7:15 a.m. - Me: Looking at clock, looking at sleeping, peaceful baby, looking at clock, feeling sleepy myself, "no!" -- shake it off, look back at clock, look back at baby. I get up.
At this point, I had already been up in the wee hours with my daughter, changed her, fed her and rocked her back to sleep. I contemplated, "Do I go to sleep too or take advantage of the time?" You know what they say, "Sleep when baby sleeps!"
Nah, on this occasion, time won over sleep. I took a 15-minute glorious shower and tippy-toed through my bedroom to get dressed (my baby girl was morning cat-napping on my bed). I caught myself sighing at myself for being too loud, something I usually reserve for my husband. I quickly, and I mean quickly got ready for the day -- shutting dresser drawers every so gently, blow drying my hair down the hall in a spare bedroom and turning my cell phone on silent. I felt like a teenager getting ready to sneak out of the house.
In those tense moments I realized something... this is her world and I am just living in it.
Yep! That is it. Having a baby demoted my status in the chain of command in this house. No longer do I call the shots. All commands have been handed over to her. My child is the boss in our home.
Fellow parenting friends, lend me your ear, and just think about it for a moment. But, hurry as you read... you never know when "The Boss" may need you.
1. Strict Hours
Early starting hours and late evenings. Bedtime... we can't push it. If we do, we pay for it with a cranky, crying meltdown. The Boss has strict orders. She knows her limits and we have learned from our mistakes.
2. Time is of the Essence
She does not mess around. Time Management is key to our success as a family. I wish there was a camera on my husband and I as we get ready to go somewhere. She sits in her car seat, eyes moving back and forth watching us as we scramble - "Bottle? Pacifier? Change of clothes? Wipes? Extra blanket?" Once we decided to stop and have a drink by the water cooler (aka - in the kitchen) and when we made eye contact with her... it was the end of that!
3. Expects Us to Read her Mind
Man, I wish I had an HR department to report to on this one. She is a lady of very few words. Very few. I stare at her sometimes and think, What do you want? Every now and then she smiles, giggles and then just loses it with a scream. I grab a bottle, a pacifier and do a little bounce dance until she's pleased.
4. Demanding
I have never worked for anyone like her. She knows what she likes and the way she likes it. Swaddle -- Heck no! Oh, you just sat down for dinner -- yeah, I smelled it cooking, I think I want held now. It's Monday -- let's sleep in! Oh, wait, it is Saturday -- yeah, I am feeling this 5 a.m. wakeup thing. We learned it is best for us all to go with the flow.
5. High Standards
Guilt. When I get home late from my day job, I feel guilty. If I need a babysitter for a few hours on the weekend, I feel guilty. If she falls asleep earlier than usually (rough day in the office) and I don't feel I have spent enough time with her, I feel guilty. When my husband rocks her to sleep over me, I feel guilty. Her high standards are reflective in the kind of mom I am. It is a terrible thing. I hear it does get better.
Her good management traits totally outweigh any bad. She is lax in the dress code department. No such thing as "dress down Friday," as she is cool with whatever I have on and never judges. She shows compassion; she listens; she accepts our mistakes; she acknowledges our work with the best reinforcement, her smiles and giggles; she generates a real happiness in our workplace -- I mean home -- and she pushes us to be our best. The best we can be is because of that little boss lady. And, I would have to say, she just may be the best boss I have ever had.
Oh, and deadlines... I will take the late shift, Boss. You just rest your little head.
This post originally appeared on backwardsnhighheels.com.