We kept ourselves pretty busy this weekend – even though we missed a birthday party we said we’d go to because I thought it was next weekend. Stupid me – and sorry Marlo (and Colin & Lori)!

It started on Saturday morning when we first went to the free kids gym (Elsa’s first time and she loved it as she’s been training for it ever since she became mobile), then to Chapter’s to let them play (for free!) in the kids area there (while we drank coffee), then Merrin and I to the library while Elsa napped, and then the entire family went swimming (for $3! YAY for work benefits!). Then today, after a rough night with Elsa that kept Cory up half the night, I cooked a big brunch and then we played at home with the kids (missing aforementioned party) before cleaning off the car & driveway to bring Merrin and I to the movie while Elsa napped. We weren’t home from there very long when both girls and I made banana walnut muffins before Cory started in on supper.

Once the muffins were in the oven and I’d directed the girls to their play stove, cash register and assortment of pretend fruits & vegetables, I sat down on the couch and pulled out the laptop. At the first peep from Merrin, which occurred before the laptop was fully opened, I directed her to return to her stove to make me something to eat because I was very very hungry. Her and Elsa both began bringing me tiny pots & pans filled with as many plastic fruits & veggies that they could hold, while I slurped at the edge of the pots and nibbled on the contents, overexaggerating as much as I could my “mmmmm yummy”’s.

“Mommy, when I’m bigger, I’m going to cook you lots of food.”

“That sounds great Merrin, I’d like that.”

“Yeah, you can come over to my house and I’ll cook you food.”

“Well Merrin, you know, when you are a bigger girl, like a teenager, and you still live in Mommy & Daddy’s house, you and Elsa could wake up on the weekends, and let Mommy and Daddy sleep, and you could cook a great big breakfast like we had today and when it is all ready you could come into our room and whisper “Mommy, Daddy, breakfast is ready”.”

(excitedly) “Yeah! We could do that!”

“Merrin, I really hope you do.”

Then later, when they were in the bath and I was popping in and out of the bathroom keeping an eye on them while putting clean clothes away and trying to get ready for the ‘going to bed’ routine, I came in at one point to the tub walls and faucets covered in soap bubbles and Merrin scrubbing furiously with the facecloth.

“Merrin, what are you doing?”

“I’m cleaning.”

“Thanks for doing that Merrin, but next time we won’t use your soap for your body or your shampoo for your hair, okay?”

“Okay Mommy. Mommy, when I get bigger, like a teenager, I’m going to clean lots of things. I’m going to clean the floors, and the walls, and the windows, and the kitchen, and the bathroom, I’m going to do lots of cleaning because I love cleaning.”

“That’s great Merrin, I hope you do. Now, let’s pinky promise this okay?”

And so in ten, and no more than twelve, years I will be pulling up this blog entry and holding her to her word. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get one partially cooked breakfast and a sloppily mopped floor.

If I’m very, very lucky.