Cinnamon Girl
My parents were hippies. You know this. I know this. The guy down the block prolly knows it to, but I’m not asking him because HELLO AWKWARD.
That explanation alone probably explains why they would give me a concoction called, “Coffee, milk, sugar,” starting at age two. I delighted in this drink. I remember sitting at the table, feeling ever-so-grown-up drinking coffee out of a coffee mug JUST LIKE THE OLD PEOPLE DID.
I don’t recall spazzing out and running around like an asshole afterward, but it’s possible.
For Ben’s first Christmas in this house, which had to be (scratches head)(counts on fingers)(stares at wall)(guesses), pushing five, six years ago, I lovingly selected a very tiny coffee mug for him. It was a cheap old thing, but it was so wee and so darling and so motherfucking adorable that I nearly ovulated all over the chick next to me at Crate and Barrel.
I’m not sure what exactly I was thinking he’d do with it. My son, while he is many things, is not an adventurous sort. Milk makes him weep, he doesn’t understand the concept of hot chocolate (until his siblings pointed out how rad it is, I might add). He’s a water-on-the-rocks kinda kid. I respect that.
My daughter, on the other hand, is extremely adventurous.
She also has an obsession with coffee. Normally, she’ll pop up next to me as I’m slurping down the sweet, sweet nectar of the gods, and very coyly ask to dip her binkie in the coffee. If Daver’s not around to bitch at me, I let her. Why the fuck not?* You’re only two once. And coffee? Well, coffee is FOREVER.
A couple of days ago, I realized the downfall to letting her dip-dip her binkie in my coffee is this: she’s infecting me with plague. (I wouldn’t put it past her to dip her binkie in my coffee for that very purpose.)
So I dragged out that wee, adorable cuppy that I’d bought for Ben so many years ago. I ovulated all over the kitchen as I put a splash of coffee, a heaping amount of sugar, and a liberal amount of milk into it.
“There,” I said. “Mimi’s coffee.”
I’ve never seen her grin so largely.
And proving once again that she is, in fact, my daughter, she downed that motherfucker.
Then asked for seconds.
Atta girl, Mimi.
*not actually asking WHY NOT? I’m sure it’s not fabulous for her and frankly? I’m not too worried about a teaspoon of coffee.
I tried giving my son his own ‘coffee’ to keep him out of my cup. Didn’t work. Turns out what he wants isn’t the coffee, its Mommy’s cup. We got him one of those liquid and glitter loaded tumblers for dinner time and now he does leave mine alone. Mostly.
Kids are so weird!
“You’re only 2 once.” EXACTLY! Can hardly wait for her first order at Starbucks.
Hers will probably be snobbier than mine. I can’t wait.
I love that you do this stuff. Because then I know I’m not the only one. Happy coffee!!
Hey, you gotta own it sometimes! And the kid? She LOVES it.
I KNOW me too!! Both my kiddoes drink coffee.
It’s just a matter of time until she finds the chocolate covered espresso beans! Woohoo!
*drools* Those are my favorite.
awesome!!
Isn’t she a riot?
Babe-O…it is totally fabulous for her and she will always have that special thing with you. My “Briggity Butt” had her own mug too which was also from Crate and Barrel ( LOVE THOSE PEEPS) and she still uses it from time to time even though she can now manage a regular size cup. She wants to save it for her kid (Help me…she is only 9).
My hubby adds a little Ovaltine mix in it and it is like chocolate malted coffee…I would use caution. That is a rogue Y chromosome talking there and we already know what happens with that. Enjoy your “Coffee Talk” lol!
That is SO rad. Sounds delicious to me.
Also: I’m holding you. If I have to hear about my kid wanting a kid? I’ll weep.
Bonding moments with your kids is such a great thing! We have a comfort food in my family that my daughter has never really enjoyed. It’s a special kind of pudding. As soon as my son was eating solids, I made him some, and I’m thrilled to say he enjoys it as much as I do! My mom is so proud that another generation of our family loves it as much as she and I always did.
There’s something so neat about our kids enjoying stuffs we enjoy too. SO awesome.
I love having coffee time with my Kiddo! And coffee is a generational thing in my family. I remember drinking Cafe con Leche as a child, while my mom was given it in her baby bottle. How’s that for awesome parenting?
Your mom is my hero.
I don’t drink coffee and my kids have never had it. But don’t worry, they all sneak sips of my Big Gulps of diet Pepsi when they think I’m not looking.
My kids love Diet Coke, too! We’re like twins!
My oldest (9) gets to have a mug of coffee with me every Sunday morning. I drink decaf due to rampant insomnia so it’s not like the coffee is going to hype him up. He drinks it with milk & Nesquick.
Okay, I just died of the cuteness.
I drank coffee from a young age, too. I used to crawl around on the floor to grab my dad’s coffee that he had set down next to his chair and sneak drinks of it.
I only recently let Jack try a bit of my pumpkin spice latte. He liked it! But I tend to give him what we call “kid coffee” which is just hot chocolate. I figure I don’t need to encourage him to have my same obsession – it will likely get there anyway. 🙂
I think it’s all genetic. Seriously.
That’s Awesome! My 4 yo drinks coffee, too. She use her princess china. She’s going to need therapy anyways, so I don’t think the coffee is killing her.
Exactly. We’re all fucking up our kids. It’s what we parents do!
