September was crazy. Crazy in the where-the-heck-did-the-month-go sense. Crazy in the can't-stop-to-blog sense. Crazy in the Mommy's-gone-off-her-rocker sense.
Spent Labor Day weekend at Family Camp, and came home completely exhausted. Took part in a very healing family reunion when one of my dad's brothers came to visit for the first time in 15 years. Got to help one of my best friends through labor, and watched baby Eloise Elisabeth be born! Celebrated my grandmother's 75th birthday. Finished teaching my first childbirth series. I'm really proud of that. Wish I'd been able to enjoy the process more and hadn't been so stressed out about finding time to prepare.
Carla went back to work full time three weeks ago, so her schedule's been varied and she's less available to help around the house. The cleaning I'm used to, but my friends know cooking dinner is not my usual routine. Scott likes to cook, and last year he got home early enough most nights to make whatever I'd planned. Yes, I was very spoiled. This year he's tutoring privately two afternoons a week, and has an extra class period to teach, so he's getting home too late and too tired.
Then this week we had a brief pregnancy scare. Followed by extended-PMSing. And at the same time, I finally had a chance to worry about how our home improvement co-op was going to be able to landscape our backyard this weekend considering that I hadn't ordered any materials or called my landscaper brother-in-law to ask for help.
My poor husband. On Wednesday he left school to see a doctor because he was having symptoms of a heart attack. The doctor didn't think it was his heart. I could have told him what it was: he was panicking that he was going to have to go home soon and deal with his already-crazy and possibly-pregnant wife.
But somehow -- with God's grace and a lot of labor from my husband and our friends -- it all came together. This afternoon, as I looked out my back door at the new brick-lined pathway making its way from the porch to the patio and the lawn, I felt rejuvenated. The vision that's been in my head for the last four years, the one that didn't transfer easily to anyone else's head, has materialized. The eight-inch deep home-insurers nightmare of a trench has been filled in and leveled. The flower beds are ready for planting. And I have a reason to sit on my patio and enjoy the table and chairs my parents bought for my birthday six months ago, because it's not just surrounded by dusty dirt.
So, if I don't write again for awhile, it's because I'm busy planting and relaxing in my new garden.
Scott, on the other hand, will be heading back to the doctor for further tests on his heart, and to check out the now purple and painful big toe he thinks he broke last night when he dropped a brick on it.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
You know you have sons when...
Lately it's been all about body humor. Today my curious firstborn decided to inquire more openly into why Mommy does not have a penis. Where does the pee come out if there's no penis? Where could it have gone? Did it fall off?
I try to answer their questions as matter-of-factly as I would in a childbirth class. I have to be comfortable discussing genitalia, of course. And, in fact, it's a great opportunity to share with them the miracles of creation.
But they're not so interested in the details of how many distinct organs Mommy has that Daddy doesn't. They'd rather just be funny.
My blue-eyed secondborn was quite pleased with the topic his brother chose for the evening. This was even better than jokes about Mommy nursing the cat!
"Mommy peh-nis fall floor!" he giggled as we headed toward the bedroom tonight for songs and prayers. "Peh-nis fall bed!" he laughed again as we crawled under the sheet. Ten minutes later, big brother sound asleep already, he was still giggling sleepily, "Mommy peh-nis fall..."
I try to answer their questions as matter-of-factly as I would in a childbirth class. I have to be comfortable discussing genitalia, of course. And, in fact, it's a great opportunity to share with them the miracles of creation.
But they're not so interested in the details of how many distinct organs Mommy has that Daddy doesn't. They'd rather just be funny.
My blue-eyed secondborn was quite pleased with the topic his brother chose for the evening. This was even better than jokes about Mommy nursing the cat!
"Mommy peh-nis fall floor!" he giggled as we headed toward the bedroom tonight for songs and prayers. "Peh-nis fall bed!" he laughed again as we crawled under the sheet. Ten minutes later, big brother sound asleep already, he was still giggling sleepily, "Mommy peh-nis fall..."
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Permanent party, sans slumber.
