Tuesday, August 23

The Way I See it...

There are two kinds of people in this world.

People like me.
And people like Hubby.
And if there are other kinds of people, well, they just have missed my radar.

You see, I, by true definition, am a morning person.
Hubby, is not.

And that's it, those are the two types of people.

I wake up in the morning and nine times out of ten, swing my feet to the floor, say a little prayer and head downstairs. No time is wasted, I start coffee, breakfast, emails, blogging, reading, getting ready for the day, laundry...all of it within 15 minutes of waking up. Even on the mornings when I am dragging, as in I went to bed too late and some little human woke me up around five in the morning, I still manage to get it together fairly quickly. I usually have music playing and am declaring a dance party by 7:15 am.

I can be up and out of the house early and prefer first thing in the morning appointments and play dates. Dr. appointment at 8:30? No problem. Lab work at 7? You got it. Play date at 9? Perfect. Grocery shopping at 8? I'm there. Garage sale at 6:30? Done.

It's just the way I'm wired. I always have been. When I was a kid, I never slept in. I had no problem getting up and at the bus stop on my own by 6:30 around age ten. I usually only woke my family to wave goodbye. I've always had an alarm but rarely needed it.

In college, I'd drive 45 minutes to school to be at class by 7am, but I'd meet a friend at Starbucks around 5:30 every morning just to start our day off. I worked at a coffee shop for a few years and working at 4am was my favorite shift. I loved waking up, watching the sunrise, feeling the dew as it was falling, the bustle of early morning commuters. I loved all of it.

The first time I slept in past ten was when I was prego with Daughter. I slept one day until noon, you know that ridiculous tired feeling you get when you're pregnant? And I was shocked when I woke up and saw the time!

The downside of all this morning business is that by 7:00 at night, I am frequently checking the clock and yawning, by 8:00 pm, I could very well fall asleep with no issue and by 9:30or 10:00 pm, I am out cold, drooling on the couch.

But it works for me. And for my kids, who are also, apparently, morning people.

Then there's Hubby. He is absolutely NOT a morning person. When his alarm goes off on the days he works early, he will usually keep sleeping. Through the alarm. I usually have to shake him or slap his face or arms to get him to turn it off before it wakes up the kids. Then he'll reach a heavy hand over to his night table, usually knocking over a water bottle or cup on his way, slam his hand down on the table and with eyes still closed, keeping slamming the table until he finds his phone (picture the whack-a-mole game at Chuck E Cheese). Once he finally grabs his phone, he swings his heavy hand with said phone back over to the bed and tries to look at it. Emphasis on "tries." His hand is actually TOUCHING the button that turns off the alarm and even touching the snooze button (both of which would silence the glaringly loud and obnoxious sound ringing from the phone speaker), but having a hard time actually pressing either button.
I am generally next to him, hissing at him to touch the damn button or give it to me immediately! I have come to the conclusion that he actually cannot hear me at this point and is just struggling to open his eyes and comprehend what is going on. He finally slides open the phone (unnecessary to turn off alarm), goes to the menu screen, tools screen, alarm screen, and then clicks the option off, usually after one or two of our young children are awakened by the shrill ringing throughout the house. And I wish I were exaggerating. One time I happened to be outside early in the morning watching the sunrise when I heard his alarm going off. Outside. I heard it outside. I'm sure he wakes my neighbors every morning as well.

Now that the alarm is officially turned off, he will do one of two things. Ask me to wake him up at a specific time (usually 30 minutes or so later) or he will sit up on the edge of the bed and stare at his dresser for ten or fifteen minutes. Sometimes he will actually fumble through his phone menus again and reset his alarm for another thirty minutes and then the whole thing happens all over again (except the rest of the family is up by now, eating pancakes and reading the paper). Other times he will just sit a while longer, staring at the dresser. I used to ask if he were okay. He never answered with anything short of a caveman type grunt, so I stopped asking.

After he finally decides to get OUT of bed, he stands up and walks with a drunk/very old man stumble over to the sink, where he leans against the counter, turns on the water (just for kicks) and stares for quite some time. What does he stare at, I'm not really sure, actually. The sink, the mirror, his eyes could be closed even. It's all in the mystery of the morning, really.



Once he's dressed, he makes his way down stairs, still stumbling, and sits himself down in his recliner. He folds his arms, scoots down in the cushions a little and closes his eyes. Sometimes he'll mumble a little to inquire about coffee being ready or not, and then it's time for a tiny morning snooze. I usually let the dogs in to come greet him (read wake him up) and bring him a cup of coffee. This whole recliner things lasts about twenty minutes until he's finally awake. And when I say that I mean it. He is finally awake and up and able to speak. It's almost like a rebirth, or a coming of age, every morning. A miraculous moment, when all the senses align, all the brain functioning returns, all the motor skills start to get going.

And usually by this point in the day, the kids and I are ready for a nap. ;)

However Hubby is at his best in the evening, awake, vibrant, talkative and generally annoyed that I cannot stay awake past sunset. It's an interesting match.

And that's just the way I see it.
So what kind of person are you? Morning or night?

4 comments:

  1. Love it! I am night...Patrick is morning! HA! ;)Along with Sofia being morning....the verdict is still out on Matty! ;)

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  2. i dunno what i am... I hate mornings... but i don't really like to stay up too too late - (anything past 12am is not good). I don't bounce outta bed as easily as you either. But the hubs, oh the hubs, he is just like your hubs. SLOW to start. sigh! gotta love 'em!

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  3. I read this yesterday & could have sworn I commnted, but I guess not. Ooops! Anyways I am def a morning person too! I cracked up at this post, I too love my morning talks with God/prayer time, & quickly dig into the day...wether it's a work day or a weekend. I think also I enjoy that small time of solitude befor the hustle & bustle arises. I wasn't always this way tho, like you...I didn't love mornings till I became a Momma.
    XO

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  4. I am morning and night... I don't want to miss a beat. Give me a nap and I'm golden haha!

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