Problem


It’s 1 am. I’m awake… A combination of a few french fries and a small milkshake for dinner (Sooo hungry now!), the fact that I fell asleep at 8:30 when the kids went to bed, and the loud slumbering noises next to me…


What to do?


Ah-ha! The iPhone. Bejeweled. Just for a little bit, you know, until I get sleepy.


It’s 2 am. Where did that hour go?? I should probably quit and try to sleep. Just one more game…? Sure, why not! Ok. Last game. 35,000??? That’s a horrible score. Must play just one more… Ok. 69,000… Improving. But still not good. Hmmm. I should just keep playing as long as my scores keep improving. Yeah. That’s a good plan. 152,000. That’s a decent score. Doh! 90,000 on the next game. Guess I should stop now…? But, I don’t want to end on a bad note.


Just ONE more game.


It’s 2:30. I’m never going back to sleep, am I?



Failing Fall


This is officially the Fall of Ear Infections. And I? Officially would like it to be over. OFFICIALLY. Either the ear infections or the fall. I don’t really care which. When we were little, my sister was infamous for constant ear infections. When Thomas got his first at 6 months I braced for the onslaught that I was sure would follow. But it didn’t. And then Caroline was born. And I was mildly surprised when she had one fairly early. And less surprised when she had another. And another. And another. And now? When she sneezes I’ve learned to expect an ear infection in a week to 10 days. And I’m not even kidding. What surprises me now is when I take her in and she DOESN’T have one. Although now that I think about it I don’t think I’ve ever taken her in for a suspected ear infection and had her ears be clear. Ever. Finally at last, Sarah’s ears have shown their face in the next generation. <sarcasm>Oh yay.</sarcasm> By now, we know the staff at our pediatrician’s office rather well. And if they weren’t so nice I might be a little more upset about it.


Anyway, where was I? Oh right. This September I think I was at the doctor’s office once a week. Issa and I conferred, and then declared that October would be the month of health. Soooo close. But… We made it to the third week and then Thomas’ ear (the left to be exact) let me down. Sigh. Ok. Maybe November?


The first of November, Caroline took a 4 hour nap. And just like that the little mom hairs on the back of my neck were up. 4 days later she had a fever and said, “Ouchie, Mama. Ear.” A quick trip to our friendly pediatrics office left me waiting in line at CVS for a prescription, yet again. Three days later, (on a Saturday evening as per normal operation procedures), Thomas informed us that his ear hurt. He was nearly in tears. He doesn’t cry for pain, so I knew it couldn’t be good. Sigh. Monday morning brought an appointment for him. He had been fine all day Sunday, but had his heart set on going to the doctor. When Ben called to inform me of the exam results (Yes, that’s right, my husband took him to the doctor. What? He’s a parent too. And yes I know I’m lucky.), I was prepared for a clean bill of health. Ben said, “Thomas was wrong. He doesn’t have one ear infection… He has… TWO.”


Gah. Sigh… November is NOT the month of health. We shall refrain from talking about December out of fear.



Listing


If you were to crack my head open and peer into my brain, you would see stacks and stacks of lists.  Lists and lists of lists.  It’s my default coping mechanism and I often wish there was an easy way to just get them all OUT of my head and on to paper.  Or disk.  Maybe if I could do that, there would be a little more room for more productive things.

What?  You don’t believe me that I think in lists?  Here’s a peak at what is currently floating around…  Rooms to vacuum, Groceries to buy, General errands to be completed, Things I should do more of, Things I should do less of, Areas needing organizing, Bathrooms to be cleaned, Friends to email/call/see, Places I wish I could go, Things I wish I was doing, Laundry to be sorted/washed/folded/put away, Menus to plan, Tasks to tackle first thing at work tomorrow morning, etc.  And so on and on and on and on and on…

Colorful, isn’t it?  And cluttered.  The librarian hidden in me wants to sort and label and file every last one.

Without fail, it always seems that at the end of the day the only list that I’ve tackled goes something like this:

  • Get out of bed. Ugh.
  • Breakfast, lunch made, bags packed.
  • Everybody loaded into the car, transported, dropped off.
  • Work, work, work.
  • Grab lunch.
  • Work, work, work.
  • Everybody picked up, transported back home.
  • Something, ANYTHING for dinner.
  • Bedtime for the kids and bath only when absolutely required. Ahem. Mental note, no yogurt for Caroline–it almost always results in a bath these days.
  • Collapse on the couch watching bad TV and try not to think about the dishes on the table, lists for tomorrow, or the nagging feeling that I will never make any progress.