The Adventures of Harry and Grace (H.S.)

A Really Big Mess

"Babe, I'm gonna jump in the shower! Gracie is just downstairs watching Peppa Pig waiting for her 'daddy's famous pancakes'. Would you mind making her some breakfast?" You ask Harry as he walks into your bedroom after his morning run.

"Yeah, I can do that." Harry leans in towards you and kisses your head. Giving your bum a light spank "Go shower, I've got our Gracie girl!" Harry takes off his running shoes, places them in the closet, then walks out of the room to go downstairs.

Walking down the stairs with a little pep on his step, he looks into the family room where Peppa Pig is playing on the television. Looking around the family room Harry can see Gracie's blanket on the couch along with Bob, her favorite stuffed sheep, but no sign of Grace.

Crinkling his eyebrows, he pads into the kitchen to take a look in the back yard. Rounding the corner he sees a little hand, holding an egg and letting it go, it hits the floor. The egg broke open with a splat and the little girl who was holding the egg let out a giggle.

"Grace Gemma Styles! What is this?"
Grace jumps hearing her not so happy dad behind her.

"A really big mess." Grace tells her daddy as she turns around, with a smile and begins to bolt out of the kitchen. Harry bites his lip, trying not to laugh at his sweet little daughter and her very true remark.

"Not so fast little missy, we need to have a little chat." Harry kneels down on the kitchen floor and holds her tiny hands in his. Looking around the room, he can see that Grace has cracked all of the eggs in the fridge.

"Can you tell daddy how this really big mess happened?" Harry asked in a stern but not angry tone of voice.

Looking up at her daddy, Grace replies "Wanted to know what was inside, so I broke opened it, and it was fun!" She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the floor.

"Love, eggs are used for cooking, not to throw on the floor. We have a really big mess we have to clean up now. Do you think this was a good choice or a bad choice?" Harry waits for Grace to reply.

Tears are starting to well up in her big blue eyes, as she says "A bad choice, I sorry daddy." A tear drops from her eye as she begins to cry.

"It's okay Gracie bug. I forgive you! Next time you want to get in the fridge, can you come find mum or dad?" Harry says in a soft tone trying to show her he isn't mad.

Grace nods her head yes as another tear falls.

"Come here love." Harry opens his arms for Gracie to receive a hug. "I love you Gracie bug."

"Love ya too daddy." Grace says with a sniff.

"Should we clean up this really big mess?" Harry opens his eyes wide and smiles at Grace with a deep dimpled grin.

"I get a towel!" she runs into the laundry room as fast as she can, curls flying everywhere. "One or two dad?" She yells.

"Bring them all!!" Harry says with a chuckle as he looks down at the massive mess of eggs of the floor.

Arms full to the max with towels, Grace walks into the kitchen. Harry pulled out the dust pan and had Grace help by pushing the eggy mess into the dust pan.

After the mess was all cleaned up and the floor was mopped Grace says, "Daddy?"

"Yes my love?"

"That was icky" she says with a face of disgust.

Harry had been fighting giggles through the whole situation. He wanted Grace to understand throwing eggs on the floor wasn't a good choice. But he lost the fight when Grace ones again states the obvious and he bursts into laughter.

Giggling Harry says "You are right darling, it was very icky!" Harry bops her nose, "Mum said you wanted pancakes, but we have a problem."

"No eggs!" Grace says putting her little hands over her face.

"Right. So we can have cereal for breakfast today and we can go buy more eggs and have pancakes tomorrow. How does that sound?" Harry says.

"Kay! Can I have bananas in my cereal? Please?"

"Bananas? Coming right up!" Harry grabs a banana off the counter and starts to slice it into her bowl of cereal.

Gracie finishes her breakfast and hops down from her stool. "Hi mum, we need more eggs!" Gracie says with a smile.

"I went to the store yesterday, and I bought two dozen. We have eggs love." You state as you walk further into the kitchen.

"Uh...No we don't." Harry says with a chuckle. Looking at Grace he says "Run upstairs Goose, get dressed and we can go to the store to get some more eggs." Grace bolts upstairs to get dressed for the store.

Using your hand to turn Harry's cheek so he is looking at you. "What happened to the eggs?" Asking with a curious look on your face.

Harry laughs with his hands over his face. "I came down to Grace cracking the last egg on the floor! We had a talk, she understands it wasn't okay."

"How did that go?" You say with a raised eyebrow.

"You know those moments where you know you need to get mad, but you really just want to laugh?"

"Yes!" You shake your head thinking of many moments from the past 4 years.

"That's what happened today. I wanted to just laugh because she was 'crackin' me up! You should be proud, I only laughed a little bit" holding his thumb and pointer finger up so that they almost touch.

Wrapping your arms around him and looking up at your husband "I am proud! Very proud!" Kissing him on the lips.

"Kay daddy! I'm all ready to go to the store!" Grace announces, pink purse in hand, sparkly sunnies on her head, and ready for the store.

"Alright, lets go!" Harry grabs your hand, and picks up Gracie as they leave the kitchen to get into the car so they can go get more eggs.