Busy Morning!

Not so bright and early, I awoke to Becky bringing Little Joe to me for the day. He was cheerful and content to sit in his carrier, so I thought I would take the opportunity to start breakfast for the other boys who would be arriving in a few minutes. As I started for the kitchen, I noticed the laundry hamper seriously needed emptying, and laundry needed doing. Later. Martin and Aunt Cheryl were sawing logs, Little Joe was playing with his toys in the carrier and the dogs were expectantly getting in my way, knowing that I was going to put them out. Stepping over one enormous fur rug, (Rocky) and tripping over the other one (Jacky) I stifled a small profanity. Down the dark hall I go, the dogs following, hoping for a snack before I send them to backyard siberia for the morning. I don't want to turn on the lights, because I don't want to wake Martin, and anyway, I am used to the dark, as after the Hurricane, we didn't have lights for some time, and I learned to manage in the dark quite well. The dogs went out and I went to the kitchen, where I was surprised by a dish that I thought I had cleaned the night before: it had dried noodles and asparagus stuck to it. Gross! I hate next morning dirty dishes! I contemplated just tossing the whole thing out, but since I am trying to be frugal, I actually emptied it and washed it. Well, I should say I scrubbed it, as the noodles were very tenatious, and wouldn't just wash out. I started the Cream of Wheat, listening for Little Joe, and as he was so content, there was a very good chance that he had gone back to sleep. I was stirring the cereal, and the phone rang, with Eli announcing that they would be here any minute. I guess he was calling from the front door, because before I could hang up, the door burst open and the boys burst in, yelling, "what's for breakfast Nana?" I told them Cream of Wheat, and Eli was tickled, and Jacob let me know that he wanted something else. I told them to pipe down, (I still hoped Little Joe had gone back to sleep) and returned to the cereal. Next thing I know, Eli has Little Joe. Eli tells me that Little Joe was wide awake, and Eli says he knew that I would never leave Little Joe in his carrier like that unless he was asleep, right Nana? Oh, brother. So now, I have Little Joe on my hip, stirring cereal and the boys clamoring about whatever boy clamor about at 7:00 in the morning. Little Joe is hungry, and not shy about letting me know. I put him in his high chair, and tell Eli to watch him so I can serve the cereal. Okay, cereal is done, but in the butter, the sugar, get the plates out so that it will cool off faster, Jacob tells me he wants a red plate, not a blue one (after I have the cereal on it) and Eli is calling me. "Nana, Little Joe stinks!" he says. Well, of course he does! I pick him up, and yes, he stinks. (He is very good at eliminating) I tell the boys to eat and be quiet, and Jacob reminds me that he did not want a blue plate, he wanted a red one. Didn't I hear him the first time? Anyway, he didn't want Cream of Wheat- so I negotiate. Eat half of it and you can have a Pop-Tart. He is agreeable, but now Eli wants to know what he gets if he eats all of his cereal. I don't have to worry about Eli eating his cereal, I have to worry about Eli eating his cereal and everyone else's so I think about this. I tell him he can have a Pop Tart too, after his cereal is gone, and take stinky Little Joe back to the bedroom. It is still dark in there, so I fumble around for a diaper, wipes, and take his jammy bottoms off. It is too dark to do the job properly, so I turn on the bathroom light, and good thing too, because Little Joe has really done it. I am cleaning him, using the wipes to make sure he is squeaky clean, when I feel the patter of a wet offering on my face. I said s*#t, (you know I try not to swear, but sometimes it slips out) and Martin says, "Oh, I can tell he did that. You can smell it all over the house!". Martin is awake? He is awake?!!!! I am feeding ravening monsters, cleaning doodoo and wiping pee from my face, and he is awake?!!!! I calmly ask him how long he has been awake, and he says, "oh, since Little Joe came. I have been listening to everything". Did it ever occur to him that perhaps I could use a hand? Just a little bitty hand? Well, I guess not. Since Martin rolls over and pretends that he has gone back to sleep, (hah!) I take Little Joe back into the kitchen and referee the boys over the reason why one got one Pop Tart and one got two. "Cause I wasn't in here, that's why!" I tell them, and realize that Jacob has eaten two because he ate no cereal, and Eli is almost finished with one because he ate his cereal and most of Jacob's. And then, blessed be, I see the sight of the school bus turning the corner. Thank goodness! "Bus, Bus, hurry! Bye, have a good day, see you this afternoon!" I holler as they rush out the door. I collapse in the kitchen chair in utter relief, and then I realize that Little Joe must still be hungry. He is a good baby, and he expectantly watches me, probably wondering what he will get for breakfast. I am a good Nana, and I expertly scrape the pot the cereal was cooked in to get enough for Little Joe. He cheerfully slurps his cereal, and after a few minutes, I wipe him off and take him to Martin. (I don't care if he is asleep!) I almost made it to getting back in bed, when I noticed the overflowing hamper again. Shoot! I drag the hamper to the laundery room and load the washer. I am out of soap, so I have to open a new box, and of course I spill it all over the clothes. What anyone doesn't know won't hurt me, so instead of measuring the soap, I just close the lid on the spilled soap and start the machine. Finally, I drag my self back to my room, and wonder of wonders, there is Little Joe sound asleep in PaPa's (Martin's) arms. Nap time for Nana! I fluff the pillows, arrange myself comfortably and close my eyes. Then I hear, "Cletus, you are not the father!" (Martin has turned on the TV). I can't believe it, but it has only been an hour and fifteen minutes since Little Joe arrived! What a morning! Guess what- every morning is like this. I love every second of my hectic morning schedule, every tripping, dog putting out, hello Little Joe, cereal cooking, hello Eli and Jacob, poopy diaper changing, laundry starting and "baby daddy" morning. I really do!