5 A.M

5am is early. If you don't often wake up at the crack of dawn, allow me to enlighten you... No one else is awake. Not your next door neighbor, nor the neighbor's dog. The birds are barely chirping and you can sure as hell believe the trash man hasn't made his rounds yet. However, in a small house in the north-central suburbs of St. Louis a young boy and his sleep deprived mother are out on their, what is now routinely, morning walk. OK I lied. There are other people up. About 3. That's how many other walkers I count daily when we pass through our 2 mile loop around the neighborhood. Note-they are all late/middle aged, probably menopausal, therefor female, and probably are only awake because their own bodies prefer it that way. I am by far the only one my age.with a kid.walking at that un-godly hour.

Why are we walking you ask? Well, R prefers getting his exercise in as the sun rises. He enjoys seeing it peak over the horizon and pop through the morning misty clouds. He enjoys watching the bunnies scurry away as they realize that morning is here and it's time to head back to the safety of their holes. He relishes in the quietness and peaceful aura of no cars, no street noises, no nothing. Just him and his stroller, breathing in the fresh undisturbed morning air.....

No really. We walk because for last 4 weeks he has been waking up at 5. He only is willing to sit in bed with me for 30 min. watching cartoons.  B and the hubs sleep till 7:30. Taking him on a walk is the only way to ensure quietness so that the other half of this family can get a decent nights sleep and is ready for their day. R takes his first nap at 9am (of course). I don't get one. So by 10am he's in great spirits and rested. I'm on my last leg. It's been a long 4 weeks...

(Dancing with my headphones at the end of our walk)