waking up

Our dog Plaxico has been waking up earlier and earlier for the past six months and is now on a kick where he fake sneezes around 7:30am until Jason or I wakes up and takes him out and feeds him breakfast in a zombie-like state before returning to our bed for another precious hour of sleep or so. This cute gimmick has somehow morphed into 5:30am the past two days (why on God's green earth would you want to be conscious at 5:30am? I don't care if you are a dog. I raised you better than that.) Anyway, this morning was apparently "Jason's turn," and as he came back into our bedroom after our spoiled prince of a pup had his breakfast, I found myself in that mysterious divide between asleep and awake. The following is the sequence of events that unfolded. Please note: I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be, a morning person.

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Jason rolls to my side of the bed. My face is heavy and smushed against my pillow, ya know, all peaceful and angelic-like, and he gently whispers...


Jason: Babe, do you want to go to the beach this morning to see the sunrise?

Long pause by me. Deep thought ensuing. Trying desperately to remember how to speak English in my drowsy stupor.

Me: Is it the wrong answer if I say I'd rather sleep?

Long pause by Jas. Disappointment ensuing. He rolls back to his side of the bed.

Jas: It's okay, go back to sleep.

Longer pause. Internal conflict waging in my groggy brain. Beach sunrise certainly sounds like a lovely start to my day, but more lovely than how it feels when my eyelids are shut? Tough call...

Me: Okay, let's go to the beach.

Jas: (Chuckling with surprise) How did that happen?

Me: Well, I decided it's a good idea. (Eyes still furiously shut.)

Jas: Okay, but you gotta get up.

Me: I'm not up? (I'm actually only half kidding. My mind was already five steps out of bed at that point.)

Jas: Um, you're not moving.

Me: What about now?

Jas: Still asleep.


Long pause...

Me: What do I do first? (Again, only half kidding. At this point I've regained motor functions and am meandering my way into the bathroom with only one eye open. I can feel my obligatory morning frown out in full force. It usually lasts about 7 minutes.)

Jas: You're gonna want to brush your teeth.


Ah yes, teeth. That sounds familiar.

Me: What should I wear...? (CLEARLY this is not a scenario I have encountered before and I'm feeling a little unprepared...)

Jas: Well, it's 62 out so it might be kind of cold...

Me: (Wait for it. Here comes the moment of the morning. Literally without a second of hesitation and still with one eye closed, my tired little brain exclaims in a high-pitched desperation...) PANTS?!!!!!

My feeble morning mind could not comprehend such a silly notion. This response sent Jas into a fit of laughter and at that point I was able to open both eyes and fully join the waking world.

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Despite my sluggish start, we made it to the beach. After giving Plax a nice run in the sand to start the day, followed by a long walk by the three of us, Jason and I worked out and made breakfast, all before 10am. Wait, what?! This is what you "morning people" accomplish before I even make it through my email in the morning on a typical day. My whole world has been opened up.

Needless to say this day is off to a great start. I wore pants to the beach, and I did something that seemed entirely unthinkable to me. I was up before 7:30am.

So let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can't do something: Sometimes the hardest part is just waking up.

My favorite shot of the morning. My boys.

So inviting.

Worth the few less minutes of sleep I think. 

This guy. 

Couldn't be happier.