Later

I've heard the children most often hear the word "no." The Orclette does hear that word but even more frequently she hears the word "later."

"Mama I need lunch!"
"Later, baby. I need to calm Miniorc down (I am too slow to feed him at times. He doesn't appreciate that)."

"Mama I hold you in my lap!" (that is exactly how she says that. She means that I need to hold her in my lap.)
"Just a minute, Miniorc isn't done eating yet."

"Mama I poopy! Change. Me!"
"Mama's resting right now. I'll do it in just a couple of minutes." (At this point the Miniorc is done eating and is finally sleeping and I have utterly no desire to move.)

The Orclette has so absorbed the concept of later that now she'll voluntarily tell me to do things later.

"I gonna hold you later."
"Momma change me later."
"Read to me later."

And so on. I make an attempt to not always push off things til later-her little piece of chocolate in the morning she gets immediately upon waking. Poopy diapers are -usually- changed as soon as I notice them. When a hug is asked for I try to comply right then. Kisses for booboos are either applied directly or sent via the wind towards her :D

And to put things in perspective: she gets things before I do. I make sure Miniorc's needs are met, then hers, then the apartment's, then me. And that is how it should, for the most part, be. (I am a firm believer in doing things for yourself and by yourself, which is why I made such a big deal out of going to the gym for an hour almost every day. Total sanity saver.)

And I constantly tell her that when daddy gets home neither of us will have to wait til "later." Because we will finally be waited upon by an adoring and loving husband/father who is just waiting for the chance to be at our beck and call :D