I've long been the person who wakes up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water or go to the washroom, and can't get back to sleep because my mind is running a mile a minute.

I don't know about all you other moms out there but this has only gotten worse since becoming a mother. I just can't seem to turn it off (in fact, this blog post was composed in its entirety on my iPhone at 3:30 in this morning!) As I lay in bed, close my eyes and try to relax, all I can think about is:

• how much did he drink today? He's got to be going through a growth spurt. 
• did he poop more than that one time? I know they say the switch from breast milk to formula can bung them up, but how many days until he's back to his normal schedule?
• I need to remember to sanitize that new bottle i bought the other day 
• I better not forget to pack the nighttime formula for when he stays over with his grandparents tonight.
• I can't believe he fell back asleep so quickly when I laid him in his crib. He seemed a bit too awake and I thought for sure he would cry first. 
• I hope I have time to straighten my hair before the family brunch at noon (NOTE: it's been few and far in between that I've found the time to do so, so I'm not holding my breath)
• how are we doing on wipes? I wonder if we need more soon? and what about diapers? No, we bought that 216 pack, remember? 
• I wonder if that book everyone seems to hate is really so bad? I need to find time to read more of it. 
• I really need to sleep.  He is probably going to be up in two hours. 

All these thoughts and many more at (then) 3:40 in the morning. Oh woe is me, and probably millions of mothers out there.

What do you all do to quiet these thoughts in the middle of the night?!

lately i've been getting up for the day shortly after 5am. the sun is only just beginning its slow ascent into the sky, and all is (mostly) quiet. it may be the baby waking me up that early, but i don't mind. i change his diaper, give him his bottle and we move into the spare bedroom so that daddy can sleep and DJ and I can begin our day.

we stare at the beautiful morning light streaming through the front door, splattering the walls with gorgeous shadows. we snuggle. we lay on the play mat and smile at the toys. we just hang out cooing and grunting until daddy wakes up and mommy can go downstairs to make her tea.

5am. i'm actually loving you.