Our Monday morning started at 6:45, when Silas began chirping in his crib and I opened one crusty eye to the sun beaming in through our eastward facing bedroom windows. At 9:38am, I'm still unshowered and in my pjs, but I'm hopeful for some redemption for that during Si's naptime.
Bear and Turtle joined us for some snuggling (ie. Silas' knee in my throat and some very well-meant hugs that turn into head-butts), we headed downstairs where Chris joined us for breakfast (after spending the morning studying in his office). Oatmeal and coffee for me, greek yogurt + bananas + granola for the little dude. He loves that yogurt, but I'm not so sure I love the plaster-like way it dries on his hands and face. After hosing him down, we get straight into our agenda for the morning.
That being books, blocks, tantrums, more coffee for mama, and a wrestling match with Daddy before he leaves for work. Chris' classes don't start until about 9:30 and he takes the train in, which gives us a little time with him in the morning. This weekend, he spent most of his time holed up in his office doing school-work, but every time I began to whine to myself about not getting a break, and the weekend being a waste, I was reminded that things could be a lot harder around here. He's not deploying, he doesn't have duty nights, and I get to sleep next to him every night. We'll never have this much time together again during his Navy career, and even the tough times are not-so-bad.
Once Chris leaves for the day, we're on our own. There are breakfast dishes piled up next to the sink, toys litter the living room, and crumbs from yesterday's tortilla chip snack are stuck in the rug. But for now, we'll just play and ignore those things. (Well, that's Si's MO any day, but I'll do my best to take care of those things later this afternoon.) I raised my voice at him too many times this weekend, so this morning I'm praying for renewed patience. New mercies every morning have taken on a whole new meaning since becoming a mama. Especially when he joins me in the bathroom and insists on blowing his 'no' by tearing off 52 tiny 1 centimeter square pieces of toilet paper. And then throws the toilet paper roll in the toilet while I'm washing my hands. Sometimes you just have to laugh.
This kid has a hilarious personality emerging and we get such a kick out of seeing each new word he learns. He's a people-person through and through, and he must learn five new words a day. His favorite book is his "bubble"-- our Jesus Storybook Bible, which is a favorite of all of ours. If you are looking for a beautifully written children's Bible with gorgeous illustrations, this is the one for you.
As I type this, Si is watching his morning Daniel Tiger show and I'm planning the rest of the day in my head-- a trip to the post office, maybe head to the library. Tomorrow will bring another sunshiny, cold morning, and we'll do it all over again. And I'll do my best to relish the little moments that build upon each other to make a day.