Bright and Early

one morning, the sun had just started peeking through the blinds. Tucker was up first, as usual ... wanting milk and cheese. I stumble to the bathroom and scrub my teeth clean; a must for me first thing in the morning. Through the bedroom door, I find that Tucker is not the first one up. Gavin waits patiently, bundled up in his winter coat and gloves. I realize that something outside has caught his attention and he wants to go explore. Bemused, I tell him to go on out and I creep to the window to see what's drawn him out so early in the morning.

The cold air has frozen the flooding rainwater from the day before. Every surface glitters with ice. The old red wagon is brimming over with frozen water. He heads there first. I get the coffee started and pull the baby onto my hip as we watch big brother explore the frozen world outside. His cheeks flush with the cold and he laughs as his breath comes out in foggy puffs.

Gavin travels around his frozen wonderland; testing, breaking, smoothing his hand over the cold surfaces. He lies down on the sandbox to get a closer look at a frozen puddle that's formed in the crevices of the lid. I notice how short his pants are. He's grown recently.

I make my way to the stove to put the kettle on for hot chocolate; he'll be cold when he comes in from his winter wonderland.