Nuggets

I'm boiling my weekend down to some quick takes today because it's all the creativity I seem to be able to muster right now. There simply isn't any reason to ask you to read something forced just because I'm trying to keep up with a daily record of our days. So here are the nuggets:

1. Here's my favorite sous chef these days. She cracks eggs, stirs sauces, grates cheese and, yes, opens messy fruit.

Do you see what the sticker on her dress says? Indeed. Merry Christmas!



2. These days I alternate between conflicting states of mind and body. I have no control over my status from day to day to say the least.

At times I have a seemingly sourceless burst of energy for all of the tasks I'm charged with and for the thoughts I have to think in anticipation of the changes my life will encounter sometime in the next few weeks.

And then there are other times when I'm overwhelmed by intense exhaustion and I can't do anything but flop onto a soft sofa or stretch out onto a patch of carpet.

Here's the irregular pace of a typical day:

Wake up. Stir up a plan for the day, play, walk, read, snack, create projects together, put out little fires, tidy, lunch, then flop on the couch for midday respite. Rise and plan dinner, cook, clean, eat, bathe children and flop yet again for rest.

Sometimes my flopping time consists of napping, reading to L, other times reading birthing books or scripture, and sometimes I can only muster the enthusiasm required to enjoy a movie or cooking show with my husband.

Then the middle of the night comes with my mind's wake-up call to give thought to important decisions, such as what songs I should include on my compilation CD for labor. Should I stock up on toilet paper and toothpaste now so we won't run out while I'm in the haze of newborn care? Which family photo should we select for our holiday cards? What if my water breaks tonight while N's away? Is it OK to wear clogs and a muumuu to N's squadron Christmas party if nothing else fits?

3. My girl L is into Raggedy Ann books. Did anybody ever read the books when you were little? I remember the dolls, the Halloween costumes, but not the storybooks.



They are delicious. The plots weave between fantasy and reality. Dolls come to life and go on adventures together. Fairies swoop in to help out on occasion. Little girls masquerade as pirates. Real dogs and kittens torment the dolls.

I recommend starting with Raggedy Ann Stories to get the background. Then, once you're ready for real adventure, move on to the "Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees".

4. I love when our littlest cat does this. She reminds me of a seal.



5. I really liked the new Star Trek movie.

6. Our recent trip to SeaWorld fueled my little boy, C's obsession with sea life of all kinds.

He already was a rabid fan of sharks, but now he can identify walrus, whales, seals, puffins and dolphins.

This little board book that illustrates the Raffi classic is his new favorite library find.

We spent about half an hour one evening last week watching National Geographic clips on YouTube about narwhals, great white sharks and a giant octopus that wins a face off with a shark.

7. L was wishing aloud one day that magic could be real. She dreams of fairies coming down from the clouds and teaching her to fly and for the princesses to hold real-life tea parties for her. And wouldn't it be great to have a wand you could wave and make the impossible happen before your very eyes?

Later that evening she was complaining about her third case that day of the hiccups. I told her I could magically make them go away. She looked at me with half skepticism and half curiosity. I summoned her to the kitchen, filled a glass of water and asked her to drink vigorously while I tightly cupped my hands over her ears. After about 10 good gulps, the hiccups were gone.

"Magic!" I claimed, when her wide brown eyes looked at me with astonishment.

She smiled and gave me a much welcomed hug and said: "You're the best, mommy."

I love when it's that easy.

8. We finally bought four tiny chairs for our coffee-table-turned children's coloring, painting, sculpting, gluing, school-working, snacking and tent-making surface.



Gone are the days of arranging the stepping stool, exercise ball and computer chair just right to assemble proper seating for 'round-the table gatherings.

9. We're off to enjoy sunshine at the neighborhood playground, which, at its location four blocks from our house, always elicits Braxton Hick's contractions from our not-so-vigorous walk there and back.

At my status of having added 1/4 of my entire weight to the front of my body, I am nothing short of a large, lumbering, pachydermal version of my former self. The strange part is that I actually rather like this stage of pregnancy ... for now.