New Saturday Routine

I wake up when the music pauses and roll over in bed to reach for my glasses.  ODD’s been out of bed for the last hour or more so, being the wild sleeper I am, I’ve taken over the place without even realizing it.  As I stumble out of my tangle of sheets the music begins again and I catch a glimpse of my bed head as I pass the mirror on my way to the stairs.

Strains of Mad World by Tears for Fears fill the kitchen and dining room where I find Wingnut strapped into his highchair, happily slurping on a plastic spoon.  Peanut perches on a stool next to ODD at the stove.  Peanut wields a turkey baster, waving it around like she’s conducting an orchestra while animatedly chattering at ODD.  Meanwhile ODD scrapes a spatula around a skillet, scrambling some eggs and sporadically swaying to the music.  When Wingnut sees me he lets out a gleeful screech and flaps his arms, banging the slobbery spoon on his tray.  It sends a spray of Cheerios over the edge.

This rotation has been rough on ODD.  During the week he leaves before the kids wake up and comes home after they’re already asleep, usually putting in 12-14 hour days at the hospital.  He is so deprived of time with the kids he wakes them both up early to make breakfast with him on Saturday mornings.  Together they blast ODD’s playlist while making variations of pancakes (my favorite so far being the version with frozen raspberries added to the batter), bacon, and eggs with cheddar.  I drag myself out of bed just before it’s ready and we gather around the dining room table for a fun, rowdy, tasty family breakfast.

ODD presents Peanut with a pancake he made especially for her, usually in the shape of a princess, and Peanut excitedly announces The Egg Theme from Finding Nemo when it comes pouring through the speakers.  Wingnut tries to stuff cereal and eggs in his mouth by the fistful but most of it falls into his lap before making it to his mouth.  ODD and I laugh as I fill him in on some of the goofy things the kids have done during the week while he’s been absent.  Peanut looks from ODD to me and back again, happy to see our family all together after so many days apart.

We savor the moment knowing the rest of the day will be spent with ODD hitting the books and me chasing the kids around the house and, among other things, tackling the mess they all made of the kitchen while making breakfast.

We don’t mind the promise of a mundane rest of the day, though, because for that little bit of time together on Saturday mornings?

Everything’s imperfectly perfect.