Confession
I have a confession to make: (Ahem)
When Nathaniel (my 4 year old) gets up in the morning, I turn the TV on and go back to bed for an hour.
I feel like I just confessed embezzlement or something. I can hear the silent gasps everywhere.
In all seriousness, I am ashamed of the fact that I am a lousy morning person. My Mom was always up first, had her QT before anyone was awake, and greeted each of us with breakfast and a smile. It totally annoyed me, but it set the standard.
I hate mornings lately. I don’t want to get up because I HAVE to…I want to get up when I WANT to. Once I’m up, I don’t want to be needed. I don’t want to fix breakfast for everyone. I don’t like noise or rowdiness that comes with two small kids. And I don’t like Dora the Explorer at 8:00 AM. (She talks sooo loud)
I want my coffee, quietly brewed, and then I want to quietly sit on my balcony doing my Quiet Time, peacefully contemplating the richness of God’s goodness. I do not want anyone to speak to me until this has happened. Doesn’t that sound nice?
So, recently I was convicted about our family’s morning routine. Several Mom-friends shared with me about their morning routines, and how they get up around 4:30 AM (GASP!) so they can have time to themselves before their family gets up. That way they have time to drink their coffee in peace, have a QT without shouting at the kids to stop body slamming each other, watch a little TV that doesn’t include learning how to count to ten, workout, and then shower without being interrupted.
My friends have enlightened me and I realize that the morning experience I want to have is totally possible…just at a few hours earlier.
So now that I know this, the battle is doing it. Every morning this past week I have felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to get up before the kids. And every morning I roll over and push the snooze button on Him. Obediance is HARD. It may be THE hardest part of being a Christian, in my book.
So pray for me. I know I can do it. I just have to want it bad enough.
Anyone have any tips on how to force yourself out of bed early in the AM?
not me girl…tommy gets up with thomas and when west wakes up i take him to tommy and climb back in bed until tommy has to leave for work. west still wakes several times a night so i am most def not a productive am person ether!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoIf your coffee pot has an alarm to brew automatically, make it brew 30 min. before you want to wake up. That way you’re forced to get up and drink FRESH coffee! I do not like coffee that’s been sitting for a long time! BTW I have not been true to my before prego routine b/c I’ve been tired during day and night and AM. I need help to! I’m going to tell Jose to push me on the floor when my alarm goes off. Maybe if I get a good thump on the floor I will stay out of bed!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoJessica
URGH!!! The demise of me…Mornings. We bring Ella in the bed with us & a bottle at 6:30 when she wakes up. Then I pray fervently that she’ll fall back to sleep as soon as she’s done (does that count as a QT?) Usually she does for about another hour-hour and a half. Then the excitement of the new day hits her and she’s wired, jumping and climing and babbling on incessently. Sometimes she climbs down off the bed and plays with random things she finds on the floor, on our bedside tables, in the bathroom, etc…while I try to open my eyes enough to make sure she’s not putting something in her mouth (she usually is, and this makes me have to get up and take care of the situation).
Brandon and I tried the “Babe, you take her 3 times a week while I get some ME time @ 6:00am.” It was great. I woke up, ran, had my coffee and QT and made breakfast. But it only lasted about 2 weeks.
Good luck!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agolove you, coley
i feel you pain completely. Benjamin usually come out of his room sometimes several times a night and he is an early riser. i am not a morning person, i am so groggy and just want to be asleep until nine. sometimes i take Ben to the playroom turn on the tv and dose on the sofa. i am glad to know that i am not the only mom who struggles in this area. Now that Taylor Grace has started K-4 i am forced to be up and ready and have her to school by 8:30, but usually without breakfast and coffee for me. i try to get to bed earlier, but i crave that nightime me time! the time i can watch what i want and do what i want and enjoy the quiet. it also seems that everytime i get on the phone with my best fried who now lives in NC, that both of the kids go crazy and meltdown so that i have to get off the phone. all i can say is good luck to all of us!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoWow! My Superspiritual perfect mom Carrie view is shattered! JUST KIDDING…sometimes my son gets up at 5:30am for his bottle and I confidently go back to bed afterward. Then I was feeling the same nudge you’re feeling and I told myself I would stay up and not go back to bed if he wakes up anytime after 6:30am for his feeding…. I would have my me-time. Yeah. I’ll get back to ya on that. I think I’ve stayed up maybe twice. When will I learn that obedience actually saves me from myself? I’m so glad I’m not alone. How can we help each other? (love the pics!)
