Morning Rituals

Today I managed to get my butt out of bed at 6:30 a.m. for the first time in a long time. It seems like ages ago that River used to get up at 6 a.m. on the dot. Even as his wake-up time moved later, I’d still get up at six to pump before he awoke. But I haven’t been doing that for a while either Since I haven’t gone out of town since early August, I don’t need a lot of extra breastmilk filling up the freezer. And I admit I luxuriate in the sleep, staying in bed until River wakes me between 7:15 and 8:30.

I do remember though that once I pushed myself out of bed and down the stairs that I kind of enjoyed that post-pumping morning time. So I’ve been trying to get myself up earlier lately. But today was the first day I was successful. I thought about all the successful writers who pulled themselves up much earlier than 6:30 in order to write their masterpieces. There was no reason I couldn’t.

I probably had just over an hour to myself, but it felt like ages. I was able to make a cup of tea and actually drink it. I could sit in front the computer with a focus that I don’t have at other times of the day, when many things are competing for my attention. I got things done, I felt relaxed, I was ready and glad to greet River when he awoke. I hope I can get myself to do this more often.

River and I spent a relaxing morning taking a three mile walk, then attending the baby story hour at the library, where we saw some of our friends. I had allowed River to sit in the leaves along the trail we walked. I hadn’t realized they were wet. So his grey sweatpants and white socks filled with dirt. I thought about not going to the story hour since he was so dirty. But I decided to go anyway (removing the socks, since they were the dirtiest). I also got up the nerve to park our stroller outside the story room door instead of leaving it at the library entrance. The strollers form a line there as though it’s a baby-time train. Ours was the only one that didn’t look shiny and new. I’ve gotten over my feelings of inadequacy about that though. It works for us.

Now I’m trying to get ready for a flight I’ll be taking with River tomorrow. Mark will join us the next evening, so I’ll be traveling on my own. Flying in the past has been relatively easy. But now that River is more eager to be on the move, I don’t know how easy it will be to keep him in the seat for three hours. The flight leaves at 6 p.m., which is close enough to bedtime. I’ll feed him at the gate, have breastmilk and a bottle ready on the flight, and hope the combination of a full stomach and the plane’s movement will knock him out into tranquil sleep.