we have arrived

It used to be that the kids would wake early. Now, not so much.

These days it’s me and my husband that get up early. We run, shower, and visit. He makes his lunch and eats breakfast while I fix my coffee and turn on the computer. He goes to work. I write. After awhile I’ll realize it’s going on 9 o’clock and I really should get the kids up if I want them to have time to eat breakfast before lunch.

Upstairs, I cut off the noise machine and push open doors. Sometimes they’re already awake, curled under the covers reading a book. But other times they’re still sound asleep. “Time to get up,” I’ll whisper, taking care to stay out of range of their dragon breath.

They groan, scratch, mash their retainers with their teeth, pull the blankets over their heads.

“Come on. Up now.” I’m no longer whispering. “It’s time for breakfast. Be downstairs in five minutes.”

I walk out, leaving their doors open in hopes that my clattering will keep them from slipping back into dreamland.

This same time, years previous: fútbol, goat cheese whipped cream, red beet greens, and patting myself on the back.

7 Comments

  • Crystal

    You've mentioned a noise machine before. I need to purchase one for our home,with hopes of keeping our little ones naps uninterrupted. Could you recommend yours? Any tips on what to look for? This is an entirely new thing to me. Thank you! I really enjoy following your blog and trying your recipes. Our new favorite banana bread was found here. It's practically dessert!

    • Jennifer Jo

      I went back in the post and added a link to the type of noise machine we have.

      We bought ours about 15 years ago and it cost about 50 dollars back then, too. But it's still going strong! Considering that it's probably been running for a total of five years, that's a pretty good deal! (We originally had two machines and one expired a number of years back. Even though this one has had a slight rattle for a couple years now, it's still purring.)

    • Jennifer Jo

      I went back in the post and added a link to the type of noise machine we have.

      We bought ours about 15 years ago and it cost about 50 dollars back then, too. But it's still going strong! Considering that it's probably been running for a total of five years, that's a pretty good deal! (We originally had two machines and one expired a number of years back. Even though this one has had a slight rattle for a couple years now, it's still purring.)

    • Jennifer Jo

      I went back in the post and added a link to the type of noise machine we have.

      We bought ours about 15 years ago and it cost about 50 dollars back then, too. But it's still going strong! Considering that it's probably been running for a total of five years, that's a pretty good deal! (We originally had two machines and one expired a number of years back. Even though this one has had a slight rattle for a couple years now, it's still purring.)

  • Suburban Correspondent

    It feels so strange, doesn't it, after all those years of the little ones getting up early? I swear, though, I am so done with waking up teens. DONE.

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