Our mornings begin in the same manner each day, and while they lack variety I have come to appreciate the simplicity of waking first to the hungry grunts of the littlest, followed by the quiet footsteps of the oldest and finally the rhythmic calls for "Mama" from our boy. By the time I have finished my morning cup of coffee, flavored heavily with Hazelnut creamer, we have all assembled in the family room. Depending on the day, Jeff is either finishing his morning quiet time at the kitchen table or returning from morning hoops at the gym. And, by 7:30 our family of five is all present and accounted for. It is then that we typically begin to admire the littlest and marvel over her amusing head bobble as she attempts to make eye contact with each of us. Her gaze; however, always returns to mine, and as we lock eyes I am overwhelmed by my love for her. These are the moments I treasure and return to when the noise and temporary chaos of life with three little ones leaves me feeling in desperate need of Tylenol...or Chardonnay.
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Wednesday after early morning feedings and the filling of milk cups, the children and I readied ourselves for a morning of appointments and errands. With each new day, the littlest is learning how to self-soothe and entertain herself. Today she blessed me with twenty minutes of quiet wakefulness as she rocked in her swing, allowing me to get the older two ready, make a phone call and get dressed for the day. After a relatively uneventful trip to the orthodontist where the little lady expressed her desire to wear "grey things on her teeth" when she is older, we rounded out our morning with a trip to Target (yes, again) and a trip through McDonald's drive-thru ("Mama, you surprised us!"). Honestly, having to replace retainers at the age of 32 is both humbling and annoying. Bah humbug.
After picking up the little lady from school, we stopped at the Fresh Market to purchase the fixings for pot pie and returned home just minutes before Jeff, who surprised the kids with an invitation to join him for a brisk walk to Thorton Park. While the oldest enjoyed their final trip to a favorite neighborhood park, the littlest and I prepared our last Cleveland pot pie. My days in our tiny kitchen are numbered as I clean out our fridge, use up pantry items, and prepare to box up the majority of kitchen items this weekend. Sharing one of our favorite family meals around the small round table Mimi purchased Jeff and I as newlyweds and that we plan to donate next week, I suddenly became quite nostalgic. As we prepare to leave yet another city, our hearts are full of gratitude for the many wonderful moments we have shared as a family, and another fruitful year.
Heading to pick up Sissy from Carol Nursery School.
My mischievous side kick.
Having limited toys at her disposal, the little lady spends her evenings expressing herself through fashion, interpretive dance, and other creative ways.
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