Before the Chaos of the Day Begins

Just before the start of the day's chaos consisting of demands for separate dishes for breakfast; Cheerios and water every morning for my little one and waffles and juice for my eldest...

Before requests for specific sippy cups (because didn't you know?  Beverages taste different depending of the colour of cup it's drank from)...

Before the exasperating brotherly bickering of 'he's looking at me funny!' and 'don't make that sound!' and 'he's touching my foot!'...

Before my first snappy irritable response to their fighting, before the pile of dishes begins, before the dog whines to be let out and barks incessantly to be let back in minutes later, before the sounds of Scooby Doo from the television and the pounding of little feet running laps around the house, before diapers are in need to be changed...

Before the general demands of my day begin...the dawn rises and I hear the sound of small feet pattering closer from across the hall, seconds later my eldest clambers quietly into our bed and curls in gently next to me.  A lower case s to my Upper Case one.  My hand reaches around and tucks into his middle and we lie together quietly just like we did when he was a swaddled newborn during the nights he couldn't settle.

 I kiss the back of curly head and ask him how his sleep was.

"Good."  His voice is still soft and sleepy.  He is a boy of few words, especially in the morning.

This is our morning ritual.   And like every ritual, I take great comfort in it.

I know these sweet mornings are numbered.  He will be starting school this fall.   When the morning will abruptly start with the discomfort of an alarm clock sounding and not always the gentle delicious warmth of my son's little body curled into mine.

My 3 Little Birds - MOMents