Morning Routine when 3 Children are Involved

Ah mornings... You know, that time between when your kids get up until the time when your brain starts functioning?  Mornings start pretty early around here; the 6:30 alarm clock usually goes off while I'm feeding the baby and begging the two year old to go back to sleep for 10 more minutes.  Then the 7 year old will stumble out of her room with a "Good morning, Jamie," and I'll have to actually start my day.

I'm not a morning person by any means.  I'm more like the grumpy, frumpy housewife with her hair all matted and standing on end, standing in a stained up bathrobe, sipping coffee, with a kid hanging off my leg.  If that doesn't paint a pretty mental image.  Mornings hurt.  After being up twenty-eight times in the middle of the night taking care of feedings, diaper changes, cuddles, nightmares, and spit-up, I just don't feel like being a "rise and shine" kind of person.  Really, I just want to ignore the cries and tantrums and go back to sleep.

But parenting doesn't work like that.  Instead, I've found a way to cope with early mornings.  Routine.



Because the kids are in daycare now, they've gotten into the habit of getting up right at (or before) my alarm.  That cuts down on the fight to get them up, so at least there's that.  No tears in the morning really help me keep my calm.  I try to pick out their clothes the night before, that way getting them dressed isn't too much of a hassle.

Once everyone is up and dressed, and the baby has a clean diaper, and the toddler has used the potty - I take a few minutes for myself.  They play happily in the living room while Momma gets her morning caffeine and checks her email.  I hate for my morning to be rushed, because it seems to throw the whole day off.
The two year old usually starts to get impatient right about this time, because he wants to go to "playcare":

Now, we don't have to start walking out the door until 7:30, and it's usually right about 7 when the little guy starts telling us it's time to go.  Easy solution: find something to keep him occupied while I finish getting everything ready for the day.  How do you keep a two year old entertained?  Blocks, chalk, or one of sissy's toys.  If those ideas don't work, I usually bring him into the kitchen with me so he can be my "helper."  This is when I get the baby's bottles ready for daycare, grab them each an extra outfit for that "just in case" assurance, and then make sure Daddy is up and getting ready for work.  The seven year old's backpack gets checked to make sure she has her library book, her homework, and a snack.  Then coats are put on, shoes are tied, and we walk out the door.

What is your morning routine?