Oy, she gets up early. So today is the day. We bought blackout shades. We waited (not patiently) at Home Depot for someone to save us from our nasty early morning lifestyle. We went home with our purchases (cut to fit cheap-o – though not as cheap as garbage bags – roller shades) and I ripped off the garbage bags. Before I did, though, I took a pic of what the room looked like on a bright Saturday afternoon in August.
3:30 pm, Saturday, August 17
Dark, right? So, why am I messing with this amazingly dark space? It’s not just because garbage bags don’t complement my aesthetic style.
Garbage bags and masking tape
It’s because sometimes, like say in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday, I’d like to be able to let some light in.
I forget: am I supposed to let her play with plastic bags or not?
So, the bags came down and the shades went up. Well, they went up after AO made a run to the hardware store to get a new drill bit in order to go through the metal door. And here’s the result:
Argh
Yes, that’s light coming through. Right onto her bed. On the end that she puts her head. So, stay tuned for Will They or Won’t They Move the Bed? It’s sure to be at least as fascinating as Will Blackout Blinds Keep Bear Happily in Bed until Seven?
life and puppies 
Firstly, I’m no mother but I assume plastic bags are fine!
Secondly, I’ve got EVERYTHING crossed that these blackout shades so the trick! Come on, Bear. 7 am, ok? This 5 am thing is just not cool.
Thirdly, will they or won’t they??? #pinsandneedles #ijustwantyoutogetsleep
Hahahahahahaha. Man, she slept until 7:15 on Friday! Though of course it was AO’s turn to get up with her. We had both showered by the time she finally raised her sleepy head! Yes, you read that right: I showered. Anyway, I just don’t think I’m asking too much because, frankly, we all know I think 7 am is uncivilized. I think I’m just asking for a reasonable compromise.
Very reasonable, indeed.
So is it working? Just think, there will come a time when she will get up all by herself and get her cereal and amuse herself until you get up. Not soon, but it will come. The first time it happened with Tim I was horrified at what a bad mother I apparently was for not hearing him and getting promptly up with him. And then I realized how much he loved this small bit of independence and all was well. Good luck with sleeping later.
Well….We haven’t had a 5 am wake-up since right before Presque Isle, so that’s good. We also haven’t had PI’s blissful sleep-until-7-or-8, though, either. The good news seems to be that the easier-on-the-eye blackout shades seem to be the same as the garbage bags, which blocked more light. This morning she was up at about 6:15 and despite my attempts to get her back down, she wasn’t really buying it. 6:15 is lightyears better than 5:15, though. Here’s to hoping she can settle into 7:15 before too long!