It’s 2:45AM. I’ve been asleep for two hours. I hear the familiar call from a tiny man, “Mommy! Mommy!’ I’m in his room before I open my eyes.

I get him milk, his Thomas Trains and put him back to bed.

It’s 6:00 AM and I hear the familiar call from a tiny man, “Mommy! Mommy!” I’m in his room before I open my eyes.

I pick him up hoping to give his sister a few more minutes of sleep. He asks for milk. I turn to get him some.

He starts screaming.

It’s 7:00 AM and he’s still screaming.

Finally, having had enough of this, I coax him in to eating a banana and watching LIttle Einstines so I can get the family ready to go.

It’s 7:45 AM and the family is ready to leave. I get the tiny man’s shoes and he yells, “TRY! TRY!” which is short for “I’ll do it you mother fucker!”

I let him try.

He screams out of frustration, “HELP! HELP” which is short for “why are you just standing there watching me you mother fucker!”

I coax him down the stairs. I attempt to take his hand. “TRY! TRY!” which is short for “fuck off.”

I walk a few stairs down and he yells, “UP! UP!” which is short for “why are you leaving me here, hold me now mother fucker!”

It’s 8:20 and I’m dropping him off at day care. I have a full schedule of deadlines, meetings, phone calls and deadlines. I turn to leave. He lunges at my legs. I pick him up, kiss him, whisper in his ear, “I love you even if you are two.”

I walk away missing him. Even if he’s two.