Blogging in real time, part 1

9:30 p.m., Thursday
Cat is crashing around like a wild beast. Child is still awake, trying to enforce the rules ("be quiet, Iris! It's night-night time!) while violating them by screaming out her reminders.

11:34 p.m. Thursday
Stumble to the bathroom to pee. Stumble back to bed, trip over giant toy mouse left on doorstep by loyal cat.

5:30 a.m. Friday
Child calls out to indicate a need to pee. Yell out to her to go ahead, and stumble out of bed to be next in line for the bathroom.

5:31 a.m. Friday
Child's voice is at volume appropriate for getting attention across a crowded playground. Cringe, and lie to child, "It's the middle of the night. Use a quiet voice." Child uses stage whisper to boast about endurance for sleep without peeing ("wasn't that a long time that I sleeped without going pee?).

5:33 a.m. Friday
Lurch back into bed as quickly as possible, praying that cat does not follow with toy mouse.

5:34 a.m. to 5:56 a.m. Friday
Try to stop mind from racing in order to grab a few more minutes of sleep. Mind jumps back and forth between the following:

• Tentative packing list for yoga retreat beginning this afternoon
• Listening to and also trying to tune out indications from across the hall that child will not be going back to sleep and staying asleep until some sort of luxurious hour like 6:30
• Singing opening tune from Tiny Tots with the Seattle Symphony ("The Sym-phon-eeeee, The Sym-phon-eeeee, we love to hear, the Sym-phon-eeeeee)
• Where to park for the symphony this morning
• Whether there will be time to do anything downtown before the Symphony this morning (since it looks like we have an early start to the day)
• What the weather will be on the coast this weekend
• Back to the packing list
• Tentative meal planning for the day
• Tentative chore planning for Sunday after the yoga retreat
• Chiding self for thinking of Sunday chores and getting slightly depressed about the end of a wonderful weekend prior to it even starting
• Other things, which I cannot recall or do not wish to post on the internet

6:02 a.m.
Child calls out "I'm ready to wake up!" Debate with self, do I reward 20 minutes of somewhat quiet resting in bed, or do I give a strong indicator that this is too early to be getting up under any circumstances.

6:03 a.m.
Call out "I'm not! It's still nighttime!"

6:03:30 a.m. - 6:10:30 a.m.
Foolishly attempt to block out noise of disgruntled, wide-awake child with earplug and pillow over head. Get further and further from any semblance of sleep or relaxation.

6:11 a.m.
Call out "You can get up now!"

6:11:05 a.m.
Crack open one eyelid and see this:

6:12 a.m.
Snuggle child in bed. Decide that the best cure for early morning grumpiness is a 4 year-old child in pink-heart fleece p.j.s.


6:22 a.m.
Change mind. Decide best cure for early morning grumpiness is a very large, very strong cup of coffee.