“Tyler. Come on, it’s time to get up.”
I gently shake my ten year-old. His strong, tan body is twisted in blankets, little stuffed animals cradled around his head.
“Wait,” comes his sleepy, muffled response, and I may or may not drop shorts and a tee-shirt on his head before giving up and walking, in a weird side step around his massive maze of cars, army men and dragons, from his room.
“Tyler,” I yell from downstairs. “Breakfast is on the table.”
“Wait.” He calls back. “I’m finishing my set-up.”
“Camp doesn’t care if you’re finishing a set-up. We’ve got to go.”
A small, distant, “wait” floats down to me. It is almost lost in the morning noise; a 5 year-old bouncing at my legs begging me to color for him, a Facetime conversation that my 8 year-old is having with a girl friend he’s had since he was two, the ding of the toaster, the beloved pour and sputter of the Keurig.
At the table, spooning in some, uh, organic Reese’s Puffs, I again encourage him to hurry, but he is busy with the comics and ignores me. “Read this!” He says, pointing to Zits. “It’s funny.”
Then he points to The Lockhorns. “I don’t get it.”
Amusing. He’s already identifying with the teenager comic and totally doesn’t get Loretta thinking her husband is more of a meatball than her meatball.
“Tyler, get your sneakers on. I told you twice already.”
“Wait.” He says off-handedly, heading toward his laptop. “I just need two minutes on this game.”
“Tyler…” I warn thru gritted teeth.
“Wait.” He says again, almost pleadingly. His eyes dart from me to the screen. “One more minute.”
Seconds from me slamming the screen shut, he triumphantly does a last tick on the keyboard and closes it down. “Done!” He beams.
It’s hard not to beam back at that face, but somehow I manage a small growl.
Finally, everyone has what they need, and has done what they have to. “Okay, ready.” I shout to the air, because no way anyone is listening. Miraculously, my two younger boys head for the door and walk directly into the screen that they are asked not to run into, every day.
My oldest has disappeared. I find him back at the computer.
“You’re kidding me, right?”
He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything I beat him to it. “If you tell me to wait, I might lose it.”
He smiles, nods mischievously, and says in his playful, patronizing voice, “Oh don’t worry, little mommy. I won’t say that bad word. It’s all good. See?” With exaggerated slowness, he shuts the laptop screen. “All ready.”
“Uh, baby, your sneakers aren’t on.”
Again, that sweet, goofy smile.
In a few days, my beautiful 10 year-old will be 11. Soon, he will be running out of the house, instead of me pushing him.
Suddenly, I’m not in such a rush.
“Wait!” I want to cry. “Wait.”
Hey mama, what’s taking you so long?
Icescreammama 
He sure is beautiful! I’m happy to know I’m not the only one whose mornings look like this. The computer lingering is my tipping point – yet I know how hard it is for me to get off the damn thing! Hugs to you and your birthday boy!
thank you! sometimes i can’t even stand to look at him. and this is every morning! the ‘wait’ word makes me cringe!!
That is a great post Momma-made me gasp at the end! I am on the hunt for those organic Reese’s puffs! Thanks for sharing!
thank you! and they’re in the ‘wishful thinking’ aisle. see you there. 🙂
I have an entire list for that aisle! Thanks!
I really loved this post. Almost had me crying .Just beautiful!
thank you so much. sometimes just looking at him makes me cry. i’m so sappy!
Oh boy. If my kids start telling me to wait . . . I might lose my shiz. I am currently training them to actually RESPOND when I tell them to do something or tell them it’s time for lunch/dinner/leaving. At least that way I know my words have landed inside their eardrums. But the wait . . . yeah, no.
Great post. I think we all are realizing that we are going to be the ones yelling “wait” soon. How do they get so BIG so FAST?
i don’t know! it sneaks up on you and then all of a sudden, you’re like, whaaaaaa????
What a good looking guy you have there…Also, Reese’s Puffs is the best cereal ever invented.
thank you! and so say we all! i mean really, it’s even good on ice cream!
Very sweet! Perfect balance of humor and lovey-doveyness.
that’s the goal right? can’t be too smaltzy!! thank you!
Ah, it sounds like we share my 11-year-old… 😉
🙂 they are so sweet and big and little… i don’t know what is happening here!!
I agree!!!
What is the “most annoying thing ever” on some days is also the “cutest thing ever” on others!!
exactly!!
Wahhhhhhh. Darn you. Good thing I don’t wear mascara.
haha! when did she grow to be a beauty… when did he grow to be so tall… wasn’t it yesterday when they were smallllllllllll……
I get it. Totally. Oh, come on! Oh wait. I get it. Sniff sniff.
you can always count on me for good sap. 🙂
Aww, I loved the ending.
