This morning I decided I would toast myself a waffle for breakfast. I love a warm, buttery waffle but rarely eat one warm. Usually I toast waffles in groups of 3-5 and by the time I have buttered, cut, poured syrup and served to the awaiting hungry mouths, my own is cold. Yes, I could wait and toast it after they've started eating, but then by the time mine is done toasting, they're through eating and have moved on to the next request...a drink refill, or help changing clothes or the TV channel. Anyway, I've gotten used to cold waffles.

But this morning Luke had already eaten a poptart and was upstairs playing, Lily was still sleeping and I decided to seize the opportunity to eat a warm waffle. I had just removed it from the toaster oven, perfectly golden brown, when I heard footsteps and then a little voice:

Whatcha eatin'? ... A waffle ... Can I hab one? ... Sure.

Now I have two choices...give Luke the waffle that I've already toasted and start toasting another one for myself. (The problem with that choice is there is only one waffle left and if Luke is eating the first and I'm toasting the second for myself, Lily may wake up and want it.) So this selfish mom opts for choice two: eat first waffle (still warm!) while Luke's is toasting. But then Luke says:

Can I sit with you? ... Sit where? ... Where-eber your siddin' to eat.

Darn, I planned on standing at the counter.

You want to sit and eat breakfast together?... Mmmhmm.

I am all for the family sitting down to a meal, it's just usually not breakfast...but how do I turn down that request and why on earth would I want to?

So, I toast the last waffle, butter, cut and add syrup, make us both a drink and head to table. By now, both waffles are cold. But instead of a warm waffle alone, I have a cold waffle and a nice chat about how lemonade is made. When he's all grown-up, married and preparing waffles for his own little boy, I'll have plenty of time to eat warm waffles alone.