Bath Note

(I didn't write this but I loved it so I'm posting it!)

Don't be alarmed, the world isn't coming to an end. I am simply taking a bath. It will take about thirty minutes and will involve soap and water. Yes, I know how to swim. Even if I didn't, forcing myself to drown in a half-inch of lukewarm water is more work than I've got energy for. (Which reminds me, I'm all for science projects, but the next time you want to see if Play-Doh floats, use cold water.)

Don't panic if I'm not out right on time. I've heard that people don't dissolve in water and I'd like to test the theory. While I'm in the tub, I'd like you to remember a few things. The large slab of wood between us is called a door. Do not bang to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can't see me, I *am* on the other side. I'm not digging an escape tunnel and running for the border,no matter what I said a while ago. I didn't mean it. Honest. There will be plenty of time later to tell me about your day.

"Later" means at a time when I am no longer naked, wet, and contemplating bubble gum in the blow dryer. I know you have important things to tell me. Please let one of them be that you have invented a new way to blow bubbles, not a new way to add gum to your hair.

Believe it or not, shouting, "TELEPHONE!" through the closed bathroom door will *not* make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since Amazing Mind-Reading Mom has the day off, you'll need to write that message down. Use paper and a pencil. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We can't send him to school with telephone number tattoos.

Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between the sound of "nothing" and the sound of a child playing the piano with a basketball. I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I'm *choosing* NOT to answer you.

Don't call your dad at work and tell him I am unconscious in the bathroom. He didn't appreciate it last time. He won't appreciate it more this time. Trust me.

No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to play. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to use the bathroom. If someone is in our other bathroom, you will just have to think dry thoughts and wait. Unless you have four feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to "water" the lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don't feel the need to call me when the dog does it.

Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention. I know it works in the movies. This is reality, the place where people don't like to sit in a tub while rocks and broken glass rain in on them. Do not set the house on fire. Call me if there is an emergency.

Emergencies ARE:

1. Dad has fallen off the roof.

2. Your brother and/or sister is bleeding.

3. There's a red fire truck in front of our house.

Emergencies are NOT:

1. Dad has fallen asleep.

2. Someone on TV is bleeding.

3. There's a red pickup truck in front of our house.

One other thing: Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future, when the tub overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house. For my sanity's sake, let's pretend it was the tub, Okay? No, I don't want to hear the real story. Ever. Especially not while I'm standing in the pool of water you missed.

By the way, all Play-Doh experiments are hereby canceled.

Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that stack of bills on the coffee table.

I'll be out soon. Maybe.

Love,
Your Mom

List of books I'd like to read

I've been compiling a list of books that I want to read in the near future. (some of them I stole from Mindy's blog) I'm including them below. By all means, this isn't necessarily comprehensive. It's just a list for me to reference when I go to the library (or when someone goes for me while I'm out on maternity leave!!!)

Here they are in no particular order -


Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols
The Nanny Diaries
Sundays at Tiffanys by James Patterson
Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers (1st book - A Voice in the Wind)
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
various books by Fern Michaels
Something Blue by emily giffin
Baby Proof by emily giffin
Love the One You're With by emily giffin
Heart of the Matter by emily giffin (coming May 2010)
books by Jason F Wright
books by Charles Martin
books by Sophie Kinsella
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber
The Blossom Street series by Debbie Macomber
Midnight Sons (vols 1,2,3) by Debbie Macomber
The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber
Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber (coming May 2010)
Call me Mrs Miracle by Debbie Macomber (coming Oct 2010)
Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury
other books I haven't read by Karen Kingsbury
Adrift by Steven Callahan
books by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Mercy by Jodi Picoult (have I read this???)
Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult (have I read this???)
Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult

Elijah's first time having a friend sleep over

On Friday night Elijah's friend Briar came home with him from daycare and spent the night. They did really well and I was amazed at how well they got along. Brent and I put them to bed at about 9:30 pm. They didn't try to get up but began to talk. When I went to bed at 10:30pm they were still talking. Brent said that he heard them talking at 11 before he fell asleep but we really have no idea how long they talked. However, at 6:30am Saturday morning Elijah was ready to get up. I convinced him that he needed to sleep some more and he finally slept or dozed until about 8:30 and then he got up. Needless to say, he was definitely grouchy on Saturday! Now, guess what? Nolan wants to know when he gets to have someone come over for a sleepover! He specifically wants to know if it can be this coming Friday night. So far, I haven't committed to a specific date yet!

