Confessions of the early bird.

I don't in any way consider myself an early bird. In turn, I don't consider myself a night owl either! I think I'm somewhere in between. I'm perfectly content if I can get into bed somewhere around 10:00 pm, and get up somewhere around 9 am. I wouldn't think that that would be TOO unreasonable! BUT! Ha ha ha! I have children. And I've learned in my almost 7 years as a mom, that as a parent, you are a night owl, you are an early bird, and everything in between, even if its not by choice!!! You're guaranteed to be awake plenty of nights, whether feeding a hungry baby, rubbing a puking child's back, or pacing the floor making sure everything is ok when they're sick, and are hardly sleeping. You're also guaranteed to be void of the privilege of sleeping in. There is no such thing as a lazy Saturday morning any more, unless of course, you keep them up till 2 am before putting them down. Yep, then they'll sleep past 7 am, but unfortunately you'll also be looking to sleep till about noon then, just to feel rested!

It amazes me too, how all kids seem to be different when it comes to what category they fall into! I have Dallas, who is VERY much an early bird. He was blessed with the same two brain cells as his Grandma Naudeanne. She has always told us that she can't help being an early bird. she has these two little brain cells that just wake her up early. He is, without fail, the first person awake in our house on a daily basis. And over the years we've trained him to wake up quietly, head out to the living room, and hang out with whatever tunes may be on at the current hour. He's always very good about this. He'll hang out until someone is awake, and then world beware! He is also a talker. So usually the first person he sees gets spewed upon them the wealth of information that is rambling around his head! Its actually some pretty interesting things that early in the morning. On the week days, I'm always up shortly after he is. I can't see dragging my butt out of bed before 7, when we don't have to leave that early, but I do get up, and get things going so we can leave for school on time. I'm always greeted with a hug, and a "good morning mommy." Something that is always sweet, but when your eyes have just barely been open for 30 seconds and you're greeted with this overly chipper "SOMEONES AWAKE I CAN TALK NOW" voice its hard not to harrumph some times. This morning as I walked out I was greeted as usual, and then began the ramblings as he proceeded to tell me all about his FAME class that starts today, and how he already knew about everything he was going to be doing in there, because a little girl in his class filled him in already. I just nodded my head, and kept going about my business. At 7:15 am I'm typically in no mood to argue with a 6 3/4 year old.
He's content with a head nod to know you've acknowledged him, and I'm happy cause he's happy!

Gabriel is more like me. Not really a night owl, and not really a morning person. He is typically our first to bed at night. He will often finish his dinner, and come to me and ask "mommy, can I go to bed now?" We're lucky if he makes it to 7:00. What 5 1/2 year old does that? Most kids I know want to stay up as LATE as they can. Even if its only to see what happens that late at night. To know what the adults do "after the kids go to bed." Little do they know its nothing fun and exciting! Its all about cleaning, picking up, and getting ready for the next day! I guess Gabe comes by it honestly too. My dad used to be the same way. My grandma told me that my dad would have friends over, and he'd get tired. He'd go to bed, and his friends would keep playing. That's very much how Gabe is! Though, he does put his spin on it. The other night we were eating dinner, and in usual Gabe fashion, his head was bobbing, and he was getting tired. He says to me "mommy, can no one have dessert tonight, and instead we all go to bed?" Dessert isn't an every night thing here. Maybe a couple nights out of the week. But he wanted to make darn sure he wasn't going to miss out on anything if there was something to be had!!! Pretty smart logic huh? If EVERYONE goes to bed, I know me, myself and I won't be missing anything! It gave us a good laugh.

Kaleb and Kendyl are more night owls. We can put them down for bed, and they will try to continue to play in their room. They make all kinds of noise, and carry on. Kaleb is usually the one to give up the ghost first, and go to sleep, and he's usually the first of the two awake in the morning. The twins shared a crib from the day they came home from the hospital, until the day they went to toddler beds. Their room is only 9x8, and wasn't big enough for two cribs. They loved it though. They were always snuggling, and would always be together. They had a very hard time sleeping apart. And actually, when we went to the toddler beds Kaleb would get up and go crawl in with Kendyl. To this day, if he wakes up before her, he'll go grab his pillow and his blankey, and crawl into her bed. They set up camp like they used to sleep. One pillow at each end of the bed. And he'll go back to sleep because he's comforted being by her. Kendyl will wake up, and start yelling for us "MOMMY!!! NO ROOOOOOM!" She rather enjoys having her own space once she's asleep!!! I think the bond they have though was only made stronger by sharing the same sleeping space for all those months. I hope that it continues as they grow!!!


I now of course come to Todd. My wonderful loving husband, who is very much NOT an early bird. The later he can stay up, and the later he can sleep in, the more happy he is. Its not a pretty thing when he has to get up early for something. He doesn't wake easily. We as a family have just come to know, "you don't bug dad when he's first up." You just leave him be, and let him wake up on his own time. And, if he does talk to you, or snap, know that it isn't really him being mad at you. Its just that his brain isn't really on yet, and he can't fully process what you're saying! This does NOT pair well with Dallas the eternal early bird. It usually ends in Dallas being told to be quiet, and Dallas being upset because he just wanted to tell Daddy his great idea. And Daddy later apologizing because he didn't mean it. I'm sure there will eventually be a balance there. . .maybe?


On a side note, the picture above was taken in Copper Harbor Michigan this morning. Its my most favorite place on earth to be, its where I used to vacation as a kid. My dad sent me the picture this morning, he watches their web came on a regular basis. I thought it was rather fitting today!