8 Minutes

The house was clean. Amelia and I were home on our own. The baby gates to the stairs were in place. The cabinets that had previously enticed little hands were child-locked. So, I hopped in the shower for one of those quickies only a Mom can muster. (You learn very early on in the Parenthood Journey that being swift is a virtue. You no longer chew your food--you inhale it, never knowing when the child who is next to you calmly eating her Cheerios will decide she's all done and you cannot eat another bite. You no longer try on a few different shirts to see what looks best--you sniff briskly, check for visible stains, and run.) I literally took 8 minutes to shower, brush my teeth and get dressed. The pictures below illustrate the damage/mischief an 18-month-old can demonstrate in only eight minutes. Remarkable.