Thursday, October 29, 2009

Daily Battle

Every morning in the Folksy house, there is a battle.

It is the battle for Mommy.

Sven is not a morning person. He cannot be pried out of bed, generally speaking, for at least 30 minutes after he awakens on a workday. On the weekends, that figure jumps to around 2 hours. Early on, I adopted the practice of reading, watching TV, or working on my computer while Sven lazes around.

Then came the children. Gone are my quiet mornings. Now my computer is taken over by children watching Spongebob and my body is taken over by grasping hands and damp bottoms. As someone who relishes personal space, this can be hard for me.

My first solution: get up earlier. I now get up at 5:05 every morning, just so I can have some "me time."

Result: fail. Dexy now gets up at 5:07, walks into my room, points at his diaper, points at the open door, and stumbles back down the hall to await my service. When I get to his room, he imperiously commands, "Light, Mommy!" and generally takes charge of the entire operation. "Powder! Shorts! Socks! No shirt! No! Okay." He chooses the music that we listen to while we change his diaper (he prefers up-tempo alternative for the merely damp, while the choice of a contemplative ballad betokens a situation decidedly more serious), then chooses what he will watch on the computer.

Then Princess gets up. The war has begun.

"I want to sit with Mommy! Move, Dex!"

"Want Mommy! No, Princess! Owie!"

"Mommy, Dexy said I hit him but I didn't!" (Hits Dexy.)

It is finally enough to awaken the daddy. At last, I think, I will have some help.

"No, you two," Sven rumbles, moving them aside. "Mommy is mine." For the next 30 minutes, Sven holds on to me while the children, giggling madly, worm their way in between us. I finally can take no more and hie to the bathroom for 10 minutes of peace.

But, even while it is driving me crazy, I love it. I love every slightly sticky second of it. Because I am Mommy. I know it won't last forever, but for now, I love being everybody's favorite toy.

5 comments:

Barbaloot said...

I don't think getting up at five could ever be worth personal space. I believe that time shouldn't actually exist.

Kristina P. said...

I am so with Barb. I didn't think that the earth even still rotated that early. It boggles the mind.

Joanna said...

Love the entry, especially the ending. Erma Bombeck used to lock herself in the bathroom for some "me" time. There is that alternative.

Glenene said...

You make me laugh! I soooo remember those times!! It doesn't end.... Just the other night I was talking to Jill(age 20)on the phone and Danny(age 31)beeped in. I jumped over to tell him I'd call him back. He told me to tell Jill that I was "his mommy, too"! He then proceeded to send Jill a text, repeating the phrase and demanding equal time :)

Mummy McTavish said...

I love this post. And I don't say it too loud around them but I do love being the favourite as well. AND WHY IS IT ALWAYS STICKY??? For goodness sake they have just got out of bed but it is ALWAYS sticky. I just don't get it.