The wee hours

Before, I started my day around 7 a.m. I rolled out of bed, had a bite to eat, showered, and dressed. Then it was out the door to the train.

Now my day starts at a time I used to consider the middle of the night. It is still completely dark. She wiggles, she grunts, I get up. A diaper is changed and some quiet smiles are exchanged on the changing table. It's nice that she's so happy on the changing table; it makes being elbow deep in someone else's bodily functions much more pleasant. Then we snuggle up in bed for a feeding. And she goes back to sleep. I usually do not.



I am up. I am making my way downstairs, still in the dark. It is silent. It seems as though the entire neighborhood is still asleep. There are bottles to fill and pack for day care. There is a lunch to pack for myself. Sometimes there is diaper laundry to fetch from the dryer and pack in the day care bag. I get my bags (bags! it is always plural now) together and packed for work. Still dark. Still quiet. Checking the weather, showering, laying out her clothes for the day. By now, Adam is up and getting ready. The sun is up too. No longer the wee hours; it is morning. Time for her to wake up for the day. She wiggles, she grunts, and she opens her eyes. Then she smiles. Oh, that smile! Time to feed again. Followed by a few precious minutes of play time, baby smiles, and lovely babbling before Adam must whisk her to her room to get her changed and dressed and out the door for the trip to day care, while I finish getting ready for work and walk to my train.



Somewhere in there, I sneak in some breakfast. I must. I am a breakfast person. In the winter, often oatmeal. In warmer months, usually granola. Varying brands of storebought granola, which I find adequate but overly sweet, definitely nothing to write home about. Every now and then, as a treat, my very favorite storebought granola (Milk and Honey, so yummy!), originally from a cafe in our old in-the-city neighborhood. And now, for the first time, homemade granola. I made some over the long weekend and, just like that, I am hooked.



I used this recipe (scroll down to the end of the post) as a template, but I changed a few things. No pumpkin seeds, added flax seeds, honey for the sweetener instead of the options listed, no almond extract, extra cinnamon. So good! And easy! Really and truly. I already have big plans for substitutions and variations. And just like that, the wee hours are made a little bit brighter.