Delicious Monday Morning

Babbling came from the room across the hall and I went to get him. All smiles in the faint light peeping through the blinds.

I say "hi, good morning, I love you", rub his back and turn on the light show to lay in bed 15 more minutes with Scooter.

I knew when the light show ended because the babbling started again. So, I went to him picked him up, receive a hug and bring him to Scooter in bed. Austin's smile is always electric when seeing daddy for the first time in the morning and it is priceless.

I amble down the stairs with Austin perched on my right arm, make it to the kitchen and I press the "brew" button on the coffeemaker. I hear the shower start upstairs and play with Austin while listening to gurgling sound of the coffee going into the pot. He loves his exersaucer and takes his "job" of playing seriously.

I kick on the "I Love the 90's" CD and "OPP" comes on. Austin seems to like the 90's music almost as much as his mama and this pleases me.

We're all feeling a bit slower this morning, even Austin. Scooter makes his way downstairs and he's running a bit later than usual, grabs his coffee tumbler, fills it with coffee goes to the truck, then makes his way back in. He comes back in to see me holding Austin standing up on my lap and me bouncing him up and down, "Jump around, jump up, jump up and get down!"

Scooter says, "Let me see him!" then bounces him up and down. His hair is still wet from his morning shower and I can see the morning light shine on his platinum wedding band which, still, makes my heart thump a little louder whenever I catch myself looking at that ring.

I can tell Austin is starting to get sleepy so we lay him down on the blanket where he plays, he looks up at Scooter and beams a huge smile. We laugh.

Scooter kisses me and Austin goodbye on the porch as we see him walk to the truck.

I shut the front door and carry Austin upstairs where I feed him his breakfast while rocking in the glider chair. The room is semi-dark with the morning light still peeking in from the blinds and the trees from the backyard make their presence known with shadows dancing on the wall. I sing Natalie Merchant's "Cowboy Romance" to him in a low whisper and his eyes slowly close.

I still sit there rocking him for another 10 minutes just admiring every facet of his round face. I want to smear his cheeks with honey mustard and eat them.

I stand up slowly and place him in the crib on his side, just how he likes to sleep. Make my way downstairs where I faintly hear Barenaked Ladies' "One Week" playing, sit down on the sofa, sip my coffee, then begin writing this post...