Breakfast in Bed
On Friday afternoon, my older son said he wanted to give me a surprise. He had a little twinkle in his eye and a definite plan in mind. I told him I would be looking forward to it! However, he looked at me quite seriously and said, "I know, but first I need you to teach me some things."
So, I immediately switched into 'teacher' mode, "Of course. What would you like to learn?"
"Well, I need to learn how to pour milk and orange juice. I need to know how to make coffee. And I need to know what you like to put in your coffee. I also need a few things moved to shelves where I can reach them."
"Okay. Those all seem like reasonable things to learn."
"Mom, please don't guess what the surprise is."
"No, I wouldn't dream of it."
He grins. His entire face relaxes and he's excited, "Okay! Let's get to work!"
"Okay." I showed him how to use the coffee maker. I let him make a cup of coffee for me while I explained how to do it. We did that twice. Maybe that's why I can't sleep.
Then I moved two mugs down from the shelves onto the counter. I poured milk from the big, heavy gallon jug, into a small water bottle. I did the same thing for the orange juice. I moved the half'n half down to a lower shelf in the fridge. I told him that he knows where the bowls, plates, cups and silverware are. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Uh, yeah, I've been making my own snacks and sometimes my own lunch for years."
How old his he? Seven.
When we were finished with the lessons and preparations, Soren said, "Thank you for teaching me how to do these things! Now, tomorrow morning, I want you to stay upstairs in your room until I knock on your door. Tell Dad not to come downstairs, either.
"Okay. I guess that will work, but what if I wake up really early before anyone else? Can I come downstairs and get a drink of water?"
"Yes, you can. You will just have to go back to bed when I get up."
"Alright. I can handle that. What if I'm really hungry?"
"You'll just have to wait until 6:00, when I get up."
"That's reasonable, especially if I get a surprise." I winked at him.
"You haven't guessed what I'm going to do have you?"
"Nope. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Good. Mom, even if you figure it out, don't tell Dad. It can still be a surprise for him."
"True. Sounds good!" I laughed and got all choked up. Soren went off to play.
The next morning, I did get up super early. I went downstairs before everyone else. I didn't get any breakfast or coffee, just water. I wrote and I waited. Soren came down next. He told me he had to start working on the surprise. I said I would help, if he needed me.
"Well, I think I can do it."
"Great. Then I'll get out of your way. I'm going back to my room. Call me, if you need me."
I went upstairs when I heard Bill get up. He was on his way down and I told him he had to go back to bed. He was confused and sleepy. It was 5:50 am, after all.
"Soren has a surprise for us and he wants us to wait in our room until he brings it to us."
"Oh, Okay."
We went back into our room, turned on the light, got into bed and pulled up the covers. We heard Soren in the kitchen. We didn't hear any crashes, spills or mayhem, just the soft sound of a little boy making breakfast for the first time in his life. Ten minutes later, we heard him come up the stairs so slowly and quietly. The door opened and there he was, grinning from ear to ear, looking at us with the most loving little face I've ever seen. He had one glass of orange juice in his little hands.
"Good morning! I made you breakfast in bed!"
Bill and I respond almost in unison, "Wow, Soren! Thank you! How thoughtful! How sweet! What made you decide to do this?"
"You're welcome! I'll be back with the rest of your breakfast!" He went back down and came back up with more juice, cereal with just the right amount of milk and spoons. Then he stood in the bedroom and watched us eat. "I didn't spill one drop of juice or milk! I poured just the right amount of cereal! I've never done this before!"
"We know! We're so impressed! What gave you this idea?"
"Mom made us breakfast in bed in Florida so we wouldn't wake anyone else up. Aunt Carol was sleeping in the living room and Mom said we had to stay in our room until 7:00, so she brought us cereal and juice and she drank her coffee with us. It was so nice and felt so special. She told us that she and Aunt Alexis used to make breakfast for Gran and Granddad. She said they would even set the table in the dining room and cook things in the microwave, but I really wanted to do breakfast in bed because it seems nicer. And I didn't spill anything! I wanted to make you guys feel special."
At this point I can hardly swallow my Life cereal or my orange juice. I couldn't even speak. I was too full of love for this boy to trust myself to open my mouth or close my eyes without crying. I managed to thank him. I managed to tell him how happy he makes me. I tried to convey how wonderful it feels to be taken care of.
He said, "I know how wonderful it feels. You both take care of us every single day. You're the best mom and dad in the whole universe!"
This is a common thing for Soren to say. I think most kids who love their parents say similar stuff. I used to say it to my mom and dad. We tell the boys that they are the best Soren and Kieran we've ever met. It's true. So, Soren comes by his effusiveness quite naturally. Bill and I both know how to be positive, optimistic and dramatic.
Kieran slept through all of this. It was only 6:15 when the three of us went downstairs together to have the coffee Soren made for us. He made my coffee exactly the way I like it. The perfect amount of cream and sugar were added so slowly and carefully that I felt like the entire world had stopped turning. It was quite a surreal thing to watch. His brow knit in concentration, his hands gentle, calm and in control. His big smile when he'd completed his task. His proud face when he handed me my perfect cup of coffee in my favorite green mug.