Yes, it's been two weeks, a very busy two weeks. Carla and son are still co-housing with us. Sunday we celebrated his second birthday with a little party. Invited the neighbors across the street who have fallen in love with him, and some friends from who hadn't seen them since they first left town four months ago. My friend Kate and her son were also here to visit and for the baby shower we hosted at my mom's the same afternoon as the birthday party! We had a full house that night, and it took an extra two hours to get the four boys to stop running around the living room and settle into bed. I suppose the cupcakes and fruit snacks and various candies had something to do with it.
We woke up the next morning (yesterday) and packed up for another party -- the annual Not Back to School swimming party we celebrate with our homeschooling group. First we had to go to Target for various accesories the three of us moms needed. A bathing suit for Carla, maternity wear for Kate, a new hat and earrings for me. The kids got popcorn and a preztel. And then we headed to the party for pancakes!
Last night was the third session of my childbirth class, and it was great. Every week gets a little easier. I've had plenty of prep to do, which has made for some late nights. That, plus the baby shower planning and party errand-running, has pretty much taken up every spare moment.
In the meantime, I've been checking my yahoo groups again. Maybe because when I'm this busy I need to zone out and read other people's stuff a little. Maybe because I need support to stay at my best under stress. Even when we do get to bed on time, we've had various maladies traveling the house and interfering with everyone's ability to rest. First it was a stomach bug, and then a head cold. The local heat and smog have made the latter even worse for Cute Boy #3 who also has asthma to run him down. Combine that with the diaper rash that generally follows increased nasal drip. Carla hasn't slept well in weeks.
Then again, it's all relative for the mother of a co-sleeping toddler. Most of the time we hardly notice the night nursings, the sweaty head nestled in our armpit, the drool drenching the sheet under our back. It's quite beautiful -- especially when they wake up quietly in the morning, go find a toy or a brother or a friend to play with, and let you sleep in.
The rest of the time -- when the 2-year-olds start the day with a yelling contest, and the 3-year-old insists I get him MILK to go with his whining -- we just brew the coffee a little stronger.
We woke up the next morning (yesterday) and packed up for another party -- the annual Not Back to School swimming party we celebrate with our homeschooling group. First we had to go to Target for various accesories the three of us moms needed. A bathing suit for Carla, maternity wear for Kate, a new hat and earrings for me. The kids got popcorn and a preztel. And then we headed to the party for pancakes!
Last night was the third session of my childbirth class, and it was great. Every week gets a little easier. I've had plenty of prep to do, which has made for some late nights. That, plus the baby shower planning and party errand-running, has pretty much taken up every spare moment.
In the meantime, I've been checking my yahoo groups again. Maybe because when I'm this busy I need to zone out and read other people's stuff a little. Maybe because I need support to stay at my best under stress. Even when we do get to bed on time, we've had various maladies traveling the house and interfering with everyone's ability to rest. First it was a stomach bug, and then a head cold. The local heat and smog have made the latter even worse for Cute Boy #3 who also has asthma to run him down. Combine that with the diaper rash that generally follows increased nasal drip. Carla hasn't slept well in weeks.
Then again, it's all relative for the mother of a co-sleeping toddler. Most of the time we hardly notice the night nursings, the sweaty head nestled in our armpit, the drool drenching the sheet under our back. It's quite beautiful -- especially when they wake up quietly in the morning, go find a toy or a brother or a friend to play with, and let you sleep in.
The rest of the time -- when the 2-year-olds start the day with a yelling contest, and the 3-year-old insists I get him MILK to go with his whining -- we just brew the coffee a little stronger.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Are we in Utah?
I started to post last Friday with the good news, but computer time has been short -- our prayers were answered and my friend's husband was ordered by the court to return their son to her. God is good! So for now our house is home to three small boys, two mommies and one daddy, whose foremost concern is that somehow he's getting less sex now that he has two "wives" -- and that's not counting the third, who claims to live across the street but is always here when he gets home.
