Why I (Mostly) Do Not Mind 4 AM...

It's been a while, and I'll explain why that is soon.  But for today I am going to share why I mostly do not mind that AJ gets me up at 4 am.  Yes, 4 am.  Well, in all fairness, sometimes it's 4:30 am.

I am not a morning person.  Never have been. Never will be.  And you can't make me.

AJ is a MORNING PERSON.  As in, a leap-out-of-bed-and-eagerly-begin-to-enjoy-all-the-world-has-to-offer kinda person.  And she does this neither quietly nor very safely.  So I must arise and defend the world from all AJ has to offer.

AJ gets up between 4 and 5 AM.  I have tried everything to get that a little later.  We use extended release melatonin, and Valerian.  I have tried putting her to bed later and later.  No matter when she goes to bed she gets up that early.  But the later she goes to bed the crabbier she is in the morning, so I have learned to put her to bed early so she gets enough sleep.

Things in our reality have become increasingly stressful and even dangerous over the last 8-9 months. (More on that soon!)  This situation has taken a lot of my time, my focus, and my attention.  It is also been necessary for me to keep AJ and KC apart as much as possible. AJ is extremely resilient and easy going and handles it all beautifully.  (Oh, how I wish I could be like her!)

So, at 4 am, it is just AJ and I.  We get to enjoy the quiet world and all it's goodness all by ourselves.  We get to giggle and dance and watch cartoons.  We don't need to walk on eggshells.  We don't have to brace for impact (physical or psychological).  We get to be us.  And that is worth getting up at 4 am.