Too Many Cooks, or the Girls Plan a Surprise for their Mother

Several evenings over the course of the last couple weeks, after Katie and I had tucked the girls in bed, they stayed awake chatting for quite some time. When we asked them what they were doing, they said they were working on a surprise for their mother.

A few days ago, Savannah told Katie that she and her sisters were trying to stay up until after the parents went to sleep so they could carry out their plans in secret. Katie told her they couldn't do that. So Savannah came to me with a dilemma. She whispered in my ear that they wanted to surprise Katie with breakfast in bed, but couldn't figure out when to do it. Katie, she said, always went to bed too early, but still got up in the morning before they did. I suggested that they do it on a Saturday or Sunday morning, when Katie could sleep in. And Savannah said that her mom would still get up before them. I told her the way around that was to ask Katie to stay in bed while they put together their surprise.

I soon found myself recruited to help them carry out their plans. We selected Saturday April 12th to "surprise" Katie. Upon awakening in the morning, the girls were supposed to come get me. At 3:50 a.m., a very anxious and excited Colette (age 4) woke me up and asked me if it was time to make mommy breakfast. I told her no and shepherded her back to bed, much to her dismay. I told her she would know it was time when she woke up and saw sunlight. Colette returned at 7:48 to inform me that the sun was up. I talked her into waiting until her sisters joined us, which they did twelve minutes later.

And then, off to the kitchen we went to make cinnamon toast. Savannah and Leila argued over who would carry out which part of the procedure. In the end, they decided that each of them would custom-make their own cinnamon toast for Katie, rather than create it in an assembly line-style format. When the toast was ready, Savannah asked to make scrambled eggs as a "side dish." I denied her request and she fled the room in tears. Colette, meanwhile, picked out two yogurts and a bottle of water for Katie. Then we marched into the bedroom, with Savannah carrying the plate of toast and yogurt, Leila carrying the water, and Colette carrying the spoon.

chefs at work. 

Ready to march. 

Marching. 

After Katie was served, the breakfast-in-bed program snowballed. The girls announced that they were now going to give *me* breakfast in bed! They ordered me to stay in the bedroom, then went off and made cinnamon toast, this time without adult supervision. After delivering my food, they got the crazy idea to make each other breakfast in bed. I heard Colette call out, "I'll be waiting in my bed!" as she raced down the hall and leaped onto her bed. Savannah and Leila dutifully served Colette breakfast, then Katie got up and served breakfast in bed to her oldest two daughters.

Above: Savannah holding the plate of food the girls brought to me. Photography by Leila.

Right: Savannah and Leila holding the food they made for Colette.

Left: Colette having breakfast in bed.

 Below:  The food Katie made for Savannah and Leila.

Below: Leila eating breakfast in bed. 

Above: Savannah eating breakfast in bed.

Above: All three girls eating breakfast in bed.

A surprise for the whole family!