I have to say that I am not a natural morning person. When I was a teenager, I prided myself in the fact that I could sleep until close to noon on Saturdays or in the summer. I had no problem getting up early to go to school; but given the opportunity, I would sleep the morning away. The fact that I have always been something of an insomniac didn't help this.
I had Kora pretty quickly after graduating from college and quitting my job, so I would sleep when she slept. But I found very quickly that I wasn't getting much done. And my type A personality began to long for a little more routine in my life. Plus I finally felt grown up: I was a wife and a stay-at-home mom with a baby. It was time to start keeping the house like a grown up instead of a college kid. So that's when I started getting up early enough to cook breakfast and be dressed before my kids were up. I was going to a gym three mornings a week, so I didn't have to worry about getting in a workout until later in the day.
As we had more kids and moved to San Antonio, things changed. I didn't go to a gym anymore, but got up early to meet a very good friend for a two mile speed walk every week day morning. The time of exercise and fellowship was wonderful. It also got these important things out of the way, so I could concentrate on my main job: raising my girls and running the house.
Ever since then I have gotten up early to work out and be dressed before I have to deal with kids. If I don't, I feel like I am running behind all day. I still don't really like getting up at 5 am, but I like the results. I love to shed baby weight and be in good shape. I hate having to take a shower and get dressed after the kids are up. And I really hate feeling behind.
But the last week or two I have realized something else. I like the early morning. I love the way the early light filters in through the blinds. There's something about the quality of the light that is different. I love the stillness of the house, the quiet expectancy of the day. There is a peace felt at that time that I don't feel at any other time of the day. And I'd missed that the last few months.
It's good to be back.
4 comments:
For some reason, I loved this post. It inspired me. We'll see how much ;)
It posted as JD, but that was really Shannon
i have a question...i am a natural morning person, but my (9month)baby does NOT sleep well at night (or during the day for that matter) and gets up between 6-7. its been so hard to get up the last couple months. one day soon hopefully we'll get sleep. anyhow...who do you have around in case the kids get up? I can't leave the house with her there (oh we live in the inner city too)...and all i have to do is turn the shower on (if by some miricle I get up before her)she instantly wakes up.
Sanders,
Welcome! Do you sleep with any kind of white noise? We sleep with a fan and vaporizer on 365 nights out of the year. I think the background noise helps tune out the other noise. We also move the baby out of our bedroom as soon as she is sleeping through the night all the time, usually by 4 months old. Our baby is still in our room now since she will get up every once in a while, but we will change that before too long, I think.
As far as who I have around, my oldest girl takes care of the younger ones if I am still sleeping. However, this is the first baby I have had where that was an option! Before, I just took a nap during the kids' nap/rest time. ALL my kids, even the older two have a two hour reading time that coincides with the little ones' afternoon nap time. If I need to nap I can do it then.
Something else I have done with one of my babies was to have crib toys in her crib that she could play with when she woke up to pass the time until I was ready to get her out of her crib. I've never done this, but I've know moms who leave water (and water only!) sippee cups in the crib to drink first thing in the morning to help keep hunger/thirst at bay a little longer. Of course these only work well, I would think, if the baby doesn't share a room with you.
It is HARD, I know. I was soooo sleep deprived with baby number 4 when I had 4 girls under the age of six. But eventually it will get better. A two year old can be taught to stay in their room until a certain time or until an alarm goes off.
Hopefully you'll get sleep soon!
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