It's morning already?

I'm not a morning person. There are no excuses, I was just born loving the afternoon and the night. My creative juices flow; my brain functions best at night.

Every morning, it's the same routine. The alarm goes off, I slam my hand down to turn it off. I elbow my husband "by mistake" and close my eyes again. Ten minutes later the damn thing goes off again. Where are my glasses? I grope around and as soon as my hand touches them, I feel them fall toward the floor. Shit! Now I'm blind and I have to make lunch and pick out the kids' clothes. I walk to the kitchen and squint, looking around. I walk up to the refrigerator that is wide open and close the door. Handsome must be awake. I stumble to the bathroom and leave the door ajar, a concession to my claustrophobia. My heart beats wildly in my throat when I open the door to find four babies silently standing there with their cups. I'm always surprised at how silently they get into the same position every morning. I smile and say good morning.

Bugabuga: "Morning Mom!" I wonder where this chipper child came from.

CEO: "Ah. You wake. ah, da, ah, ah, ah, ah, morning." Another smile.

Baby: "Mommy, it's morning already? Ah,okay." Not a morning person, my soul sister.

Handsome: "It's morning, mommy? It's morning?" Bewilderment and a big yawn.

I meander into the living room. I have the clothes lined up in order of their birth. I ask Bugabuga to come get ready. Her bus doesn't arrive for over an hour but we need every minute.

"Do you want me to help you get dressed?"

"No, I do it!"

I turn to Baby. "Okay, let's get ready."

We quickly work together and she is dressed. I turn to Bugabuga, "Do you want me to help you?"

"No, I do it!"

I turn to CEO. "Your turn!"

We quickly get her ready.

"Bugabuga, can I help you?"

"No, I do it!"

"Handsome's turn!" He giggles and takes off. We run in circles for 3 minutes until I catch him. He's laughing so hard, that he falls to the floor. I quickly undress him and reach for the clean diaper. He twists and kicks and starts running through the house naked. "Come back here!" Laughter is echoing off the walls. I let him run and pretend that I can't catch him.

"Bugabuga, ready?"

"No, I do it. Mommy, I can do it."

"I know honey. You're doing great. Keep trying."

"Handsome, get back here!" Everyone is laughing as we hear him run down the hallway and scream when he runs into his father. "Why are you naked?

He runs to me and throws himself on the floor, ready to be changed. Two minutes later, he's ready.

"Bugabuga, I have to help you. The bus is coming."

"I can do it."

"I know you can. Let me try to help you a little. Can you pull your arm back and I'll move your shirt a bit? Great! Let's do the other side. Wonderful! Okay, now your pants."

"I can do it."

"I know you can. You are doing a great job! We have to hurry."

"I do it!"

I quickly clean her up and start to put her pull-up on. She starts kicking. "No, I do it!" She starts crying and screaming. I'm sweating, the bus is coming in 5 minutes.

"No, Mommy is going to do it."

I get her legs in the pants. I grab the diaper and waste band together and yank up. In one motion, she's dressed. She's smacking me across the face. My husband thrusts his IPhone at her to distract. She begins playing the Strawberry Shortcake app. She's totally focused on the game and slowly stops her tantrum. We quickly put her backpack on, she grabs her pocketbook and runs to the stairs. My husband is leading CEO down the stairs and Bugabuga follows.

She turns and smiles, "Bye Mommy. Love you. Have a good day!"

"Have a great day guys. Love you!"