All before 8am

The bustle starts early in our house - usually at 5am.

I log-in to my computer to squeeze in a couple hours of work or writing, catch up on emails or register for yet another swimming, dance or music class. But first the French Press coffee is set to brew. There's not much I can do without a small cup of coffee.

Lately, I've found myself outside sipping my coffee, like today to welcome spring. I listen to the birds whistle and chirp back and forth, breath in the fresh early morning air, and cozy up in my sweats to enjoy the chill of spring. It's a beautiful season as things come to life again. Even our tulips are getting little bulbs.

Inside, Lizzie begins to stir around 6:30 or 7am. She seems to relish quiet, alone time in her crib before calling out to us for the first bottle. When I enter her room at her first shout, her body is wriggling and her eyes blinking as they say good morning to me. From that first shout, she is ready to eat. There is not a second to waste. So, of course I have already prepared a big bottle as well as a little medicine to sooth her tummy. Like many babies, she has acid reflux but never complains about it.

Madeleine's mornings change everyday. This morning, I went in to cuddle for a bit and she buried her head in the pillows to tell me, "I'm not ready yet." Other mornings she crawls into our bed before we wake-up to plop between Ell and I, and begin watching some cartoons - typically Curious George on PBS.

Within 30 minutes things are moving fast...

Coffee is being remade and warmed up. Loads of laundry are going in or being switched from the washer to the dryer. The dishwasher is unloaded. Lunches for dad, mom and Madeleine are prepped at the same time bread goes into the toaster for Maddi's favorite "sugar toast" (just a little bit of butter and brown sugar, mmmm). The kids are fed (or still eating) and Ell and I finally hop into our showers. It's only 7 by this point.

 

I send Maddi to pick out her clothes. She protests and I start the countdown to three, never getting past one. Ell and I are busy finding pressed work clothes for the day. Somehow the outfit that I want to wear is always wrinkled or hidden deep in my closet.

As I juggle with makeup and drying my hair, I help Maddi climb into leggings and a dress. Lizzie is content with food and patiently plays on her playmat, with a few coos here and there. Ell is out the door by 7:30. Pam (our very own Mary Poppins) is walking in at about 8am. The coffee is warmed up again.

And now Maddi is ready to play, just minutes before we need to head out the door. I give in to a game of hide and seek, fashion show or Storefront Bingo. Just one, then it's shoes, jackets, brush our teeth, and away we go to preschool.

Our drive to school is filled with chatter. The latest is fill-in-the-blank pairings or opposites, and goes something like this... Maddi: "If I'm the apple, you're the ___ (pie)." Me: "If I'm the sunrise, you're the ___ (sunset)." If I'm the brother, you're the sister. If I'm the chair, you're the table. We have fun with this. Other mornings we turn up the radio and wave our hands in the air to dance together.

We arrive at school, lunchbox in hand and whatever toy is popular that day, walk into the classroom and I'm forgotten about. Friends welcome Maddi to play and I'm off to work. It's 8:30am.