouth, making an audible "humph" with each bite. Ella is addicted to waffles with syrup and will rarely accept anything else for her first meal.

I make coffee, which Ella calls "Mommy Coffee." "You makin' yo Mommy Coffee, Mommy?" she asks. "Yes I am, Ella Bella." I reply. "It's reaaaaaaaaly hooooot!" she exclaims.

We usually spend some time in the play room, The Today Show playing in the background. On these beautiful spring and summer days, I try to get them upstairs, dressed and out the door to the park as early as we can.

We pass the seminary school at the corner, and I tell Ella to say hello to her castle. When we arrive at the park, Ella runs to all her familiar favorite places as Kate tries to catch up. I could stay and watch them forever, but Kate nap time usually requires us to leave within an hour or so.





We return to the house and Kate usually takes her nap; and the morning's over.

I sometimes think I wish mornings could be like this forever. When my girls are all mine; when I don't have to share them with school or friends or boyfriends. When crabby or happy, all they want when they awake is to see my face greet them. When they both clamour at my knees, imploring me to carry them down the stairs. When we all sit in the kitchen and happily eat breakfast together as we start the day. When playing at the park is a familiar but exciting adventure that they never tire of.

I love our simple mornings. Love them to my core.