I’ve been guilty of the one-more-minute thing myself, once I start checking Facebook and email.
me too!! but they’re not allowed!! haha
ack ack ack why won’t time slow down??
excellent work relaying the chaos of your morning.
11!!!!! Sigh. I keep telling myself that i have go clear out the kiddie toys from the bedrooms… but I can’t. I just can’t.
it’s sooo hard!! but keep the specials, and get rid of the crap! 🙂
Such a good reminder – sometimes going slow isn’t a bad thing!
i need to remind myself sometimes. it all goes so fast. don’t want to rush thru all the good stuff.
my 11 is going into 12 and she is well, just the same way – so is my 10 going into 11 boy….I just want all of them to wait…they are each at the perfect ages right now…
we can’t stop time but certain ages would be so wonderful to catch like a butterfly in a jar, but of course, it’s still more beautiful set free. sigh.
I LOVE the pacing! It was so frenzied, then at the end you really slowed it down…I’m sure that was on purpose. 😉 Nicely done!
rush rush rush!! Wait!!! 🙂 thank you.
He’s beautiful. And I’m guessing his birthday and Jon Alex’s are only a few days apart?
thank you. his is next week, so more like a week and 1/2. so fast it all goes.. thank goodness i have a positive outlet for my sappiness. i’m surprised i’m not making pancakes every day.
Love it!
Oh my goodness. He was calling me mammy just yesterday?!? Panda puffs got nuthin on Reese’s but they are organic 😉
thank you. where does the time go. and yeah, we tried the panda puffs.. it’s really not the same. however, there are these mom’s choice ‘lucky charms’ that they are into. 😉
The Lockhorns are still published in your newspaper? I thought that strip disappeared years ago.
nope, it’s there along with ziggy, for better or for worse, dennis the menice and garfield!
I love how you paint a scene so vividly. I feel like I’ve visited your house and sat down with your kids. You’re an expert at presenting a situation, and then examining it – through beautiful language – from multiple perspectives. I love how you weave your internal dialogue into your writing, adding such powerful, honest emotions. I really think you could write about paint drying and make it seem like a profound and entertaining experience. Three cheers for you!
thank you so much. your comment totally made my day. i so appreciate you kind words. 🙂
Beautiful essay. As I always say, I’m always on the verge of crying by the end and feeling so deeply for you and in turn for me. It really does go fast. That cliche always sounded so annoying when I had newborns but it is so freakin true!
Wait, indeed! Love the image of the stuffed animal friends keeping bedtime company (shhhhh, my 16 year old and 13 year old still have that AND they don’t move very fast yet…phew)
so happy they do!! i’m so afraid of the day he doesn’t care for them anymore.
OMG! Loved this. My sons are 7 and 3 and it sounds like I’m in the same boat with you – though at least yours responds with a “wait” — mine have non-medical, boy-related, selective hearing issues!! Happy birthday to your son!
thank you so much. and it’s true, sometimes, i get nothing, but wait, is the most constant reply. it drives me nuts!! so glad you stopped by. 🙂
Pingback: yeah write #118 weekly writing challenge winners: jury prize, editor picks, crowd favorite and top row five |yeah write
This sounds exactly like my ten year old!
are they all like this?? 😉
That was awesome. Great post and thanks for the squeeze on my heart. 🙂
thank you so much for stopping by. i know! these growing kids are killing me!! 🙂
oh MAN. I am SO there with you! I can’t beleive how OLD my youngest is getting! I wrote about my sadness. http://weightsover.com/the-perfect-age/
right?!! i can’t believe what’s happening here!! so happy you stopped by. 🙂
My baby turns 18 tomorrow. *sniff!*
that’s my baby’s bday too!! happiest happy wishes!!! i’m in awe of 11, i’m sure you have no idea how you got to 18 already. sigh.
My older son is 21. Twenty-one!!
In about a month one goes to one college dorm, and the other goes to a different college dorm – I’ll get my empty nest all at one time.
Happy Birthday to yours also icescreammama. 🙂
you too!! eat ice cream and enjoy! 🙂
“Little mommy” – that cracks me up. I would have been so mad, but laughing on the inside too!
he does that sometimes, but his smile, makes me smile every time.
“Little Mommy” is hilarious! 🙂 Were you laughing on the inside??
ha! i’ll take any excuse for someone to call me little. 😉
Pingback: You’ll grow up when I’m good and ready | Icescreammama
Pingback: Let the iBeatings begin! | Icescreammama