Ever since Maggie’s birthday party in March, we begin our morning listening to the "Maggie Mix" on the IPOD. This is a playlist of the songs from her party that were suggested by her girlfriends and cousin. We bought about 30 from ITunes and made the mix. Each partygoer received a double CD set as a party favor. It was a big hit.

On school days, the nurse does the morning routine for Maggie very early. Maggie is being dressed, changed, medicated, etc by 5:00AM or so. I come down about 6:30 and get report from the nurse. Often Maggie has gone back to sleep by then. There is still a lot to do to get her out of the house on time. Generally, I get as much stuff ready the night before as possible. However, several things have to be done at the last minute so that she will be on the right schedule for school. We have to start our “get out of the house” routine/race about 7:15 or 7:30. If she has fallen back to sleep, I let her do so for as long as possible.

My computer is in the dining room, just outside her bedroom door, so I can tend to her needs, suctioning etc. On the days she is asleep I work quietly until I hear her stirring – usually before 7:30. (Once in a great while I have to wake her.) She starts shaking the side rail on the bed to demand my attention. I try to finish whatever I am doing, buying a little time by saying “Just a minute Mag” “Let me finish this”… etc. When I hear things really start rocking, I know she has had enough. I better get in there and turn on the music.

We have to start at the beginning of the mix. It has to begin with the same song every morning. As soon as Maggie hears the beats of Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” she gets excited. I crank it up and we get ready to the sounds of pop music. Not my favorite, but tradition is tradition, even if it has only been 3 months.

We may have to adjust this routine a bit. Tim is home now and asleep just above the music player. He begins work at noon so he does not have to be up early. He has to adjust to the fact that he does not live with a bunch of college students any longer. I am sure the parents of the small children in the house next door are hoping that adjustment comes soon. But we have to adjust a bit to his different sleeping schedule too.

Considering I yelled at him to turn his music down before 10 last night, I guess fair’s fair.