WAKE UP!

Previously I mentioned how I use to sleep a LOT. When I became a stay at home mom I took full advantage of the fact that I no longer had to wake up at 6:30 to get ready and go to work. I would let my kid be the alarm. If he slept in, so did I- it was glorious! :)
Then came baby #2. With a new little one, you NEED to get your sleep. You take naps whenever you can sneak them in because you don't know if you'll get 8 or 2 hours of sleep the next night. After my kids start sleeping through the night (usually around 6 months) that's when I can function again.
After baby #2 was a year old, I was consistently waking up at 6am to have a little 'me' time before the hubby left me home all day. He leaves for a work a little after 7, so I could get up, head to the gym and be home in time for a quick shower before 7:15.... and I LIKED it. It wasn't what I did in that hour that made my time so enjoyable- it was that I HAD an hour to myself. I'm sure if I would have spent the time giving myself a pedicure, or grocery shopping (I LOVE shopping by myself) or any old thing I would have enjoyed it. I was ALONE for 1 hour each day and it allowed me to recharge and get ready for the day. How can you get ready for a day when it's your child that peels your eyelids open in the morning? No one, and I mean NO ONE wakes ups READY to embrace all the wonderful and not so wonderful aspects of staying at home with their kids. You NEED time to yourself, to take care of yourself. Working out for me was therapy AND it helped me feel better in my clothes, so it was a win/win.

Sideways selfie of me feeling strong one morning 

However baby #3 has been tricky on me. She WAS sleeping through the night, then she got a cold... then she got a tooth. Then we discovered she has sensitivities to scents in her lotion and laundry products. (waking up at night crying and scratching). I do believe another cold and tooth situation came about as well. So now I'm looking at a baby who is almost 11 months old and I still don't know if I'm going to get a full nights rest. I crave sleep... I think about it.. a lot. If I thought about another man the way I think about sleep, I'd be on the verge of divorce. bahaha- but seriously, I LOVE sleep.
Last night baby #3 slept the whole night, and it was AMAZING! Don't get me wrong- I've got 3 kids and I know that SOMEONE is going to wake me up most nights. However, there is a difference between comforting a child over a bad dream and trying to rock a baby for 20 minutes that just wants to crawl around.
I'm excited. I miss the structure of waking up before my little ones. I miss the way I feel after I've had that hour to myself. I'll list some benefits that I've noticed when I work out in the morning on a consistent basis (3-5 days a week)

• I have more patience for my children throughout the day
• I'm more productive during the day
• I've already worked-out, showered AND have clean clothes on by 7:15am!! (such a great feeling)
• The cramping from my periods are less and sometimes non-existent 
• I've had time to think about my goals (short and long term) and feel more focused
• I get out of the house!!! (for all my sahm friends with little kids, you get it lol)
• I get to see and sometimes socialize with other adults!
• I eat better during the day
• My clothes fit better over time

So I guess here's my point. If you're crabby and slightly bitter and perhaps a few tads frustrated that your kids are waking you up in the morning and you don't have any time for YOU- then YOU need to turn off Facebook and turn off the TV and go to bed earlier so that you can wake up earlier. It needs to be said. You WILL be happier if you do. Oh and I talked to your kids, they want their happy momma back ;)