My Morning Routine

I've spent my entire life being a little behind, so why change now? Carmen at Mom to the Screaming Masses is doing a topic pertinent to large families each Wednesday, and we are invited to join in. She did Morning Routine last week, but I'm just getting to it now.

I'm not going to count being awoken around 2am to nurse A., but that is the first time I normally get up each "day."

Today went like this:

4:15am: A. wakes up again (she is ill with a bad respiratory bug). I nurse her again and fall asleep, wake at 4:55am and return her to her own bed.

5:00am: D's alarm goes off. Miraculously, it only takes one elbow jab to get him to turn it off--no snooze. He gets up.

6:30am: A. wakes again. Nurse her again. Attempt to go back to sleep. Big kids get up, eat breakfast with D.

7:09am: Big kids board bus, which stops at the end of our driveway.

7:15am: A. wakes AGAIN and I realize I WAS asleep. Turn off my alarm which is set for 7:15am but has not gone off yet. Get A. out of bed and stroll wearily into kitchen. Wipe A's nose. Unload dishwasher with assistance from A., who throws dishes on the floor. Pour coffee.

7:25am: D. emerges from shower and I ask him to watch A. while I take a quick shower.

7:35am: Head upstairs to wake the 2nd shift. Wipe A's nose.

7:40am: Greet K., who has awoken and come downstairs. He wants to get his clothes on NOW and A. wants to be picked up. I remove A's blanket sleeper so she doesn't trip on the feet (she has pjs underneath) and wipe her nose. Tell K. that I want to eat my breakfast first

7:42am: Cave in to K's strident complaints and dress him.

7:48am: Heat up some previously made apple cracked wheat cereal for K., A. and myself. Wash off highchair tray (from dinner last night) while it warms up. Wipe A's nose. L. and I. are eating cold cereal which they have poured themselves.

7:53am: Put my bowl, juice and coffee on table, along with A's bowl and sippy cup on her tray. Wipe A's nose and seat in her highchair. Commence eating.

7:55am: Get A. down. She is screaming. Wipe her nose again. (Do you see a theme here?)

8:00am: Pour K. some juice. L. and I. get dressed for school. Wipe A's nose.

8:08am: Sit back down, finish eating while perusing yesterday's paper. Wipe A's nose.

8:10am: Clear dishes and load dishwasher as fast as possible while A. is occupied elsewhere so she doesn't try to climb in dishwasher. Wipe A's nose.

8:15am: Hand wash some dirty dishes that can't go in dishwasher.

8:23am: Bid L. and I. goodbye. Wipe A's nose.

8:25am: Head to room to dress and bathroom to brush teeth. Fend off one year old that loves to eat toothpaste, listen to some screaming. Wipe her nose with toilet paper.

8:30: Bus arrives at end of driveway to pick up L. and i.

8:35am: Greet T., who just woke up. Wipe a's nose.

8:40am: Put load in washing machine and in dryer. Wipe A's nose.

8:45am: Peel and hand out clementines to T., K. and A. Wipe A's nose.

8:50am: Get computer out and check email and message boards. WIpe A's nose.

9:15am: Get A. dressed and wipe her nose.

9:25am: Fold a load of laundry.

9:35am: Make important phone calls while kids watch educational TV show.

My kids (theoretically) lay out their clothes and gear the night before so that they aren't searching the house for them each morning. When someone cries 'Where is my... "I remind him that if he'd put it away yesterday we'd know where it is now.

If we must go somewhere in the morning, the routine involves a whole lot of browbeating to get ready.