Spiderman made me breakfast

Yesterday, as I was rushing around to get ready for work, I heard the toaster beep.  Now our toaster is an awesome toaster with the exception of this extremely loud smoke-detector-volume beep that alerts you that your toast is done.  So, it's audible from every part of the house (and probably the garage, and the neighbor's house).  This school year I showed the kids that they can make their own breakfasts, including using the toaster in which they use wooden tongs to retrieve their hot toast.  Anyway! Yesterday I heard the toaster then, soon thereafter, smelled toast. Asher ran up the stairs warning me NOT to come down.  I said I'd be down in 15 minutes. Like a 20 year old he looked at the clock, did a bit of math (or not) and told me "that's perfect" then ran back down. 

When I finally made it downstairs, I found a cold piece of overcooked toast with a thin layer of peanut butter on a paper plate next to a small cup of orange juice.  I've never eaten anything that tasted so bad but felt so good to eat.  Of course, Avery got credit for helping, but I could see how proud Asher was of making my breakfast for me.  After all, he informed me as he was loading his Spiderman web shooter, it is the most important meal of the day!

Busy mornings

Today Jamie wasn't feeling well so stayed in bed while I got the kids ready for school.  I usually help a little bit, getting breakfast around or packing a lunch here and there.  But today it was all on me.  They love playing games, but know they can't until they get everything done and are completely ready to walk out the door.  So, I went downstairs with them and helped them get dressed, cleaned out the litter box while they made beds and put jammies away.  We all went up together and had a nice breakfast and talked while I made lunches and signed homework papers.  I was having a nice time with them, when Asher told me that he liked when I helped get them ready.  It made my day.

I think that sometimes, now that the kids are old enough to manage things on their own, it's easy to forget that sometimes it's important to focus on them and help them a little.  I tell you, it makes things run so much more smoothly. I find myself, too frequently, rushing around pulling everything together that I find myself barking out commands.. and when they go unheard I get frustrated... which oftentimes makes me too harsh, which upsets the kids, which upsets me more.  Before you know it, some or all of us are in tears.

So, I'm going to commit to allowing more time for myself so that I can focus more on my littles while they're little and can still use my help- even if they don't need it.