So far so Good

When I arrive in the office, people ask "How's it going?"

My stock reply is, "So far .. So Good."

I find it more pleasing to say than "Ok" or "Good!". It will often elicit a chuckle.

"The day is young!" They say back, with a wee gaffaw.

har har har.

It is rather pleasing for both parties.

But let me get a little personal here and tell you my day. So far.

And I write this, because I love every minute of it. :)

Woke up at 5.30 am. Mr. Hall works some weekends. This means he rises at the butt crack of dawn and keeses me. Buh-bye babe, see ya Sunday night.

These weekends, as a De facto single Mom, use to give me the galloping terrors. "How am I going to do this alone with two kids?", I'd say. Now it is like breathing.

I begin to cough and hack, spasm style. I pop some sugar free Halls and dive head long into a Sopranos dream. If I wake near the morning hours and fall back asleep, my dreams are guaranteed to be ultra vivid, 3-d and disturbing. This is no different.

Photo by Annie Leibowitz

I hear Pancake's pitter patter and hear her gently calling me. She is next to my bed asking me where Daddy is. "He's at work sweetie. Now, you can come into bed or go down stairs and watch PBS kids." She is almost six, she can work the remote all by herself.

She leaves and I hear her scooping dog food. I feel proud of her because I didn't have to tell her to "let the dog out and feed him two scoops." She is actually doing it, by her ownself. I slip into flashes of my Sopranos dream.
She begins to talk to Mac. Grrrr. "Paaaanncaaake, waking up your brother was not one of the options, either come here and cuddle or go downstairs for PBS kids.", I call. Mac is almost two, he needs his sleep. So does Mommy.

At this point, if you are a parent, you surely must realize the futility of this statement. The war is lost people. The kids are up. It is eight am. Actually, not too bad!

"Moommmy, Charlie is feeding the dog... I thought it was Daddy."

At this point a lot of things go through my mind. First, "CRAP!" The food dish we have is pictured below. Last time Mac was messing around the the dog food, he got water in the storage section and I spent a week cleaning it and drying it out. Apparently, the food will grow mold if you don't clean it properly the first time.

Our dog is much, much bigger.

Well, turns out I should have just listened to Mr. Hall on how to clean it properly, but what does he know?

Next thought, "CRAP!" Mac can now open his door. He also went down two sets of stair cases into the basement to get at the food. I am impressed with his motor skills.

I rise, cough a lot, and peek down stairs. Mac is scooping and unscooping a handful of food in and out of the dish. The dog, looking so pitiful, dutifully waits behind Mac. Being teased with this ritual.

Dog gets let out. THERE WAS NO WATER IN HIS DISH!! Wee hee!

Mac is brought up stairs, changed (not to bad for a morning diaper), baby gate firmly put back up.

"EEEEAT, EAT!", says Mac. He is learning about five new words a week.

Fruit and cream oatmeal made, kids plopped on table. I go upstairs to search for a Kleenex box in earnest. I hear Pancake saying, "Mac, can you say Mama? Can you say Daddie?" He does and they delight in their morning conversation.

I tie my hair up, bra on, hot washcloth across my face.

Oh my gaaaaawwddd, that is heavenly.

Bangs wetted, smile across face.

Mac doesn't do that bad, got most of the oatmeal in his mouth. He wants more, and whines. I remind him that whining get him upstairs for a time out. He stops, ponders, and says, "Peeasee". Good boy Mac! So proud, so proud!


Pancake asks again, as she will about forty more times each day, "How many more days till Halloween?"

We reaffirm out costume choice for trick-or-treating. The tribe called Hall goes in unified costumes. Last year we were all red devils. This year:

Zombies!!!

Click on the word 'Zombies' to find out why we are so stoked!

Then we chill for a while, I am determined to drink coffee before we head to the park. DETERMINED!!!

I hope there are other kids at the park for Pancake. There is such an age difference between the two I can't properly play with her because I am chasing Mac.

And she will show me, all proud of herself, that she can climb on the monkey bars. First skill learned at kindergarten.

Now, if she can only learn how to use the swings by herself.

So, How's it going with you?