First Light

The title of this post is misleading.  Many of you will think it refers to those first dim moments as the sun tips the scales in the sky, vanquishing the darkness.  In most cases, you'd be right.  Not today.  I'm referring to the first light that my eyes take in before I realize it's way too early to be awake.  If I stir, or even sigh, I'll give myself away.  Yawns and scratches are right out.  I'm bookended by two very observant creatures.

On my days off, I have to dupe them with all the acting ability I can muster to simply stay in bed undisturbed for just a few minutes longer.  Sometimes I get a whole extra hour!  Rarely, though.  Arwen will be strewn about somewhere on the floor, usually spilling luxuriously out of her bed.  Nyxie will have moved to Daddy's pillow next to me.  This will happen before Daddy has actually made it to the bathroom.  She keeps an eye on "her spot" as he struggles out of bed, like a canine pillow pirate.  Arwen will take her time with moving.  She prefers the foot of the bed, closest to the fan.  (Did I mention that it was 104 degrees today?  Concrete is cracking, folks...)  She'll sprawl out, crowding Nyxie, who loves being near Big Sissy.

I'll feel their movements, the jumps onto the bed, the circling and settling.  Nyxie will tuck her snoot under my arm or pillow.  It's a long nose, chilliness happens...And then we'll have a few more minutes, maybe an hour or two (even more rarely) of the softest, cuddliest sleep imaginable.  The stillness will break as their tummies take over, breakfast calling and The Giver of All Good Things needs to shake a leg.  These are some of my favorite moments.

But I've fooled them!  I got my extra sleep, and they had no idea I was awake!  I don't think they saw me peeking at them...or maybe, they look forward to sleeping in as much as I do.