I Used To Be A Morning Person

Before I had children, I used to be the early bird. I would wake up before the sun came up, jump out of bed, take a shower, sit and enjoy my coffee and paper (briefly) and fly out the door work. I was almost always the first one there, somewhere between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. I loved the quiet time before the craziness to work in peace. No phone calls. No interruptions. No can-you-help-me-with-this project, and I need it now.

Why has that changed? I still go to bed at the same time. Sometimes even earlier. But when my kids come in at 7 a.m. and beg for breakfast and juice, it's all I can to roll my lazy ass over and say "just give me five more minutes, please." Sometimes they will retreat in their rooms to play, although it usually ends in fighting, but most of the time I have to get up. Right now!

How can it be that 8 years ago, even 5 years ago, I would have thought nothing about arriving at work at 7 a.m. But now, I can't even pour the cereal until the clock says 7.

And we run a tight ship about the 7 part too. I can hear the kids whispering in the hallway. "Does it say 7 in your room? It says 7 in my room. So it must be 7. MOM!!! IT'S 7 IN EVERYONE'S ROOM!"

Everywhere, but in my head.