I have always been a morning person but ever since my oldest son was born, the mornings have morphed into something different – a sanctuary from the upcoming craziness of the day. During the first year of my oldest son’s life he used to wake up around 4:00 a.m. like clockwork. Some dads would just throw him at the tit and go back to sleep.
However, early on I learned that I needed my mornings to be semi-sane during the day. My typical morning would involve Toothless and I waking up, him eating, and then us hanging out until he fell asleep. I would also guzzle coffee like it was water. All of this was completed by 5:00 a.m. and then I could play Xbox with impunity.
Sometimes while he was awake, I would throw on a game and he would just sit there cooing and babbling as I shot up the French countryside or took out the Flood. For a three hour period I would be able to “parent” my son without my wife helicoptering about. She probably doesn’t remember but she tended to act as an overlord and watch my every move with him.
Rightfully so. On my watch, he fell off our bed, I dropped him while going down the stairs, he tumbled down the stairs, etc. All on accident and because I am a klutz, and I wasn’t always the most attentive dad.
Of course none of this happened during our morning ritual. He would wake up, eat, we would interact and he would go back to sleep. On Saturdays, I would throw on a Premier League soccer game for us to watch and once asleep, I would have the morning to myself. I needed this time though. It was my time.
Alone time has morphed over the years. My youngest son would have nothing to do with me in the morning until around 6:00 a.m. or so. I don’t wake up at 4:00 too often anymore. I’m usually up by 5:30 though. I use this time now to get myself mentally ready for the day ahead. On the weekends it’s important for me to have this time. Just an hour, that’s all I ask. If I don’t get at least an hour without my kids first thing in the morning I go nuts.
At this point I need to take a moment. Its 5:48 a.m. on Saturday. I woke up at 5:15. Right now, as I write this paragraph, my 5 year old just walked into the living room. That little shit just ruined my Saturday. I am pissed right now. I can’t believe he’s not sleeping in. He was up until 10:30 last night. He is going to be horrible today. I might as well leave my family for the day because I am not going to be very pleasant either. I just shouldn’t have written this post. Murphy’s Law.
I was going to explain to you what happens when I don’t get enough alone time in the morning. Tiny made sure I could give you a play-by-play of my mind. Why DVR the game when you can watch it live?
I was going to write more, but this seems like the apt time to conclude. Now I need to figure how not let this day go south. Nevermind, Toothless just woke up at 6:12. This day is over, I throw in the towel.
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Seriously, I didn’t plan any of this; it was all organic