The Fourth Piece of Toast

How does one choose a breakfast food? Do we eat whatever we saw our parents eat? Or perhaps is it our best friend that influences our breakfast decisions. Perhaps our tastes simply evolve over time, and our breakfast choices with them. My choices have evolved over time. Bouts of anxiety have changed what my stomach likes. The desire to make it through the morning without getting hungry has had the most influence though.

Toasters often come with four slots. For some reason, three pieces of toast with peanut butter is the perfect breakfast for my body. That creates a problem. Putting three pieces of bread in a four slot toaster usually means one piece of bread is toasted unevenly compared to the other two.

As a result of this very strange problem, I had a bit of a prophecy in my head. I thought that one day someone would come into my life and eat that fourth piece of toast for me. Years had past, but nothing had changed. No one had come along and fulfilled the odd prophecy my brain was holding. It wasn’t my wife; she often skips breakfast. It wasn’t my first two children. They prefer cereal. Then my third child came along and recently turned one. At about 7:30 in the morning, he tends to become a bit cranky. This is usually my sign to plug in the toaster and fill all four slots. After spreading the perfect amount of peanut butter on each piece of toast, I pull my one-year-old on to my lap and fold his piece of toast in half. I make sure he takes tiny bites and am usually done with my three pieces of toast and still feeding him his piece of toast, but it makes for the perfect breakfast. Usually if he is being fed, he is patient. The way he sits on my lap but still allows me to eat at the same time is so enjoyable.

Is he better than my other two children? No. That is the great thing about being a parent to multiple children. Each child has their own special moments very separate from the others. One child is happier in the morning and the other at night. Or one child is good at reading while the other child is a fast runner. It is always great to share one on one special moments with each child.

What happens when my third child can eat two pieces of toast for breakfast, or even worse, what if he switches to cereal? I am sure we will find other special moments to share. Most importantly, if we continue to make time for our children and truly value each interaction as best as we can, I believe the world will become a better place.

As a part of this, I think it would be more beneficial to society if families were able to share more meals together. Talking over food seems to have its own magic. Catching up with kids after a day of school or a weekend out with my spouse sharing a meal is truly important to me. Many of our most important conversations have come over meals. We have even formulated our family size plans over pasta and a glass of wine.

What do you see when you look at a toaster? What do you think about when you are discussing breakfast? Honestly, if I could do hash browns and bacon every day, that would be great. Often by the time I change a diaper or wipe a nose, I end up with three cold pieces of toast and peanut butter. However, the littly guy sharing that fourth piece of toast and sitting on my lap makes it all ok.