Messy Mornings

When I think about motherhood and life in general, the images that come to the forefront first are the messy, tousled, coffee stained moments I spend with my children in the hours of sunrise. Maybe this is a product of being a photographer, but literally when I close my eyes I see this way. And perhaps you can understand why I feel so fortunate, every single sleephead morning.

The other day, while I was playing a game of Trouble with my daughter (8), "Mommy's little monster" decided to bring me my coffee. Both the stain and the sweet memory of his gesture remain. My son and I share a birthday, a happy spirit, and the inability to sleep in. This two year old alarm clock yells from his crib for me to join him often before the sun. Then once released from confines of his crib, he gathers blankie and sets off to wake his sissy (not an early bird).

We all sit down and slide step by step downstairs to start our day. On school days, it's all about getting the backpack loaded, the paperwork signed, the kids fed, the weather appropriate clothing on and we dash to the bus stop.

On weekends, we laze about. Checking email, Twitter, playing games, wrestling on the floor, playing with cars, cows, or coloring books. We deliver coffee to Daddy fighting over who gets to carry the newspapers. Then I burn bacon and we all laugh and open the windows regardless of outside temperature.
We giggle, I correct, sip our juice, coffee or milk and prep for the day. They chase each other like wild fools. I referee. Max pleads his case with his Sissy "Poo-it, Scoo do & mean monsters?" and she smiles at me because it's his a.m. video of choice. And we roll our eyes knowing that I have to have my hand on the trigger to fast-forward all the "scary monster" parts for the little guy.


Regularly I think, how quickly the months, seasons, years pass. Soon these little joys will be big and creating their own morning rituals. I'll have these images to reflect on the special dawns I shared with my family.

Time should stand still for long enough for us to soak all this great stuff in, but it won't relent.

The coffee sets in as does my Type A, full speed ahead approach. As soon as my mind is fully awake, I get easily ladened with "what's next" and these precious timeless moments come to pass. The To Do list needs me. The chores, the business opportunities and the bills, responsibilities take hold.


And just like that another brilliant day ensues.