Dear Lola & Maeve, 

It was late in the afternoon. 
Papa got stuck on a call at work and was running a little behind.

I'd spent a good part of the last hour preparing dinner for Maeve...
As well as attempting to keep Lola away from a boiling pot of milled brown rice.
You wanted to help stir it Lola.
It boiled over making a gooey mess.
The kitchen looked like a bomb had exploded.
All in the name of the one tablespoon of dinner consumed by Maeve.

Lola had no undies on. 
They were missing & it was a mystery. Her words, not mine.
The potty was sitting full of wee in the middle of the lounge room. 
Why didn't you just sit on the toilet Lola?
It's lonely in there...
I tripped over it to see to Maeve.

Lola was tugging at my shirt , begging me to play with her dollhouse.
Something I said I'd do with her two hours ago.

Maeve rolled and banged her head on the cupboard. 
She cried.

Lola asked for pistachio nuts.
I said no, it's dinner time soon.
I hadn't even thought about dinner. 

Okay. 

Lola, sit your bottom on this chair and hold this bell. 
Ring it as loud as you can when you see Papa pull up the driveway. 
Maeve, sit next to Lola. 
Don't move from this spot girls. 

And that's where you both sat for the next 20 minutes.

I had to laugh. Laugh so much my belly hurt. A series of unfortunate events may have lead us to this point, and it's true, this mothering gig can be a little challenging at times, but our blessings far, far out weigh a messy kitchen and wee on the floor. 

And there my two beautiful children sat, in the evening light. Just as their crazy mother had told them to do.

Your mama