When I was a little girl my dad would frequently tell me, "There's no use in crying over spilled milk." At first I didn't get it. I hadn't spilled any milk. But my dad was trying to help me control my flair for the dramatic and explained it wasn't actually about milk. It's more about realizing that some things really aren't that big of a deal.
I wish my dad were still alive cause I sure could have used that talk this morning.
After a rough night with A & M, our morning got off to a late start and E burst out sobbing when Daddy had to run out the door to be on time to work. I was nursing the girls and couldn't do much to comfort him. That got E off on the wrong foot and by 9:00AM I'd already been told that he really, truly doesn't like me and he'd seen time out twice. Twas the start of a beautiful day.
The girls remained cantakerous and when they went down to nap at 10:00AM I realized that E and I hadn't eaten anything. We got cereal on the table and had no less than three more minor altercations before we'd said prayer. I was right about to dig into my cereal when E spilled his full glass of milk. It covered the table, him, his chair and splattered within a seven foot radius on the floor.
"Great." I thought. If there's one thing I hate, it's soft cold cereal. I have to eat it right away while it's crunchy. Then I realized I didn't have to clean it up that instant. I could finish my cereal and then clean. So I did. And E began eating as well.
When I finished my cereal, I gathered the cleaning supplies and set to work. When the dining area was about 75% clean I got down on my hands and knees under E's stool to mop up. E was so curious that he looked over and knocked his second full bowl of cereal and milk off the table onto everything I'd just cleaned and all over me.
My lip started to quiver. I picked up E and popped his milk-drenched little self outside and said, "Go play."
E peered through the screen and enthusiastically said, "It's okay, Mommy! You can clean it up!"
And that's when I realized that sometimes it's perfectly acceptable to cry over spilled milk.
E during milky pajama playtime in our wild outdoors.
They were a little cranky this morning, but they sure are cute.
(A & M)
Note: I'd like to publicly thank E, A & M for all napping right now. It's been therapeutic for me to enjoy the quiet and record the happenings of our morning.
