Waking up with Betty in the a.m.:
I’m a stay-at-home dad and these days, I know how to give instructions on how to start the day with my daughter Betty:
1. Alarm goes off. Attempt to roll out of bed without waking Betty (we co-sleep with her). Even if arms and any body muscles are restless, mind over matter and jump out of bed without waking her. Creep downstairs on all ten tippy-toes.
2. Enjoy the first 20 minutes (30 minutes if I’m lucky) of silence downstairs while drinking coffee. Smell the coffee. Enjoy it. Stare at birds on bird feeders and enjoy the “me” time as my wife calls it.
3.When Betty is awake, approach her with big smile and big hug. 9/10 times she will do the same. If wakes grumpy, do not take it personally. Carry Betty downstairs.
4. Turn knob on stove and wait for water to boil.
5. Dress Betty with clothes that wife left on top of dresser. Appreciate the laid out outfits. Change diaper while making googly-faces.
6.Find oatmeal (preferably apples and cinnamon flavor) and mix packet with hot water. If there is no favorite flavor, hope for luck that whatever you feed her will be eaten.
7. Prepare dogs for breakfast mess on floor. Allow dogs to eat mess on floor. Dogs are like hired cleaning maids with children.
8. Turn on Sesame Street for only one episode.
9. Take advantage of the one hour by catching up on school or house errands. Or, to enjoy Betty, sit and watch an episode with her while snuggling her.