Andrew in the Kitchen

Monday was a busy busy day around here. Joshua had his 9 month well visit and during the visit the doctor asked if I had gotten their flu shots yet. I told him that the day I brought them in to get it done they were sick and couldn't have it. So we decided that if both boys looked healthy we would just give them the shot while we were there. Joshua looked great, but when he looked in Andrew's ears he saw a bunch of thick fluid. He said that either meant he was just starting an infection or just getting over one. So he gives me a prescription for an antibiotic to give him for 5 days, tells us to come back in 10 days and if both boys check out then we will give them the shot.

By the time we left the doctors office and ran a few other errands both boys were spent. They were ready to go home, eat and take a nap. Well I decided to push the limits and take them to Publix so I could get the prescription filled. I told Andrew that if he was a good boy I would get him a treat.

While we were waiting on the prescription we did a little grocery shopping and muffins were on sale buy one, get one free. I am hosting a baby shower brunch this weekend and decided to pick up a few boxes. Andrew grabbed a box of chocolate chip muffins and kept saying "cookie, cookie!" I decided that since he was so excited about it and thought it was a cookie, that a muffin could serve as his "treat."

When we got home I went way out on a limb and decided to let him help me make the muffins. Let me just say that Andrew's favorite thing to do it to help. He will seriously unload all of the groceries from the shopping cart onto the belt, help me put them in the trunk and then carry them in when we get home (all with a little assistance, of course) But if you tell him that he is going to be your "helper" he gets so excited. You can imagine how excited he was to help me bake!

He dumped the bag of muffin mix into the bowl, added the water and oil. I did the eggs. He helped me hold the beater, then he helped me scoop the mix into the pan. He loved it.

Here are a few pictures from our baking adventures.

He waited patiently while they were baking.

J-Man enjoyed an apple

But I think Andrew's favorite was taste testing his "cookies."

I had so much fun spending that time with Andrew, it just made me think of all the fun times that are to come doing special activities with both boys. Sunday night, before our little baking adventure, I was going through boxes in our closet and came across this poem that my Grandma had given to me on my first Mother's Day.

Growing, Grown, Gone

One of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age"...and they will. Or, "You guys get outside and find something to do, and don't slam the door."...and they won't.

You'll straighten up the boys' room neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spread tucked and smooth...toys displayed on the shelves....and you'll say loudly, "Now, I want it to stay this way!"...and it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing and you'll say, "Now, there's a meal for company!"...and you'll eat it alone. You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone, no dancing around, no pantomime, no demolition crews...SILENCE! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloth stained with spaghetti. No more bedspreads to protect the sofa from damp bottoms. No more gates to stumble over at the top of the basement steps. No more playpens to arrange the room around.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more sand on the sheets or Popeye movies in the bathroom. No more iron-on patches; wet, knotted shoe strings; tight boots; or rubber bands for pony tails.

Imagine, having a lipstick with a point on it! No more babysitter for New Year's Eve. Doing laundry only once a week. Seeing a steak that isn't ground. Having your teeth cleaned without a baby on your lap. No PTA meetings...no carpools...no blaring radios...no one washing her hair at 11 o'clock at night....having your own roll of scotch tape.

Think about it. No more Christmas presents made out of toothpicks and paste. No more sloppy oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No giggles in the dark. No knees to heal, no responsibility. Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?....and silence echoing..."I did!"

I am so guilty of taking my job as "Mommy" for granted. The days can be long, alone time is infrequent and the messes are many! But I am thankful for little reminders, like this poem to enjoy this season of life, and to never, ever wish it away.