There's Nothing to See Here

Turns out optometrists think you should spend the final week of your pregnancy supine. I wouldn't mind finishing this process in the horizontal position as every time I stand the blood rushes to my feet and makes them itch which exacerbates any smidgen of annoyance already present in my life.

Other things that strangers believe to be true about being pregnant:

"At least you get pampered," said our waitress. She has never been pregnant with my husband's child. She did inform us, however, that her and her husband were "trying."

Thanks.

"Well at least you'll miss the hot weather by having the baby in May," is the most common refrain I've heard. As if it's a consolation for having a baby in the first place. These people are the same that say that Arizona summers are "only" three months long. Because only the days in which the temperature exceeds 115 degrees can be considered summer. These days that we've had lately, in the nineties, are the dew-kissed, refreshing jubilee known as spring.

The last days of pregnancy, for me anyway, do not find me pleasantly folding baby clothes or washing small linens or preparing meals for my family. The days usually find me asking my children, "What's your problem? Why are you crying?" Of course this is usually asked after I have removed an item from their clutches that has caused an odious fight and scream-fest and I have thrown it across the room in a fit of rage.

Which brings me to the other thing I say, "Stop throwing things."

Doing

Making:

The compulsory new baby blanket:



A flannel throw for playing on the ground (because I loved the fabric when I saw it at the store). I've never sewn flannel on flannel. It's a challenge.



Reading:

Russell Kirk

Wendell Berry: a small taste can be had here: Think Little.


Wallace Stegner


Paul Fussell: Specifically his book on class, which can be accessed free thanks to Google.

Someone recently pointed out that an advantage to being married to a well-read bibliophile is all the great stuff just lying around demanding your attention. This is true. Most of the stuff that has me up thinking in the middle of the night or while I'm fulfilling my daily duties is a result of said curator of our home library.

Catching Up:



Thinking:

about "modern" versus "traditional" ideas about parenting, maturity, fulfillment, family sizes, domestic economies; all due to the reading.

Hearing:

Gianna's deep, throaty voice cultivate more intelligible words. Stella telling me funny things. And also shouting that I'm mean and rude.

Waiting:

for May 6th and my hospital vacay.

for June 29th and our family's trip to Portland for five weeks while Sir takes a class. Can. Hardly. Believe it!!!!!!

This is where Jamie would tell me, "Everything I do, I do for you." Not cheesy Kevin Costner Robin Hood style, just Jamie shorthand for, "Babe, I make things happen."

Hanson Girl 3.0

Is not here yet.

Will not be here until May 6th--at the latest.

Just an FYI.

And, no, we don't have a name that we're concealing from the public. We're not Those People.

Don't be offended if you are Those People. I'm just informing everyone that we are not.

We're just fresh out. Fresh outta names.

I'm rooting for the name Brenda.

Hopefully They Don't Read This Blog

Easter kitty purses, 2009
Originally uploaded by alishialinn

Kitty purses, in media res, for the two house kittens who purr about me and tangle betwixt my feet on a daily basis. They want only to cuddle with Mother and bring her great joy.

They are in want of faces. I'm putting off the embroidery as I'm trying to decide the expressions to portray: pleasant kitty or the frightening ferals that they frequently manifest.

Meow! Hiss hiss!