Morning, O' Morning

I may have stayed up until three AM reading a book. Not a notable book, just one I had read a few times before. As the time ticked, by I did remind myself the importance of good self-care, and how valuable my sleep seemed to be to my overall well being. Orion, after a two hour play date was passed out, eyes twitching, lips flopped on the mattress. Oh, from time to time I'd pat him because he was moving so much in his dreams I couldn't imagine it restful, or toss a kiss his way because he looked so freaking cute all sleepy-like. He'd wake up, then out cold again. Every now and again he'd get up and relocate. Eventually my book ended and I laid in bed thinking why on earth was I not tired? Surely it couldn't be the coffee from 4PM?
And then I slept.
And then at 6:30 I had a dog whining in my ear. Grumbling, I got up and let him out, fed him breakfast and crawled back in bed--I was hoping to at least re-coup some sleep in the early AM hours. But then, I found myself awoken by my elbow being licked. Then my face. I threw a pillow over my head and a nose stuffed under that. My whole arm was cleaned. Then my foot.
"IT'S NOT TIME YET!" I hollered.
A moment of peace.
I may have slept five more minutes.
Then my arm was licked.
Then my armpit was licked.
Who can sleep when their armpit is licked? Even if you're NOT ticklish (which I am).
I wake up. I look at him. I ask him what his plans are for the day. What it is he expected by waking me up. What time it was.
"Did you at least let me make it till 9?"
His ears perked up.
8:57.
"Close enough." I get up and fix breakfast and plunk down on the couch. He lays down at the other end.
I think he was just bored and wanted some company.