She is amazing!! Lily always wants to drink my tea but I don’t let her. I have been waiting for some snow to introduce her to cocoa and marshmallows! All in time!
Oh, I cannot wait to see pictures of Mimi’s sister Lily!
I remember drinking the hell outta some ‘Coffee Milk’ as a tot, which is basically what you described. I don’t have any little ones of my own but my nieces and nephews guzzle the shit like liquid cocaine. Can’t say as I blame them either. Come to think of it…I think I’ll make myself a cup. Thanks for putting the thought in my head, Aunt Becky. You’re keen!
I’m thinking that I might need another pot! I feel awfully encouraged to drink more coffee.
I drank coffee with my dad and tea with my mom. I could tell the difference between different tea blends by the age of 5. I am genetically engineered for caffeine.
I love you. You’re my freaking hero.
V too loves having her ‘coffee’ with her mom too. I’m fairly sure I gave her a drop of coffee in milk the first time she asked. She loves being a big girl
There’s something so cool about our kids growing up. I know it’s supposed to be sad, but I love seeing them turn into people.
Hahaha you should start letting her drop her binky in your booze….because A alcohol kills and germs and B drunk kids are hilarious.
I prefer drunk dogs. Instant entertainment.
I started drinking coffee when I was about ten. It was better than the beer my dad gave me when I was three.
It took me many years to like beer. I was at least 12.
so YOU had coffee as a kid, and you turned out fine. Oh, wait… ; )
jk, I think that’s pretty awesome. and adorable.
That’s sorta what I was thinking!
Nothing wrong with a little coffee. My mother gives all the kids coffee as soon as they are off formula, half coffee, half milk in a baby bottle. So far, we’re mostly normal.
Normal is overrated. Right?
EXACTLY!
I give my 14-year-old Chatty Cathy a double shot latte on our way to meet her mama. I get her nice and caffeinated and then turn her loose!
Now THAT is brilliant.
My kids are obsessed with coffee too. But also, CHAI. My baby girl LOVES her some chai, and they make the mix in decaf, because she’s already a whirling dervish. I may need to get them their own little mugs.
Oooh! I bet Mimi would love Chai! That shit is like crack.
I feel SO much better now! My daughter loves her “Sweet Coffee”. Topped with whipped cream, just like mama’s! Yeah, yeah…I’m sure she will have bigger problems than the tablespoon of coffee…but please don’t tell my mother-in-law. I just don’t want to have to listen to it.
Never. I will never tell your mother in law.
Dammit. I came over here thinking that someone was going to let you have it for giving a kid coffee. And then I was going to jump all over their shit and feel better about life. But I guess your readers are pretty awesome. Sigh.
Right? I’ve been steeling myself for it. It’s bound to happen.
Trolls seem to come out when I mention animals. For some reason, that’s high troll fodder.
My dad would let me dip my binkie in his wine glass . . . which probably explains so very much, only wine might kill the plague, which must be why he never got me “John’s wine” glass.
That’s a truly cute story, Becky . . . and a great pic. My best friend’s dog actually demands coffee whenever he makes a pot.
I think I want to know your friend.
I remember being a little kid and having “coffee” with my parents and grandparents out of the special cups. It was probably more like milk, sugar and a wee bit of coffee but it made me feel so grown up.
Oh, and that picture of Mimi – I could eat her up. So friggin cute.
Isn’t she so big now?
Coffee? Yuck! I’m English- my daughter (five) and I drink tea together thank you very much!
Awwww. I like tea, too. You wacky Brits.
I don’t see the harm, pish, who even KNOWS how much caffeine my son ingested via breast milk? I told him, “if you aren’t gonna sleep then Mommy NEEDS this.” He is very interested in my coffee now, and I have not given him any…yet. The child HATES sleep. He is not even two and is up from 6 45 a.m. till 8 p.m. every fricking day. It’s incredible. My grandma used to make me tea just like your daughter’s coffee and I loved it.
OMG I effing Love you.
My man would definitely FLIP the eff out if I tried to give our 3 YO some of my precious coffee. He hates my coffee addiction as it is.
By the way, I NEED that tiny mug! So so cute !!
There really is something about that first bonding coffee between a mother and daughter ! Having said that the adventures will be lovely and sometimes rollercoastery but I wouldn’t change it for anything ! PS Now I wish we had done the teacups at Disney even if I would have barfed.
I just wanted to point out that coffee is the greatest addiction ever. (Warning: educational.)
Also, my 4-year-old son loves coffee. For a long time if you left a cup undefended he would slam it. Now he’s more civilized and shares.
My 5 year old has been grabbing my coffee (milk&sugar) and sucking it down since she was 2. She begs me for mocha frappes at McDonalds. The caffeine doesn’t seem to affect her too much (it never really did me either, although my parents tried to suppress my coffee love at a young age, it never worked). Don’t feel bad. Coffee is delicious. Kids understand this.
My little guy has coffee with Papaw every Saturday morning. A whole lot of French Vanilla creamer and enough coffee to change the color a little. They slurp coffee and watch the news and I have AN ENTIRE HALF HOUR to shower with no one throwing toys around the shower curtains at me!
My mom gave me “coffee-milk” when I was little and I loved it. My 11 year old is a coffee junkie like me. I only let him have it on the weekend and he uses a LOT of liquid creamer so I don’t worry too much. Coffee is bliss after all 🙂
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