10 things to do before 8 on a Sunday morning

1.     Take the 6:30 wake-up call from the Almost Two and let her parents sleep in.

2.     Try to get her into bed with you. Give up. Get dressed—quickly.

3.     Make coffee and try to get some extra horizontal time in. Let her bounce on your belly.

4.     Give her breakfast. She will show you where the granola is and indicate just how much yogurt she wants with it. She will eat as much banana as she wants and squish the rest into little pieces and offer them to you. 

5.     That is a cue that she is done eating but she will refuse to get out of the high chair because there is more to be done here. Accept her explanation of what happens to the water she is pouring back and forth between the glass and the cereal bowl even if you don’t understand the words. Get out the floor rag and mop up.

6.     Don’t try to get her dressed yet. You will have to bargain even to change the diaper. Tell her she can wear the tutu if she lets you do that.

7.     Get started with your day. Let her help. This will not last long for either of you.

8.     Watch out for objects flying out of her room. Remember, she likes to put things from one place to another. Try to put her neatly folded laundry away before it succumbs to the chaos. Try to get the beads off the floor before somebody slips on them.

9.     Follow her through the open door that Grandpa is fixing. Grab her shoes and catch up with her before she gets to the street.

10. Surprise a bunny rabbit who doesn’t expect to see people at this hour of the day. Have a little chase. Do not, repeat, do not go anywhere near a mud puddle unless you are ready to get splattered.

But by now you are ready for anything, right?