The Three Amigos

What a great way to start the day! At 6 something this morning I could hear the sound of playing children penetrating my sleep. I knew I should do something to stop it, but my body wouldn't respond. The next thing I know, the bedroom door flies open (I know this because I heard it hit the wall) and I hear footsteps coming around the bed. I got one eye to open enough to see that it was Carter (my two-year-old) staring at me inquisitively.
You see, he just got his "big boy bed" and has now realized the freedom of being able to leave his bedroom whenever he feels like it. Knowing this day was coming, we proactively installed a clock with big digital numbers in the room and played multiple sessions of "You can come out when this number is a seven!" Either the thrill of playing or the memory of the game itself is now gone.
At any rate, I believe I somehow conveyed to him that it was too early and he needed to go back to bed. He disappeared, and I went happily unconscious again. A few minutes later, the noise level increased again down the hallway, but again I couldn't make my body respond even though somewhere deep inside I was aware of the need to severely reprimand all three of them, especially Shane since he is old enough to know better.
At 7:00, Shane came into the room and Monica got up and made all three of them sit on their beds silently for five minutes as a belated penalty for the early ruckus. She came back to bed, we cherished each of those individual bonus minutes, and at 7:05 I summoned Shane back to our room. I told him sternly to go get his brothers. A few seconds later, the three little pajama-clad villains came quietly walking through the doorway hand-in-hand-in-hand to face whatever was coming. The cuteness factor immediately jumped from a 1 to a 9.5. I calmly explained again the seven o'clock rule, and they were sent downstairs to turn on the TV and get ready for breakfast. Walking out the door, Shane said, "I love you, Dad!" Owen followed saying "I love you, Dad!" Carter then echoed with his own "Wub you, Dad!" and they were gone.
It doesn't get much better than that!