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoOk, I am impressed at the attempt, I hope it blesses your day. BUT I totally get back in bed after I turn the tv on for Abby too. I just need the rest. My alone time is at night…so then I stay up too late. And I will say that on weekends…Kane stays in bed loooong after I finally get up.
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoone more thing….i think you are misrepresenting with those pics…makeup? Heheheh, how bout some real ones?!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoI got nothing. Hey, I struggle with the same stuff..and I don’t even have a little one!! So, perhaps I’m here to make you fee better!!! Way to go – keep it up!!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoHey Carrie! I loved this post. Just the other day I was wondering when I was going to ever have a quality quiet time again. :0( My little guy (five months) likes to eat too much during the night and I am dragging during the day. I’m hoping once we start rice cereal he’ll do better! Audrey was sleeping by eight weeks but not this guy. :0) Oh well, my doc said he’s too big and needs the calories. BUT, that makes for a very tired momma. I’m doing my best to pray and connect with the Lord through praise and worship and prayers throughout the day. Not the same I know, but hopefully survival mode will wane soon.
Great to hear from you on FB. Thanks for dropping a note. OH yes…you need to check out http://www.xanga.com/resolved2worship she is a mom of six under the age of 10 and is an amazing christian and photographer. She reminds me of you when I see her photos of her kids and the other people families she photographs. I think you’ll be blessed. Love to you and the kiddos!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoGirl! I love you. I love your confession too. This is somethign i have REALLY been struggling with lately- as per Jessicas suggestion I have actually asked Andrew to kick me out of bed but it really doesnt work! I have been wondering If nursing is what is making me SO EXHAUSTED as I have always been a morning person ..and I def feel like I need that time to get right with God and myself before the “day” (ie: the kids get up ) begins. I have made sure I am taking my viamins and drinking a ton of water. I keep a big thing if iced water by my bed and first thing i roll over and drink (its still cold in the am) that way I get hydrtaed quick….part of our tirdenss is our body getting dehydrated over night..so before coffee- do the water..and apples also help..anyway, I know the initial getting out of bed when my alarm goes off is the struggle.It just hasn’t happened yet. I know before it was a habit- just getting into the rhytm of it and getting the body clock retrained..but it is just being able to do it those first few times. I am glad you bloggerd on this and I have enjoyed reading other womens struggles and suggestions with this! Keep us updated with how its going…..
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoI AM a morning person, but my problem is I want to do everything before the kids wake up, gym, news, read, QT, etc. and unfortunately I don’t choose QT first most of the time. And I’m useless after about 7pm. And Naeem relys on me to get him up and to the gym in the early morning. I would need to go to bed about 8pm so I could get up at 4am and do it all! Haha – not happening. I think if we could all be honest and vulnerable with each other like you have done, then maybe we wouldn’t all feel like we have to live up to some false standard! I am my own worst critic and judge. Ugh.
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoHI Carrie,
I so feel your pain though. I agree with Leslie, do you look that good in the morning? he he he
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoI’ve struggled with this since I stopped working and it still bugs me. But I love to sleep in the mornings too! I love all the Elisabeth George books, but she says get up at 5:30 and I tried that about twice. I ended up a zombie the whole day and felt horrible. So I put Avery in preschool this year and am hoping this motivates me to at least get up and shower before the kids get up. I’m not sure if I can accomplish much more than that before 8!
You ladies are hilarious!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoThank you for reminding me how truly blessed I am to have no babies!!! I am not a morning person by a LONG shot, and I’m not much of a night person anymore either! I’ve been spoiled by a job that requires I be at work at 10am.
I hold nothing against your going back to bed in the morning. Maybe one day we will be like the Beth Moores and Elizabeth Georges out there, but for now I will cherish every precious hour of sleep I can get. 
Love you!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoAll I have to say is…that if you look that good in the morning. I might hate you! Even with the messy hair… girl0 you are hot!
| Posted 1 year, 2 months agoHahahaha! I was a morning person until baby #2! Now with #4, I do well if I’m totally awake by noon. And with nursing too- WOWSA! Water by the bed helps me too (Lindsay’s suggestion). I also have an automatic coffee pot so I know it’s already done when I get up. Which, by the way, is one of my splurges- good coffee. I also have no “off” days. My personality is if I even think I get to sleep in on the weekends, I’ll consider everyday a weekend. So, I set the clock the same time EVERY DAY of the week. It is tough. I’ll be thinking about you!
| Posted 1 year, 1 month ago