Nolan

1. Last week Nolan told me that he had something new that he wanted to do when he grows up - be an "ice cream vendor". I ased if that meant that he wanted to sell ice cream door to door. He said no, I want to be the person that scoops the ice cream. I said to him - that's fine but you'll only make about $7/hr. What was I thinking? He thought his sounded like a LOT of money. I said...well, that's really not a lot of money when you are paying bills and buying groceries, etc. So, he says, "Well, mom, tell me how much you make per hour so I'll know what is a good amount to make?" Ha, ha, good try Nolan but I don't think so.

2. Nolan said last week that he wanted to donate money to Haiti. I asked him what money he was going to donate. After thinking for a few minutes he said, "I'm going to give them one dollar and a quarter." (this is the money that he got the night before when he lost his tooth!) I thought that was the sweetest thing and it made me so happy that I cried!)

Pregnancy

Well...I've been so SURE that since I take Prevacid regularly for my reflux that I would NOT have the awful indigestion caused by pregnancy. It turns out that I was WRONG - unfortunately. Last night I had the pleasure of experiencing it. I had it with both of my boys so I'd hate for Mariah to feel left out! The good news is that I'm pretty sure I had it with the boys much earlier in the pregnancy so maybe the Prevacid helped delay it some.

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Is there a such thing as getting through your entire pregnancy without clothing issues??? I bought very early on in my pregnancy what I thought would be plenty of maternity clothes and a good selection of sizes. I bought them from a girl who posted them on Craig's list. (see this post) She had her baby in early May last year so the seasons match up pretty well with what I needed. So, now I've outgrown the size medium items. She had a few size large items and some extra large items. The large is really what I need right now but there really doesn't seem to be enough for me to get through the week. The ex-larges are really too big on me and make me look foolish. Not to mention that maternity pants just don't stay up well. I'm so tired of pulling my pants up and readjusting them every little bit. So, now I'm stuck with either trying to deal with what I have or going out and buying a few more items that may or may not fit for the entire next 10 weeks. I hate to have to buy something that I can only use for a couple of weeks.

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I love being pregnant. I love the thought of this beautiful baby, God's creation, being inside of me growing. I am fascinated by the growth and development of the baby. Having seen the 3d ultrasound, I'm in awe of how much I could see what she was doing and what she looks like. I love to feel her move inside of me. I love it when I look down and my stomach is an unusual shape because of the way she is laying inside of me - mostly in a ball, I think. I am trying to enjoy and appreciate every moment that she is inside of me since I know that I will most likely not be having any other children. However, even though I love it and am trying to enjoy every minute of it, I also am getting anxious and can't wait to see her and get to hold her. I'm also to the point where I get frustrated because I can't move around and be as active and as productive as I'm used to being and that is frustrating to me. Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to rush things along because although I want to see her, I'm not really looking too forward to the lack of sleep that I know is to come. I remember so well the feeling that I would get with the boys at about 7 or 8 at night - the feeling of "I'm so tired and I want to go to bed and sleep all night but I know that will not be happening" feeling. Hey, maybe I'm wrong, though - maybe she's going to be a good sleeper. I'm also anxious about the breastfeeding experience. I am a mother that wants to breastfeed her babies SO much. With Nolan I made it about 9 months and with Elijah I think we made it 6 or 7 months but we had SO many issues. I hope and pray that Mariah is going to be a champion breastfeeder - that she will be a natural at it and that we will have minimal, if any, difficulties. I can't tell you how many tears I shed over Nolan and Elijah's breastfeeding issues - I truly think it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. We will get through it though - even if it is challenging and even if it doesn't go as well as I won't I know that it won't be the end of the world (keep telling yourself that Kathy!) I pray that in the next ~10 weeks that I will become the mother that I am supposed to be for Mariah and that I will be able to be emotionally intact!! (I'll save that story for another day!)

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

I was so excited on Wednesday to find out that the newest book by Nicholas Sparks was available in the library at work for me. I love to read his book except that I didn't care for his previous one so I was very excited to get this one. This one did not disappoint me. I could not put it down. I was pleased with the ending of the novel but it also left me sad. I can't really write about the reflections that I made after the book was finished without giving the book away. It did give me things to reflect on, though, and it is definitely a book that I would recommend for others to read.

Look at how she's growing!

18 weeks

27 weeks