I think I've benefitted the most from the current arrangement, since Carla likes to cook and do laundry! The boys have also been quite happy to have another playmate around, although my secondborn has had some issues with joyful aggression the last two days. Not sure if it's the stress of having the whole house rearranged along with more people living here, or if it's just teething and getting ready to turn two. Trying to get him to understand that other people DO feel physical pain, and that it's NOT okay to cause it. Tough to do with a child whose personal pain tolerance is quite high.
We got the bedrooms repainted just in time to move both the big bed and my 3-year-old's twin into the old playroom. We still have a family bedroom, and they'll have to wait for their new bed. Our kitty, Emma, has shown signs of stress both from her bedroom being moved and the boys tormenting her more than usual. Now I have to go to PetsMart and get some cat stench remover for the carpet. UGH.
* * * * *
I finally started my first childbirth preparation class last night! I stayed up until 1 a.m. the night before getting all my stuff together and going over my outline, which I ended up mixing all up anyway. I woke up feeling ready and happily anticipating the evening. And then my stomach started cramping.
Spent most of the afternoon in the bathroom, and had to send Scott to Kinko's to make some last minute copies for me, and to the drugstore for anti-diarrheal medication, which I would never take normally. I SO did not want to have to cancel or reschedule at the last night.
My stomach was fine for the duration of the class, thank God. My brain on the other hand -- well, I think I hid its deficiencies moderately well. Though I spent all day today thinking of things I should have explained better and wishing I'd had more props. Thankfully the class is just two couples -- one of my best friends and her husband, who are having their second baby and invited me to be their doula, and my midwife's brother and his wife. So, I don't think I can screw them up too badly with my lack of teaching experience. But I do have a lot of work left to do for the rest of the classes.
This is the moment when I wish I were more choleric and less melancholy -- my perfectionism is keeping me from being able to commit to a finished outline. I'm even starting to wonder if I should have gotten my certification through a different organization. Birth Works looks really good, as does Birthing From Within. Renowned midwife Ina May Gaskin is on the board of the first I'm using her "Guide to Childbirth" in my course, as well as art and writing exercises from Pam England's "Birthing From Within." But I can't make up my mind...
I think I've benefitted the most from the current arrangement, since Carla likes to cook and do laundry! The boys have also been quite happy to have another playmate around, although my secondborn has had some issues with joyful aggression the last two days. Not sure if it's the stress of having the whole house rearranged along with more people living here, or if it's just teething and getting ready to turn two. Trying to get him to understand that other people DO feel physical pain, and that it's NOT okay to cause it. Tough to do with a child whose personal pain tolerance is quite high.
We got the bedrooms repainted just in time to move both the big bed and my 3-year-old's twin into the old playroom. We still have a family bedroom, and they'll have to wait for their new bed. Our kitty, Emma, has shown signs of stress both from her bedroom being moved and the boys tormenting her more than usual. Now I have to go to PetsMart and get some cat stench remover for the carpet. UGH.
I finally started my first childbirth preparation class last night! I stayed up until 1 a.m. the night before getting all my stuff together and going over my outline, which I ended up mixing all up anyway. I woke up feeling ready and happily anticipating the evening. And then my stomach started cramping.
Spent most of the afternoon in the bathroom, and had to send Scott to Kinko's to make some last minute copies for me, and to the drugstore for anti-diarrheal medication, which I would never take normally. I SO did not want to have to cancel or reschedule at the last night.
My stomach was fine for the duration of the class, thank God. My brain on the other hand -- well, I think I hid its deficiencies moderately well. Though I spent all day today thinking of things I should have explained better and wishing I'd had more props. Thankfully the class is just two couples -- one of my best friends and her husband, who are having their second baby and invited me to be their doula, and my midwife's brother and his wife. So, I don't think I can screw them up too badly with my lack of teaching experience. But I do have a lot of work left to do for the rest of the classes.
This is the moment when I wish I were more choleric and less melancholy -- my perfectionism is keeping me from being able to commit to a finished outline. I'm even starting to wonder if I should have gotten my certification through a different organization. Birth Works looks really good, as does Birthing From Within. Renowned midwife Ina May Gaskin is on the board of the first I'm using her "Guide to Childbirth" in my course, as well as art and writing exercises from Pam England's "Birthing From Within." But I can't make up my mind...
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