Baking Cookies... (SoLS)

I stayed later at school tonight, so when I pulled up into our new driveway...there was one toddler 'mowing' (which means he was riding around in his Little Tikes Cozy Coupe stitching the lawn with straight seams) and one daddy breaking down boxes nearby in the garage.  My heart was overjoyed -- so much productivity.  Where would one tired mommy fit into the equation?

Anyone with kids knows there is a daddy dynamic, in which daddy is always right...daddy is peaceful because he is taking care of any describable situation in his own way...daddy disciplines the way daddy sees fit...and everyone is happy in this daddy-driven nirvana.  Then, of course, there is a mommy dynamic, which is somewhat similar and results in perfect peacefulness.  But then, then, there is the mommy-daddy dynamic, which isn't always as copacetic.  It goes something like this -- Mommy knows Daddy's weakness (for kicks, say impatience), and child craftily exploits Daddy's weakness (again for kicks, say impatience), and Daddy knows his own weakness (you can fill in the blank here), and then before anyone knows it, the seas are churning and no one is happy.  (Please say this sounds familiar.)

D: "I'm ready to grill."
M: "But the rice isn't ready."
D: "Well, we can still put the chicken on."
M: "I guess, but it may be done before the rest of dinner is ready."
C: "I wanna grill.  Daddy, let's go outside.  I wanna grill!!!!"

D: "Fine.  Let's grill." 

A couple minutes later, my wondering eyes peeked out the back door.

M: "How's the chicken coming?"

D: "Well, it's done."

M: "Well, I'm not ready for it."

(Insert whiny, hungry child here followed by impatient, tired husband.)

M: "Reid, why don't you come in.  You can help me bake some delicious chocolate chip cookies before dinner..."  (Argh; did Ijust offer that?  I'm tired.  I don't want any more mess or the mandatory hour-plus commitment this project requires.  And, cookies????  I must be out of my mind.  The doctor just told me last week I'm gaining too much weight during this pregnancy...)

C: "Hooray!  We're making cookies.  Just me and Mommy."

M: "Yes, we are.  Just you and me.  Now let's get out the ingredients and read our recipe to see what we need first..."

And roughly three cookies later, one tired mommy's heart basked in the glow of two guys with chocolate-tipped lips...and all was right with the world again.

Write on,

b