Spread the spread

This morning at breakfast we had the usual erratic arrival of Heatleys at the table. First down was Scarlett  followed closely by the tiniest terror. Cereals were put out and Lottie, still complaining of a sore tummy, opted for a milk-less small bowl of sugary-wheaty things. Meanwhile Big sister had appeared and helped (yes it happens regularly) get us all to the table. Ted was, as usual, still in bed. A phone call interrupted things a bit and the littlies decided they’d be better off in the kitchen. The ever-present Archie saw his chance and as soon as Lottie mistimed an attempt to climb on a bar stool he was there to scoop up the dropped wheaty things.

Back at the table and perhaps toast would be a better idea, spread with their favourite chocolate spread. Now, I know it looks bad, that we feed our kids a mixture of sugary, salty, completely unhealthy things at all the wrong times of the day but it’s not like that really. I actually read all the labels to make sure what’s in the foods (because it’s me in the supermarket at 10pm on a Sunday) and so we work to strike a balance. It’s just that this particular morning fresh fruit salad and natural yoghurt weren’t on the menu, or in the fridge for that matter.

So once it had all settled back down, still no Ted, the jar of choc spread sat on the table during the short wait for the toast to ‘pop’. Scarlett and Zoe had both left the table by now to do other things and something else had distracted Mum. On my way upstairs to wake and fetch Ted (you can’t just shout up at him any more – house rule – and he’ll get distracted if you don’t follow him down) I noticed Lottie sitting alone at the table with the lid already off the jar of spread…

Ever seen a two and a half year old let loose with a tin of brown poster paint? It’s what had kept her nice and quiet sitting at the table without a peep alright, but now she was covered in chocolate; hands, forearms, cheeks, nose and chin each time she had dipped into the jar for a scoop of choccy! I reckon she’d eaten a fair bit of it too and what better way to enjoy the stuff.

By the time I came back downstairs, now heading for the front door but still without Ted although I had woken him and coerced him out of bed, Mum had found the popped toast and Lottie was hurtling through the lounge to kiss me goodbye determined to spread as much spread over me as she could! Amid fits of excited giggling Mum chased her through to the downstairs loo and washed most of it off, all the time Lottie chattering away her protests.

 When she was back, I just managed to get a slightly chocolatey kiss goodbye as sleepy Ted came down the stairs looking for his underpants!