We’ve been busy here on the north coast of America.
The days flew by, and tomorrow afternoon we pick Mr. Chicken up at the airport for a whirlwind Father’s Day weekend of baseball games, wedding showers and steak dinners. Then Monday, we mount up again and head back to the wilds of the Great Middle West, where I will hunker down and wait for 08-08-08 and the arrival of our much anticipated Shaggy Boy.
When I planned this trip, for some reason I thought I had more time here.
As it is, I’m shoving visits into our days and packing them with family and friends until the seams are about to burst.
Combine our busy schedule with the late arrival of the summer sunset and you have a recipe for late bedtimes and even later risings.
The Poo spent all yesterday afternoon outside running wild with her cousins. At one point she marched off to the side of my sister’s huge backyard to - and I quote - “go potty in the bushes” like cousin Teddy does on occasion.
Already soaked from a water war saturated with giggles, she managed to pee all over her skort and tennis shoes.
I stripped her down while my sister went to get her some new clothes. She emerged from the house with a skirt only, not realizing that I also took off The Poo’s wet shirt.
Naked from the waist up, tendrils curling outrageously from her loosened ponytail, The Poo frolicked in the grass “European style,” as her uncle put it.
We finally made our way home well after 7 p.m. and threw in an impromptu trip to Wegmans for their special child-sized chocolate chip cookies.
By the time we had a bath and a snack and some TV time on Meema’s big bed, it was well past 9 p.m.
Typically, The Poo is an unrelenting early riser. Many a morning I’ve groaned to see her wee head in the door of my bedroom at 6:45 a.m., demanding waffles and juice.
At 9:45 a.m., she rolled over and opened her eyes.
“Mama, it’s mornin’ time,” she muttered.
***
When we were school-aged, my mother woke up with us every morning - only to promptly lay back down on the sofa and mainline coffee that my dad brought to her while she stayed prone.
Clutching lunches packed by my dad, we kissed her goodbye while she opened one sleepy eye.
I wonder now if she went back to bed after we left.
These days she’s on her own, a widow on a private schedule. Beholden to no one, she goes to bed late and wakes later. I creep into the hallway to use the bathroom late at night, only to see a sliver of flickering light from her television underneath her bedroom door.
She can sleep as late as she wishes now.
I imagine she wishes there was someone to wake her early and bring her a steaming mug of coffee.
***
The Poo needs time to wake up, especially when she stays up late.
These days back East break slowly, her eyes opening later and later each morning as we near the end of our visit.
I’m lax with the rules, letting her eat as many cookies as she wants and stay out past her normal bath time and bedtime.
I’m lax with the rules, because I know in eight short weeks The Poo’s role in our family will change. She will be the big sister; the responsible one. The care-taker. The one who will be asked to be the bigger person when there is a fisticuffs over toys or attention from her parents.
The one who will have to suck it up and be a big girl.
This is a role I know.
***
I let her sleep while I watch, the morning sun playing on her face. She sighs, and I kiss her button nose.
June 12th, 2008 at 10:51 am
9:45am is a delicious time to wake. And tell Poo to leave that camping potty stuff (what we called it when the boys would wee outside in the trees) to the boys!
June 12th, 2008 at 11:18 am
If one of my daughter’s was still asleep at 9:45, I’d be frantically checking their breathing and heart rate. I’m happy if I can get them to stay in bed past 7.
Enjoy it!
June 12th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Maybe it’s just my computer but about half of the text of your post today is covered up by ads for Blogher and other things. I couldn’t really get the gist of most of it and I always enjoy reading about your family so I was disappointed.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Gorgeous picture as always …
You brought back a memory of me s-l-o-w-l-y and carefully climbing the stairs with a hot cup of coffee for my mom in the mornings.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I am so glad all is going well. And relaxing the rules, are ou a great mom or what!
June 12th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Beautiful.
June 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
What a totally great post ~ I loved every word. You are so right about relaxing the rules ~ it is wonderful to just kick back, relax and enjoy a break away from home.
I am sure The Poo will take to her role as a big sister wonderfully!!
June 12th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
this made me sigh right out loud
June 12th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Who would want to get out of that cozy-looking bed?
June 12th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I’ve been reading your blog lately, as I am also expecting.
My daughter is 16 months, and while she is much younger than Poo, I have so many of the same emotions. I am also the oldest, and ache to hold onto her innocence forever.
Good luck to both our girls:)
June 12th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
***sigh*** Beautiful
June 13th, 2008 at 9:16 am
lovely once again.
Early in my parents marriage, when she was in her 20’s my mom was making coffee on a cold morning, she turned to the gas stove to warm her back and caught fire. She sustained some pretty serious burns,but from that morning on, my father brought her coffee in bed ever single day until the sickness came- 40ish years later.
He joked that my mom would do anything to get him out of bed.
Thanks for bringing the story of that memory back.
Enjoy the sweetness of your mornings and the company of your family.
GNMParents
Maine-ly Megin
June 13th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Her role will change but she’ll rise beautifully to the occasion, even if it is a little later than usual.
I’m pretty lax with bedtime in the summer here. Winter here is far too long and brutal not to be out enjoying warm breezes and bare feet.
June 15th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Sometimes when our 2 year old wakes in the night, I bring him into my bed and sleep with him snuggled up next to me, smelling his sweet breath and letting him warm me so I don’t need the blanket. People might say that I shouldn’t ‘give in’ to him, but I say he won’t be two forever, and I enjoy those moments. Great post.