Last night I was preparing dinner and juggling the "crazies" of the evening hour--whiny children, a play doh extravaganza on the dinner table, food prep in full effect, a famished dog needing to be fed and watered. It was shaping up to be like many of the 5pm's of days past.
But then in the middle of it all, amidst the chaos and confusion, we all heard the same thing and stopped.
It was a baby giggle coming from the Exersaucer wiggling in the middle of the kitchen. I must have done something humorous (comedian that I am! ha! :) to elicit the sweet, melodic laughs from our 6-month, J; and out they came in chorus.
Our 4-year-old M stopped his whining and began to laugh. T, 2, reverted from eating blue play-doh to partake in the moment. Soon we realized an easy peek-a-boo game was all it took to continue the baby's happiness. And we all found ourselves grinning, appreciating, enjoying... and extremely happy. At 5 o'clock.
Hours later as the last plate found its way to the dishwasher and I dried the final pan to put away in the cupboard, I smiled. The evening had been one of the most enjoyable I can remember. At 5pm it had all the makings of disaster to come, and yet it wasn't... and didn't... and couldn't...
All because of a baby.