It was the best breakfast I've ever tasted.
So, I immediately switched into 'teacher' mode, "Of course. What would you like to learn?"
"Well, I need to learn how to pour milk and orange juice. I need to know how to make coffee. And I need to know what you like to put in your coffee. I also need a few things moved to shelves where I can reach them."
"Okay. Those all seem like reasonable things to learn."
"Mom, please don't guess what the surprise is."
"No, I wouldn't dream of it."
He grins. His entire face relaxes and he's excited, "Okay! Let's get to work!"
"Okay." I showed him how to use the coffee maker. I let him make a cup of coffee for me while I explained how to do it. We did that twice. Maybe that's why I can't sleep.
Then I moved two mugs down from the shelves onto the counter. I poured milk from the big, heavy gallon jug, into a small water bottle. I did the same thing for the orange juice. I moved the half'n half down to a lower shelf in the fridge. I told him that he knows where the bowls, plates, cups and silverware are. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Uh, yeah, I've been making my own snacks and sometimes my own lunch for years."
How old his he? Seven.
When we were finished with the lessons and preparations, Soren said, "Thank you for teaching me how to do these things! Now, tomorrow morning, I want you to stay upstairs in your room until I knock on your door. Tell Dad not to come downstairs, either.
"Okay. I guess that will work, but what if I wake up really early before anyone else? Can I come downstairs and get a drink of water?"
"Yes, you can. You will just have to go back to bed when I get up."
"Alright. I can handle that. What if I'm really hungry?"
"You'll just have to wait until 6:00, when I get up."
"That's reasonable, especially if I get a surprise." I winked at him.
"You haven't guessed what I'm going to do have you?"
"Nope. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Good. Mom, even if you figure it out, don't tell Dad. It can still be a surprise for him."
"True. Sounds good!" I laughed and got all choked up. Soren went off to play.
The next morning, I did get up super early. I went downstairs before everyone else. I didn't get any breakfast or coffee, just water. I wrote and I waited. Soren came down next. He told me he had to start working on the surprise. I said I would help, if he needed me.
"Well, I think I can do it."
"Great. Then I'll get out of your way. I'm going back to my room. Call me, if you need me."
I went upstairs when I heard Bill get up. He was on his way down and I told him he had to go back to bed. He was confused and sleepy. It was 5:50 am, after all.
"Soren has a surprise for us and he wants us to wait in our room until he brings it to us."
"Oh, Okay."
We went back into our room, turned on the light, got into bed and pulled up the covers. We heard Soren in the kitchen. We didn't hear any crashes, spills or mayhem, just the soft sound of a little boy making breakfast for the first time in his life. Ten minutes later, we heard him come up the stairs so slowly and quietly. The door opened and there he was, grinning from ear to ear, looking at us with the most loving little face I've ever seen. He had one glass of orange juice in his little hands.
"Good morning! I made you breakfast in bed!"
Bill and I respond almost in unison, "Wow, Soren! Thank you! How thoughtful! How sweet! What made you decide to do this?"
"You're welcome! I'll be back with the rest of your breakfast!" He went back down and came back up with more juice, cereal with just the right amount of milk and spoons. Then he stood in the bedroom and watched us eat. "I didn't spill one drop of juice or milk! I poured just the right amount of cereal! I've never done this before!"
"We know! We're so impressed! What gave you this idea?"
"Mom made us breakfast in bed in Florida so we wouldn't wake anyone else up. Aunt Carol was sleeping in the living room and Mom said we had to stay in our room until 7:00, so she brought us cereal and juice and she drank her coffee with us. It was so nice and felt so special. She told us that she and Aunt Alexis used to make breakfast for Gran and Granddad. She said they would even set the table in the dining room and cook things in the microwave, but I really wanted to do breakfast in bed because it seems nicer. And I didn't spill anything! I wanted to make you guys feel special."
At this point I can hardly swallow my Life cereal or my orange juice. I couldn't even speak. I was too full of love for this boy to trust myself to open my mouth or close my eyes without crying. I managed to thank him. I managed to tell him how happy he makes me. I tried to convey how wonderful it feels to be taken care of.
He said, "I know how wonderful it feels. You both take care of us every single day. You're the best mom and dad in the whole universe!"
This is a common thing for Soren to say. I think most kids who love their parents say similar stuff. I used to say it to my mom and dad. We tell the boys that they are the best Soren and Kieran we've ever met. It's true. So, Soren comes by his effusiveness quite naturally. Bill and I both know how to be positive, optimistic and dramatic.
Kieran slept through all of this. It was only 6:15 when the three of us went downstairs together to have the coffee Soren made for us. He made my coffee exactly the way I like it. The perfect amount of cream and sugar were added so slowly and carefully that I felt like the entire world had stopped turning. It was quite a surreal thing to watch. His brow knit in concentration, his hands gentle, calm and in control. His big smile when he'd completed his task. His proud face when he handed me my perfect cup of coffee in my favorite green mug.
It was the best breakfast I've ever tasted.
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