A typical morning.

I was laying in bed at 6:24 am when I heard Juliette calling me. I ignored her, and a few minutes later I heard a door slam, followed shortly thereafter by the sound of my door opening. I crack open my tired eyes to see Juliette's face peering at me from the side of my bed. She hands me Elmo and her blankie before reaching up for me to pull her next to me.

We stayed there quietly cuddling for 2 minutes before she started asking for juice.

As I rolled out of bed I announced "I am sick, I am tired, and I need help. In half an hour." Greg's muffled response is "OK" before he rolls over and goes back to sleep.

He did come down in half an hour. While I showered and dressed, he gave the girls breakfast. I came down 45 minutes (ahh, such decadent selfishness. Taking 45 whole minutes in the morning for myself!) later to see Cosette's head soaking wet; a short time later I notice the pink marker on her scalp. There was also pink marker on Juliette's hands. Apparently Juliette tried to draw on Cosette's head and then tried to wash Cosette's hair so I wouldn't see it.

As I get Cosette dressed, Juliette picks out her own clothes for the day. Jogging pants and a fleece hoodie. It is forescast to be 75 degrees today.

As Juliette starts to dress, I sniff suspiciously: "Juliette, did you go poopies in your underwear?"

"No, mommy. Wanna see?" and she pulls down her pants so I can see her clean underwear. She is wearing her spiderman boys briefs today. Can't get spiderman- or Thomas the Train- in girls underwear, and she had to have Thomas, so boys briefs it is.

Eventually I convince her to wear a t-shirt.... under the fleece. Roughly 20 minutes later she is dressed and the bags are packed. Before I can get Juliette to put her shoes on, she has to feed the fish, feed the dog, and put the clean laundry away. She did manage to put an entire laundry basket of hers and Cosette's clothes away... somewhere. I'll be searching later.

Downstairs we go, put the lunchboxes into the bags, load the girls into the car, reassure yourself that you aren't forgetting anything, remind husband that he has to pick up girls from daycare tonight (note to self, call husband at 5:30 to make sure he is picking up the girls), and drive out the driveway at 9:05. Only two and a half hours to get ready? We are getting this down! This successful morning brought to you by Dunkin Donuts coffee. Strong, hot, and chock full of caffeine. Oops. Stop, park, run into the kitchen to grab the travel mug full of coffee that is sitting, steaming and solitary, on the table. And we're off!