It used to be Mommy, Daddy and Dean. Just warm arms and soft kisses every morning when he woke up and every night when he went to bed, with some sprinkled through the afternoon. His day started when Mommy would lift him out of the crib situated in the single bedroom of their three room apartment. It would be cheerios and milk, while Daddy and Mommy laughed over eggs and coffee. Then Daddy would give him a quick pat on the head and go out the door. He would be back later, Mommy told him so, right before she set him on the counter so he could help her wash the few dishes they owned. Afterwards, they would have playtime. Any toy he wanted, any game he could invent, he and Mommy would play it. Lunchtime would arrive before he knew it and he would get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Mommy cut off the crusts because she knew he didn't like them. Once he finished and she scrubbed away his stickiness with a damp paper towel, he'd have nap time. Mommy only pulled the sheet halfway up to his chest at nap time. He'd drift to sleep and wake up a little later, refreshed and ready for more fun. Sometimes, he'd help Mommy with her cleaning, a threadbare rag clutched in chubby fingers as he trailed behind her, wiping at the smudges on the walls painted olive green. If he did a good job, Mommy would let him have a cookie. With chocolate on his lips, he'd scribble with crayon stubs all over Daddy's newspaper, while Mommy fixed pasta for dinner. The door would open and Daddy walked in, with smudges all over his clothes. As Mommy set the table, Daddy chased him round and round the kitchen. Pasta was yummy in his tummy and then it was bath time which was fun but not nearly as fun as the story Mommy and Daddy took turns telling him as they looked down at him in his crib. Mommy would tug the blanket to his chin and kiss his forehead. Daddy would rub his blond hair and wish him good dreams. The light would go out and he'd fall asleep, dreaming of cookies, and Mommy and Daddy playing chase with him.
But things started changing once baby Sammy was in Mommy's tummy. When he woke up in the morning, Daddy was already gone. He asked Mommy about it and she told him Daddy had to go to work early so they could have enough money to get a big house so there would be room for Sammy too. Mommy asked him if he could climb out of his crib since she couldn't pick him up anymore. Her back hurt too much. He wanted to know if he could kiss it better. Mommy laughed and lowered the side of the crib. They didn't wash dishes after breakfast. Mommy would do them later. She went into the living room and sat on the stained couch. He brought her the toys he wanted and she told him she'd watch him play but she couldn't be on the floor with him or chase him or play hide and go seek because her belly was too big with Sammy in it. He amused himself for a while, looking up to see Mommy's eyes closed. Sometimes he wondered how she could watch him play with them shut. His stomach's growl was the only way he knew when it was time for lunch. He ripped the crust off his own pb & j because Mommy forgot about it. After he finished, Mommy took his sticky hand and lead him to the bedroom. The walls stayed smudged and he scribbled on yesterday's paper until Mommy started fixing pasta. Then he watched the door, waiting for Daddy. When Mommy put his plate in front of him, he asked where Daddy was. Mommy told him Daddy was at work and would be home later, after he went to bed. He wanted to stay up so Daddy could play chase. Mommy shook her head and settled him into bed, with a few picture books to look at before she turned out the light. He dreamed about sandwich crusts and Mommy on the couch.
Things finished changing when baby Sammy finally came. Daddy woke him up, scooping him up into his arms and saying they had to take Mommy to the hospital. At the hospital, one of the nice ladies, whom Daddy told him he had to stay with, gave him a banana and that was his breakfast. A long time later, Daddy came back and told him he could meet his brother. Mommy was holding baby Sammy, who was so small. Daddy left so he could take all their stuff and put it in the new house. While they waited, Mommy let him hold baby Sammy. He liked baby Sammy, even if he was crying so loud. The nice ladies brought Mommy some lunch and she gave him a piece of her bread. There wasn't any peanut butter or jelly on it. But that was okay because Mommy gave him half of her cookie too. The nice ladies kept asking Mommy questions and Daddy didn't come back yet and there was no crib so he didn't get to have nap time. Except for when he got to hold baby Sammy, he was bored. His toys were at the new house. Every time he tried to run around so Mommy could chase him, she would tell him to stop and sit quietly. Trying his best to obey Mommy, but unable to help himself, he squirmed in his seat while he stared at the door so he wouldn't miss when Daddy came back. The door opened and he got excited but it was only the ladies, who he thought weren't so nice anymore, bringing Mommy dinner. It was squishy meatloaf and he didn't want the taste Mommy tried to give him. He was almost asleep in the white chair when Daddy came to get them and bring them to the new house. Mommy was right-the new house was big. Daddy put him to bed in a room that didn't have Mommy's and Daddy's bed in it. It was dark when Daddy turned out the light, leaving him to dream about plain bread and big, dark rooms.
Now it was Daddy, Mommy, Dean and Sammy. His day started way too soon, when baby Sammy screamed and woke everybody up. He sneaked into Mommy and Daddy's room and watched from the corner as Mommy lifted Sammy from the crib, giving him kisses until he stopped crying. Daddy got up too and, once he got dressed, patted Sammy's head on his way downstairs and out the door. Daddy still worked early and late, even though they had a big house. Daddy told him it was because Sammy needed diapers and wipes and bottles and clothes and toys. Mommy poured him some cereal and he ate at the table while she went back to her bedroom to feed Sammy. Baby Sammy ate Mommy's milk. Once he chewed up the last of his cheerios, he washed his own dishes so Mommy wouldn't have to later, dragging the chair over to the sink so he could rinse his bowl out. He played with his toys quietly on the carpet and glanced back at Mommy's and Daddy's room, where he knew Mommy was giving Sammy a hug. Mommy waited until Sammy was asleep before she made a ham sandwich for his lunch. He ate the middle of the bread, but put the crusts in the garbage. After he finished, Mommy took him to his room and made him stay there for a really long time, even though he wasn't tired. When he was finally allowed up, he picked his dirty clothes off the floor and put them in the hamper, while Mommy changed Sammy's diaper. Baby Sammy was stinky sometimes. Mommy held Sammy in one hand while she fixed supper with the other. He looked at his picture books until she told him it was ready to eat. He didn't like spinach, it was yucky. When Mommy gave Sammy a bath, he made funny faces to keep Sammy happy so he wouldn't scream while Mommy washed him. The phone rang and Mommy answered it and then she was talking for a long time. He changed into his pjs and sat cross-legged on his big boy mattress, listening to her talk. Daddy came in the door and he pretended he was already asleep. Mommy and Daddy peeked into his room, saw his eyes were closed and turned out the light. He opened them again and lay awake all night.