I learned a very important lesson about a week into life with children: how to share and relax. I had wanted chocolate chip, pumpkin scones for days.  There is something about the hard, dry pastry and good dark coffee that are bliss in the early morning.  Maybe, while still loving my daughter and enjoying our new chapter, there was a quality of normalcy I was  missing.  My wife and I enjoy cooking, especially on weekend mornings and I missed this aspect of our relationship.  Self-care is very important for without caring for myself I will have less to offer.

As we were sitting holding our daughter and talking last night, we decided the scones would make an excellent breakfast and snack. As my wife slept and nursed I prepared them, more as muffins than scones due to a slight recipe misread.  Regardless, they still look amazing. I can taste something familiar.  As the muffins enter the oven, we swapped and I sat on the floor holding my daughter.  My darling wife cleaned up the kitchen and brought me a warm coffee and a fragrant scone/muffin thing. The chocolate chips were soft and melted on top. Then baby needs a diaper. Ok, up we go, fresh diaper and back sitting again a moment later and I notice the chocolate chips are missing. Actually the muffin is no longer in its wrapper as it lies lopsided on the floor next to my coffee. And the dog looks smug.

Life becomes busier with a baby.  The way things were or should be give way to the way they are.  You, me, and the baby makes three, however, there is an opportunistic fourth lying around.  So I smiled, scratched a happy looking dog, sat back down for my coffee, gazed at my daughter and asked my wife for another muffin.