When those first rays of sunshine come wafting through my window I awake.  I stretch and smile.  The glorious morning awaits.  I spring up out of bed and skip off to the kitchen to concoct a healthy, nutritious, homemade breakfast for my growing children.

Singing as I work I hear the sweet voice of my daughter breaking into my revelry.

"Mama!  Mama!"


Bleary eyed I glance over at the crib.  Is she standing up yet?  Once she stands it's all over.

My eyes drift shut.  Just a few more seconds.  I just need a few more seconds.  What was I dreaming about?

"Mama!"

She is standing.

I glance over at the Peanut.  Still sleeping soundly.

I shuffle out of bed.  Steady myself.  Trip my way across the room to the crib.

"Mamaaa!"  Her joyous greeting.

I pick her up and give her a kiss as I set her down.

She skips off merrily towards the kitchen as I wearily follow behind.

As we walk she chatters away.  I make no attempt to even distinguish words in her early morning babble.

We enter the kitchen and she runs to the fridge.  "Vaffle?"

I pull out a frozen waffle for her. "Vaffle brother?"

I pull out another frozen waffle leaning my head against the refrigerator door for balance.

We walk across the kitchen with her chattering again.  I can hear the words Vaffle, her own name and her brother's name.

I put the "Vaffles" in the toaster to "took it" and step back to wait.  I feel myself swaying and wonder if she would allow me to go sit down for two seconds while the waffles cook.

Then the words break through my stupor.

"Mama talk?"

Jarred into reality I look down at my sweet Princess.  She is peering up at me with concern and confusion.  "Mama talk?"

I realize that I have not spoken one single word.  From the time I woke up to this moment in the kitchen not a single sound has been uttered.  No verbal affirmations.  Not even a grunt.  My poor daughter has been making every attempt to engage me in conversation and I have not even had the awareness to give her a "mmmhmmm."

I squat down to her level.  Oh, Princess!  I'm sorry!  Good morning!! :)

She smiles.  Pats me on the cheek and says, "MAMAAAA!"

A real morning hug and kiss are exchanged.

"Pop!"  The waffles are ready.

"Vaffles!!!

I prepare her waffle and sit her down with a glass of milk to eat her breakfast.  I curl up in a ball on the couch and rest my eyes for a second.

"Where's my waffle?!

The Peanut is awake.  The day has officially begun.

Can you tell I'm not a morning person?