Anyone who really knows me (especially my husband) will tell you that I am not and never have been a morning person.

I wish that I could wake up like the princesses in Disney movies- sun steaming in the windows, me singing along to birds, my hair lush and flowing and my face looking refreshed and radiant.

Unfortunately this isn't the case.

I currently wake up covered in sweat and leaked breast milk. I have postpartum hormones to thank for that.
My hair is a tangled mess from tossing, I have red sleep lines all over my face, black bags under my eyes and I'm usually cursing at the birds squawking outside the window for waking me up.

I usually stumble straight to the bathroom like a cave woman, muttering to myself about being awake. If the rest of the family are awake I mumble in response to various requests for breakfasts, lost shoes and whatever else they talk about so early- my brain isn't switched on yet so I'm not really sure.

I change nappies, provide a pre-breakfast fruit bar snack and turn on cartoons.

There will be some who judge this. Who get on their high mother horse about sugary snacks and television not being an optimal start to the day. But you know what? It provides sanity + sanitation.

The fruit bar is the only one of the day. The TV goes off straight after and we go outdoors, read or play.
But if those two things will (generally) buy me enough time to take a blistering hot shower and make a coffee which allows me to feel like I'm a new lady and ready to take on the day- so be it!

When I was pregnant with John-Jackson I worried about coping with a baby. Babies are known for keeping you awake all night then waking up early in the morning, I was doomed?!

I even slept for majority of my pregnancy, staying in bed until midday only to get up for food, a shower and then generally heading straight back to bed again.

I worried that I'd be a grumpy, scary, monster mama in the mornings and resent my kids for waking me up early. I was worried that I'd always be tired and unhappy.

It's quite the opposite. Having kids changed me.

John-Jackson is hilarious in the mornings. He lays in bed for a while chatting to his toys before getting up and politely knocking on his bedroom door saying "Hellooo, Mama! Dada!" And requesting to come out.
We're greeted at the door with hugs, smiles and jibberish toddler speak that you can't help but laugh at.

Maggie is less subtle in the mornings, she demands immediate feeding with a series of grunts and animal like growls (much like her mother I suppose!) then latches on to me quite fiercely. Just holding her tiny, warm body in my arms and feeling that close bond with her, knowing I'm fulfilling her needs is gratifying and calming.

The first person John-Jackson wants to see in the mornings is Maggie. He runs over to her, smiles up at me with big excited eyes as he points to her and says "Mag Mag". She looks back at him intently with wide, fascinated eyes.

It's as if they are in their own little world together. They sit together for hours like this just cuddling, him tickling her toes and kissing her head.
Witnessing the bond and love they share is like nothing I've ever seen and it's so captivating. I end up sitting there just watching them sitting together.

They are both lovely and hilarious which makes me look forward to mornings and the rest of the day that I get to spend with them.

I wouldn't say I'm a morning person and if I had a "day off" I could easily still sleep the day away... But with these two around... Mornings aren't so bad.

Jessicca xx