UGH

I am not a morning person.

I could stay up all night working, reading, watching TV, but when the sun comes up, I want to be sleeping. As those of you with young ones at home know, sleep is rare and most nights, unfulfilling. Occasionally when a grandparent comes to visit, or Daddy takes the kid fishing early in the morning (and puts the dog outside before they go) I get to lay in bed, cozy under the covers, dreaming...of more sleep.

But today was not one of those days.

As soon as Daddy got up, the dog moved in - this is the usual routine. Sometime she actually takes his spot, head on his pillow, feet stretched out to the bottom of the bed. But most days she likes to spoon...with me. Now, keep in mind, we have an 80lb. Chocolate Lab. Soon after she cuddles in and I am pushed to the very edge of the bed, I feel "the stare". I open my eyes to find Bella's smiling face inches from mine. "The sun is up Mommy. GET UP!" It's 6:52am. I roll over only to find the dog on my other side, inches from my face. And so begins the day.

Looking on the bright side, there is nothing I would rather see upon opening my eyes each day, than the smiling face of my beautiful daughter. And I have to admit that one of my favorite things to do when the dog closes in, is to open one eye and peek at her as she stares at me, and hear her tail go 'thwap, thwap , thwap ' on the bed. I close my eye and the thwapping stops. Open my eye, 'thwap, thwap , thwap ' ... faster and faster. As if she is saying "The sun is up Mommy. GET UP!"

I guess sleep is overrated. At least until 6:52am tomorrow.