Shout, 'Hooray!'

Last Sunday in Primary (I'm the chorister) they pulled up 3 or 4 kids to sing a birthday song to.  As I was coordinating the song with the pianist, I heard the presidency member announce that one of the leaders was having a birthday, too.  I smile brightly and look around the room, waiting for one of the teachers to come up to the front.

It wasn't until she said my name that I realized it was me.  

It was a very odd sensation to have completely forgotten my own birthday.  Part of it is just how busy life has been for the past month--I'm living day-to-day instead of anticipating what's coming up.  But part of it is just realizing that I don't care as much anymore.  I enjoy celebrating my family's birthdays more than my own.

But all the same, I'm glad they reminded me so I could be excited for my birthday this week.  And I got a Twix out of it, which possibly made up for my having to stand in front of the entire Primary and be sung to.  Twice.                                  

Thoughts at 3 Months Post-Partum

Infant clothes should come in one color and one color only:

Poo-splosion orange.

Either that or I need to invest in Shout stock...

I'm fairly sure there is currently more of my hair 

on our bathroom floor than there is left on my head.

Amazing how quickly 4-5 consecutive hours of sleep 

becomes a great night's rest.

It doesn't matter what brand of diapers you buy--

your baby can poop out of anything.

There has got to be a safe way to 

permanently attach a pacifier to a kid's mouth.

I have very seriously considered putting a belt around

my baby to keep her dang arms swaddled.

When my first baby slept longer than usual, 

I would wake up terrified that he'd died in his sleep. 

With number two, I just praise the Lord 

for an extra hour or two of sleep.

Why didn't I realize how easy this baby thing was 

when I only had one?  

Cause it's a heck of a lot harder with a toddler to care for, too.

Is my brain ever going to function at full capacity again?

Why am I sitting here typing this when both kids are napping?

I need a nap, too!

At 34 Weeks

-I'm getting heartburn while standing up. It's even more fun when I lay down.

-I can't get my wedding band off.

-I have to wear my Vans with gel soles at all time while cooking or my feet feel like I've been standing for hours.

-I have exactly two outfits that I can still fit in for church, and exactly one pair of shoes that is still comfortable.

-I've come to terms with the fact that for at least 30 minutes after I lay down to sleep, baby will keep me awake with a stunning dance routine.

-Any waddling you see is not from a big belly--it's from Braxton Hicks and/or pelvic pressure. I'm not looking forward to this baby dropping (if there's even anywhere left for her to drop. Sure doesn't feel like it).

-I'm nesting like a mad woman.

-I'm stressing over the logistics of taking care of Seth while we're at the hospital.

-Asian food sounds terrible to me. Even P.F. Chang's. Probably has something to do with all the heartburn...

-I'm cherishing my time with Seth. I hope he forgives us quickly for messing with his life.

-I'm currently sleeping with three pillows: two under my head for heartburn, one between my knees. Jon's never been so grateful for a king-sized bed.

-There are small piles of pink clothes on the nursery floor waiting for me to deal with them. Does it make me sound like a wimp if I say I'm very intimidated by those pink clothes?

-I'm realizing that if this baby comes ten days early (like Seth did), then we'll have a new baby in less than a month. My brain is not ready for that. My aching body would be happy to deliver tomorrow.

-I swear my face gets puffier every morning.

-My ribs hurt ALL THE TIME. This kid is in my ribs ALL THE TIME.

-I'm grateful that I can still shave my legs in our stall shower without having to sit on the ground. With Seth I was already at that point by now.

-This baby is coming next month. I can't get that through my head.

Once Upon a Time...

...I thought I wanted to be a blogger. You know--the kind who post every day and get bucketloads of comments from adoring (or mean-spirited) readers. That sounded like something I could really get into.

But then I came back to reality. Maybe there will be a point in my life where I can do something like that, but it's not now. As is obvious from my lack of posting, when life gets busy, writing is the first thing that goes.

