Head on pillow, air is soft, slumber slows as tippy toes pat through the room. I fail to keep the partially pronounced pouting off in the distance, Jamie sternly yet sleepily announces my task; and my morning begins.

“YES!” is my first word, throwing my light covers aside, a foot falls to the floor and the bed gives a gentle creak to announce my move.

“Let’s go potty.”

Pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat across the room; princesses on her pink gown, mild interest on her face, awake she approaches the bathroom tile. Fumbling but swiftly I transfer her from floor to throne, happy to be holding a dry diaper in my hands. Tinkling and then a thumbs up, her work is done.

With each move as I transition her back to the floor, whatever hope I had for more sleep slides away, and my body steps into the start of this day.

Where will we go? What’s that noise? Oh BINGO! We cuddle our pooch on the couch while he groans and wags his tail. She looks up at me rubbing her tummy “I so hungry dad!”

Wandering to the kitchen “OH!” she sees the berries I bought last night. Now I’m congratulating myself as breakfast is made in my mind from my late night shopping trip. Fresh raspberries, blueberries, a bed of yogurt with just a touch of honey, and some vanilla granola to make it complete.

We sit at the table, her eyes wide with interest, I guide her hand to the spoon and she… wants to color.

Hoping it’s just a mild distraction I crack open the Minnie Mouse coloring book. The spoon has not moved. Maybe the ingredients aren’t mixed. With a couple swishes of the bowl I hand it back to her.

She sinks, deflated, crosses her arms and turns away from me.

Nothing can undo the damage I’ve done. Was it the touch of honey? I try showing her the coloring and notice a piece of a puzzle on the page and start to color it in. I didn’t know it, but I can make a pretty good Minnie Mouse shoulder.

“Erik?” I hear my wife sleepily call.

Oh no.

I pace back to our room where I find head on pillow, air soft, but my daughter’s head is now on my pillow and I’m being called to make a bottle so she can begin slumber anew.

I turn back to the kitchen cursing, confused. Just when the world grows dark and all are against me…

I notice a fresh and tasty breakfast swirled the way I like, with just a touch of honey.