The Mornings of Mommy

Every morning since Ethan has been able to say "Mommy," he has called it out over and over from his crib when he's ready to get out. Rodney teases me about how he has me wrapped around his finger and says I "shoot out of bed like a rocket ship" to meet him. My heart is so happy to hear him calling for me. I run into their room with a big smile on my face and they're standing there watching the doorway, wide-eyed and waiting. Emma smiles and raises her arms because she wants to start the day too. This may be the happiest part of my day. They need me. They want me. They know I will absolutely always come to get them without fail. And surely they can see and feel that I am more than happy to do so.

Now and then Rodney has questioned why Ethan always calls for me instead of him. There is a little envious tone in his voice, but I still say, "I can't help it if he's Mommy's baby." And I was happy to feel like he was.

"Come on!" Ethan says. Emma and I follow him to the kitchen. They take their seats on the bar stools and make their breakfast requests. Emma almost always wants a banana or yogurt with granola, and Ethan wants Cheerios or peanut butter waffles. Ethan says, "How 'bout...waffles!"
Meanwhile, Emma is on auto-repeat: "Anana? Anana? Anana?" I try to vary their breakfast from day to day. They also like eggs, oatmeal with fruit or honey, berries are always good, and they love the occasional biscuits or cinnamon rolls.

Rodney decided one morning that he would go into their bedroom instead of me...even though Ethan was saying Mommy. I ran right behind him though because I didn't want to disappoint. "You better call for your daddy from now on!" Rodney teased as he scooped Ethan out of the crib and then lifted Emma out too.

The next day, I let Rodney go in by himself because he wanted to and I thought...Yes, he should get to enjoy that first waking moment by himself. I heard shrieking laughter as I laid in my bed and I smiled. They love their daddy's playful way.

The morning after that, I was hearing the usual chatter back and forth on the monitor. I'm laying there soaking up the last few minutes of stillness and rest before that inevitable and sweet little voice calls out....

     "Da'y, Da'y, Da'y, Da'y"

What?

"He's saying Daddy!" Rodney said as he shot out of bed like a rocket ship.

Can this be true? Are the mornings of Mommy really over?? Oh, I'm sad. So sad. For three days in a row now it's been Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.

Sigh.

I have to admit it's nice to see that spring in Rodney's step and the sparkle in his eye when he hears that little calling voice. They need him. They want him. They know he'll absolutely come to get them without fail. And they can see that he's happy to do so.
I know how it feels...how sweet it is.