Tomorrow Is a New Day!

Tomorrow morning, I will wake up like I do every morning, next to my sleeping husband, with my nearly-four-month-old baby girl cuddled up close to me. Milk dribbles will be still hanging from her wee little cheeks.

I will hear Ian bumping and rattling in his sturdy happy way, getting dressed and announcing loudly to nobody that it’s time for everyone to be awake because it’s almost breakfast time. He may or may not bang on my door and ask me why Lissie isn’t up yet.

I won’t hear Lissie getting ready, because she’s the silent ninja in the morning. You don’t hear her unless she wants you to. She will arrive downstairs very soon, outfit carefully chosen (complete with pocket handkerchief some mornings), except that she will have inevitably forgotten to wash her glasses or comb her hair. (Of course this doesn’t detract from her cheery loveliness!)

Joey will be busy deciding what to wear by peering outside into the backyard and determining by some mysterious formula of sunshine-to-chirping-birds ratio how warm it is, and will inevitably be under or overdressed, depending on what the actual temperature is outdoors. (Remind me to get him one of those clocks that shows the outside temperature.) However, even when he dresses for the wrong weather, he’s always game to wear it until it gets uncomfortable.

Tomorrow morning, I will make my coffee while three small people ask me what we are doing today, and argue over whose foot is kicking whom under the table. I will take my vitamins while three small people ask if they can have THEIR vitamins now please! I will eat my breakfast while Ian asks if he can eat it instead (because his breakfast is never enough when someone else has something that looks tasty too). I will check my email while three small people rush back and forth, cleaning up the breakfast table, taking sudden bathroom breaks, and tripping over one another in their rush to start the rest of the day.

Tomorrow morning I will probably forget to wash my face until close to lunchtime, unless I get into the shower before then. I will remember to finish my coffee but I might forget to get dressed. I will nurse the baby at least twice before I eat lunch, and I will probably have to change my shirt or pants before her afternoon nap because there is spitup on me somewhere.

Tomorrow morning I will wipe noses (we’ve had a cold here in the house for a week now), settle arguments, give instructions and kisses, and hold little peoples’ hands. I will read books and brush hair from foreheads. I will give compliments on how nice my young ones look when they are all dressed. I will break up fights and give time outs. I will remind Ian that snacktime cannot be five minutes after breakfast is done.

Tomorrow, I will love being a mom all over again, and will be thankful that one day all of them will be old enough to stop trying to steal my piece of breakfast toast.

(Click them to see bigger at Flickr)