Three o'clock snack

It has been a busy morning. Remnants of play are strewn liberally through the entire house. The dishes are still in the sink from breakfast. Not done yet. Ideas of what the afternoon will bring are filling my head as I put lunch on the table and get my sweet little ones used to the idea of a quickly approaching nap time. Owen, with just a few quick nibbles of food has already lost interest. My dear early riser, he's now dizzy with exhaustion and clearly ready to take his place under some warm and well-loved blankets that occupy his bed. Read a bit. Sing a bit. Read a bit more. Owen drifts off to sleep with his favorite book laying over his chest. Kiss on the head. Sneak out. Now take Carmel in my arms. Snuggle. Snuggle. Nurse her. Snuggle some more. I gently lay her down in her bed and slowly back away. Quietly now, I make my way down the stairs to do some morning chores. Looking around, dishes, toys, laundry, more toys, more dishes, always more laundry. I manage to finish up a few things, put together a snack and watch the clock creep along towards my favorite time of day.





Right after nap time is such a wonderful part of my day. Some things I wanted to do are done, but most are not. That doesn't really matter. Not when I see Owen bouncing down the stairs all rosy cheeked and rested. It's like a whole new morning. We sit down to have a snack, talk about the morning, and simply enjoy being with each other.

Sometimes he tells me stories about when he and his "cousin were big and [they] used to live in Sudan and ride all those big funny looking horses around". I have no idea what on earth he could be talking about but I nod encouragingly just to hear the sweet sound of his scruffy-just-awake voice as he goes through each detail. He pauses for a drink.

His big brown eyes peek out at me from behind his super sized milk glass making sure that I have not lost interest between gulps. I haven't.

I hang on to each word. Each expression. I am soaking up this time knowing that right now is the perfect time to be right where I am. He is changing so fast right in front of us. Every day is something new for him. And for us. A new story. A new word. I know this time isn't going to last very long. So while these wonderful moments are in front of me, I am going to breathe them in, absorb them, hang on to them for as long as I can. And I will listen to those funny little stories he tells me while he is having his three o'clock snack...

right to the very last bite.