A rainy day in November

Two sets of sparkling brown eyes twinkled at me when I  played Round and Round the garden, like a teddy bear. One step, two steps, tickle tickle there. Angie and Nova said "More!" at the very same time after I tickled their tummies.

The girls were sprawled on their backs on the floor in front of me. Each held up a left leg with bare foot poised for another trip round and round the garden. My fingers massaged each foot gently around and around one way then switched and went the other way. Excellent exercises for my brain. It's a good thing  I wasn't chewing gum and trying to pat my head at the same time. (Not enough hands)

Krysta had a bout with flu last evening and through the night. She wondered if i could come help this morning until Hannah got there at 10:00. 

When I arrived the oven was warming a breakfast pizza. Upstairs, Jasper was fast asleep on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom. Angie and Nova were standing in their cribs, holding up arms and begging to be picked up. I picked up Nova and gave her a bear hug. Then Angie's turn for a bear hug.

Everyone was calm and well rested, except for Krysta, of course. I'm sure all the old clichés fit - like being run over by a truck - or dragged through a key hole backwards. 

Still, there was such a feeling of peace as the girls chattered on and on when I got them dressed. Not at all like the times when Allen and Krysta are gone for a weekend and the first person they see in the morning is Marmee. Such a screeching and flopping about in dismay and wails for Mom Mom with every breath. Wiggles and squirms until it feels like I'm trying to dress the wind as Marjorie Holmes says in one of her books.

We did have one dismayed person and that was Jasper when he found out that Dad had the audacity to go to work without him. That fact and a popped 🎈 balloon sent him into quite a tizzy. But hot pizza on his plate sent yummy smells through the air and soon we were all eating breakfast. 

After pizza and fruit I cleaned off the table and started washing dishes. Once when I got side tracked by screams in the living room I came back to the kitchen and found Miss Muffet had the dish cloth and was washing off the table. Then she took the cloth to the sink, stood on a stool that she'd pulled up to reach the sink and was dunking the cloth up and down in the water.  When she tried to wring the cloth out water cascaded on to the floor. But my goodness! The twins are 2 1/2 years old and they are doing chores!

In the meantime Gracia is a small mountain goat, climbing up on every chair and getting stuck, then screeching for help. 

I love helping the small people in this busy household. It was a pleasure beginning the day with our grandchildren.