Morning chaos

I am trying to get our morning routine streamlined, partly in order for me to get into work at a decent time and partly to get Zoe used to a regular set of morning activities now that we are finally in our new apartment with a full-time daycare. Okay, mainly because I want more time to work and because Swedes pick up their children ridiculously early, making me feel like a terrible mother when I rush in at 4.30pm to a virtually empty room with the last four neglected kids left. I have no idea how the Swedes do it, but between two full time jobs and commute time (45 minutes each way), we have to adjust our previously leisurely mornings. Last weekend Mark and I sat down and distributed the drop offs and pick ups between us, me generously doing 6 and him doing 4 (due to the difference in our job flexibility, he is the director of a research lab, I have more flexible work hours). I ended up with 4 drop offs due to several factors and therefore decided to move wake-up time for Zoe and myself half an hour to 6.30 am (me) and 7 am (Zoe). So far, none of this "streamlining" has been successful.

Zoe might not like hats in public,
 but at home, after a refreshing day
in daycare, she loves to try mine.

This morning, all that could go wrong went wrong. Zoe decided to wake up at 6.30 am, which meant that I didn't have any time to get ready myself without her following me around which added probably 10 minutes. She was in the bathroom while I showered and wanted to brush her teeth when I did. When I was taking down her cereal she accidentally saw a box of Pringles that we had bought last Sunday and which she had tasted when visitors came around. Because I didn't want to give her any, she threw a hysterical fit, including laying down on the floor hammering her little hands into the newly waxed wooden blanks. When she finally finished her breakfast she didn't want her clothes on, even though both Mark and I attempted to convince her. We ended up holding her as she cried while putting on clothes. I managed to get her into the stroller two hours after us waking up and got to the daycare at 'normal' time. When I reached my office at 10 am I was so exhausted that I just sat down in the couch area with an article and a cup of coffee. So much for getting up early. And I still have no idea how people do this.