Important Thoughts

I haven't blogged much in a while because the mornings are my computer time, and lately Ben has been waking up before God, so I haven't had the time. Or the energy. Or something to say that doesn't involve complaining.

At the Kaiser office where we go, there is a random box mounted to the wall next to the elevator that is labeled "Important Thoughts." I have no idea what it is they are really looking for--maybe it's some kind of comments box? How can we improve our services? But all I really want to do when I see it is be sassy and say random things that are unrelated to Kaiser that I deem important. Since I'm only rebellious in spirit and can't ever bring myself to act on it, I will share my Important Thoughts with you, my virtual comment box.

--I used to love it that even though Ben's been in a Big Boy Bed for many months now, he still won't just get out of bed. Any time he wakes up, he sits there and shouts for us until we come. I used to think it was awesome, because that meant that he thought he couldn't get out of bed without permission, and would then never (until, of course, he figured out that he could do it quite easily) get out of bed a thousand times at night for water, the potty, a cuddle, etc. Now I hate it. I hate it because after 2 1/2 years, I'm over going in there and getting him after naps and in the morning. Especially since he frequently wakes up too bloody early, sometimes when I'm still in bed (like on the weekends), and I don't want to get up and get him. I'd rather him just come to me.

--Speaking of sleeping arrangements, we're a little stumped with how to manage it for our children. They will have to share a pretty small room, which is fine. But we can't decide what kinds of beds to provide. The crib converts to a toddler bed, which is where Ben has slept since the day he has come home from the hospital. I feel fairly strongly about babies sleeping in their cribs from the get-go, mostly because I hate the thought of having to transition them from a bassinet or whatever in our room to a big, scary crib all alone in their own room. Also, I don't want to share a room with a baby because I'm a crazy light sleeper and I know (from experience) that I will seriously lay there awake all night long afraid to move or make a sound for fear of waking a baby it took me two hours to get to sleep (freaking colic has scarred me for life). We had to take the monitors out of the house when Ben was an infant because I never slept. I could hear every sound he made at every moment, day or night. I also don't want to waste money on a bassinet (and all the sheets, etc.) that will be used for 2-3 months. So I really want Emma to be in her crib from day one. But I also don't want her waking Ben up every hour and a half because he's a light sleeper too. Grrr. What to do?!?!? So far, here are our options for E: 1) Put the pack and play in our room and have her sleep there for a while. Pros: No bassinet expense, no waking Ben (at least not as much), convenient for night feeding. Cons: Will eventually have to transition her to the other bedroom/crib, not sure there's room for a pack and play and the rocking chair in our room, no sleep for me. 2) Borrow my friend's bassinet for our room. Pros and Cons: see above. 3) Put her in the crib in the room with Ben from the start. Pros: No transition, no unnecessary furniture, I get at least a little sleep. Cons: Possibility of waking Ben frequently, not sure two beds and a rocker will fit in the bedroom. On top of all that, we still need to get a new bed for Ben. He will be 3 when she's born. So do we buy a toddler bed (that he will only need for another year or two) or a twin bed (that he may not be ready for yet)? Help me, mamas.

--Cloth diapers? I really want to do it (I wanted to with Ben, but apartment living did not support it). We have a washer and dryer now, and we no longer live next to the property manager, so either the do-it-yourself or service choices would be options. But she's still going to be going to daycare, which means she'll still have to have disposables at least half the time. Is it worth it? Not sure we can afford both the cloth and disposables, and not sure we'd be helping the environment much going halfsies. But part of me still wants to try.

--The Good Wife is so stinking good. I Netflixed it (look at that, I just turned it into a verb) while Matt was gone and have been watching Season 1, and I'm hooked.

--I have an itch problem on one finger. Just one finger. It may be excema. Or something else. On second thought, maybe that is something I should talk to Kaiser about...


--About a week ago one of my eyes started getting twitchy. So I googled it (always a bad idea). It's either sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol, or Parkinson's. I'm thinking it's all the booze. Another one for Kaiser...

--My friend at work got engaged yesterday. Her boyfriend proposed at the end of the Talent Show, which she was hosting. Best Talent Show Ever.

--Today I am 24 weeks pregnant. The first trimester was the slowest 13 weeks ever. This trimester feels like it's just zipping along. I get comments nearly every day like, "oh my goodness, you're starting to really show!" So I guess I look pregnant now, not just like I can't lay off the donuts. I have been asked to post belly pics and whatnot, and I had this idea last week to do one and title it "Me and E at 23," you know, because it rhymed, and I thought it was clever. But it's been seven days, and now I'm not at 23, and I'm not sure where this week went. Oh wait, yes I do. The Work Vortex, which involved a trip to distant Orange for BTSA. Have I mentioned my distaste for both BTSA and driving? And don't say that Orange isn't that far--it takes more than three songs to get there. That's too far. Anyway, back to me and E. We're doing well. Like her big brother, she's hanging out breech, which means all her kicks go to my internal organs more so than my belly. So while she packs quite a punch, not many of them can be felt or seen from the outside. Also like her brother, she gets the hiccups a lot. But she's more of a kicker and a puncher, while he was a stretcher and a roller.

--I can't find my old maternity bathing suit, which really gets my goat because I really liked it, and it took me forever to find a swim suit I liked. And now I have to find a new one, which I haven't been able to do because they're all too matronly or too slutty. And we're going to the beach for a few days, so I'm out of time. Sigh. My life is so hard.

--It's almost the end of the school year. I feel like it's gone by crazy fast. I'm pretty excited because I'm ready for that break, but I'm also kind of sad because I really love my kids. In many ways this year has been challenging, but it's also been so good. My seventh graders this year are easily the best group I've ever had, and I've really had so much fun with them. I've gotten to do a lot of things that I don't often get to do because they'll go anywhere with me and try anything, and they are so enthusiastic and engaged. This is in direct contrast to my eighth graders, who may not notice if I replaced myself with a brick wall. But still, even as challenging as they are, the older ones have a lot of personality, and they've grown on me after spending two years together.

--I am doomed to never sleep past 6:00. During the week Ben seems to always get up at the same time as me now, which stinks because then he follows me around, pulling on me and whining while I'm trying to get ready. On the weekends he also typically wakes up around 6:00, which forces me out of bed. Or, like this morning, he sleeps in, and Matt turns on his chainsaw and snores in my ear beginning at 5:45, forcing me out of bed at 6:15, because seriously, what's the point? Sigh. This eye twitch is here to stay forever, isn't it? I need a drink. Oh wait...

--Near our house there is a little business building that has four offices, one of which is Gooing Chiropractics and another of which is Colon Therapy. The sign outside puts the two next to each other and reads "Gooing Colon." Friggin' hilarious.

--Speaking of signs posted by illiterate people, there is an Amber Alert sign on the freeway on the way home from work that currently reads, "Texting Ticket $159+ Its not worth it." Was the apostrophe in it's also not worth it? Did it cost more than the + sign?

--Speaking of homophones, it bothers me when adults get them wrong. Like on Facebook. The English teacher in me really wants to come roaring out. But I control myself. Because I want to still have friends.


Believe it or not, this post has taken me several days to write. I could go on forever with random but important thoughts. But like any work of art, eventually I have to let it go.

You're welcome, Kaiser.