And I don't see life getting any less busy soon. Sure, I'm out of Young Women, but Primary chorister isn't exactly a cushy job. Not to mention that sometime in the next 6 weeks I'll be adding a newborn into the fun.

So, I'm resigned. I'll write when I can, but it's not going to be every day. Probably not even every week. Sigh.

Now excuse me while I go nest some more. All I have left to do before the baby comes is our 2009 scrapbook, putting our videos on my computer, preparing music plans, painting our bedroom, making a valance for Seth's room and curtains for ours, organizing little pink outfits that still terrify me for some reason, making Seth's ABC book, and hanging up all the pictures I've been meaning to hang up for months now. Oh, and pack for the hospital. Is it really getting that close? Where did the time go?

Why There is Nothing in my Goodreads Box

Somewhere amidst the chaos I mentioned in my previous post, I had several library books come due. Oh, and one Signing Time DVD that Seth barely watched.

I could barely concentrate on what was for dinner, much less on the books I had checked out three weeks previously. I was counting on the library's automatic email reminders to, you know, remind me.

Of course, this would be the time (second time, actually) that for some reason the reminder didn't show up. Jon is convinced it's a scam that goes something like this:

Library Director: We need more funding. How can we mooch more money off the local population to pay for more Danielle Steel novels?

Loyal Henchperson: How about dropping the email reminders this week? Then all those poor suckers who depend on us to remind them will rack up hideous fees!

Director: Perfect! Now go finish moving all the good literature to the back of the library. No one reads that crap anyway.

Well, I am one of those suckers. Not usually, but this month I was. And now I have $17.50 in library fees that I don't want to pay, so I'm avoiding the library.

Which means I have nothing to read. I already re-read Deathly Hallows for the 6th time. I finished off the pile of books my mom let me borrow. All that's left is my copy of The Odyssey and I am just not up for that right now.

So I'll wallow here with nothing to read until I get a threatening note from the library. Then I'll probably pay up. I hope my $17.50 goes to something good.

Mental Preparation

It's officially been two years since I've been the 2nd Counselor in Young Women.

My first October/November/December was just a blur--a total blur. I had no idea what was going on and what I was doing. I remember it being insane, but I figured it was just because I was new and still adjusting.

The next October/November/December was awful. That was when I realized that, hey, this constant chaos happens EVERY year!

This October/November/December are no less busy, but I'm not posting blog rants about how much time I spend at the church or crying to Jon that I never get to see him. It's amazing what a little mental preparation can do for your attitude. Mutual Tuesday night, presidency meeting Wednesday, Stake meeting Thursday? No problem. I was totally expecting this. Surprise Leadership Training the following Saturday? Sure. Whatever. Coordinating 20+ girls with varying degrees of musical talent to sing a multi-part Christmas song? Why not? Seems crazy when considered all at once, but I don't feel overwhelmed this year. Counting my blessings, for sure.

I think the biggest relief is that I KNOW this insanity ends in January. If I had to keep up this pace all year, I would have burned out a year ago.

Of course we start all over again in February with the Girls' Camp Fundraiser, but I'm not going to think about that right now. It will just stress me out.

OH WAIT! No it won't! I'll be out of commission with a newborn. Excellent timing, Megan. (Pats self on the back).

Dear Blog,

You are being neglected. I am so sorry. But you know what? You're just going to have to deal with it for a little while. Every day I think of something clever I want to write, and every day I remember that:

• I have three Halloween costumes to make
• I have piano lessons to teach
• I have three cakes to make in the next two weeks
• I have a temple trip to get ready for
• I have a lesson to prepare for Sunday
• I have things to do for YW in Excellence
• I have a load of laundry (probably molding) in the washer
• I haven't dusted in two weeks
• I have to go buy a bed rail so we can transition Seth to his 'big bed' tonight

Plus, sometime in there, I'd like to see my husband. And so, dear blog, you will just have to wait patiently until I have time again. Which will probably not be until January, the way things are going with Young Women this time of year...

Good news is, our Halloween costumes are going to rock. Stay tuned.