Good Things

1) Having Nelka around allows me to go out when I want ... to get my nails done, to get coffee, to have lunch ... I try to time it so C&A are napping while I'm out. Yesterday I met up with Uma for lunch. I left at 12:30 with the kids asleep and told Nelka "they should be able to sleep until I get home at 2:30". I got back at 3pm and found Nelka holding a furious Ava. From her tear stained face and puffy little eyes, I could see she'd been crying. Nelka said apologetically "I had to get her up because she was crying so much". Oh, my heart broke! So while I was eating away, chatting with Uma, that little baby was sobbing. And she was really really angry with me! When I came in the door, she wouldn't look at me, she clung to Nelka when I tried to hold her, she was so mad! I decided to give her a bath which always makes her happy but even after she got out, she was still mad. I dried her off with her back turned to me. I leaned in to kiss her cheek and she stepped out of reach. I patted her on the arm and she actually brushed me off with her hand. It took MANY HOURS for her to forgive me. I will need to be more explicit with my instructions to Nelka... get them up when you think it is necessary!

2) Not being hugely pregnant in the dead of winter. Since I don't mind heat and humidity, going through the summer that way isn't any trouble for me. This time around, I narrowly escaped having to buy one of those massive maternity coats. So far, my protective fat layer does the trick!

3) We have the nicest coffee machine. It is technically "automatic" in that it generates a tasty cup of coffee at the press of a button. The drawback is the amazing number of little trays that must be filled (or emptied) between and during the making of each cup so that the timeline looks something like this:

7:25am Lisa hits "on" button
7:27 Error message "fill water tray"
7:28 Lisa replaces refilled water tray, hits "on" button
7:35 Machine completes "descaling"
7:37 Machine completes "heating and self cleaning"
7:38 Error message "empty waste bit"
7:39 Lisa replaces emptied waste bin
7:41 Machine is ready to make first cup of coffee
7:43 Machine grinds beans and makes yummy smelling cup of coffee
7:43 Lisa requests second cup for a friend, Error message "refill coffee bean tray"
7:44 Lisa replaces refilled coffee bean tray, hits "on" button, apologizes to friend
7:45 Friend must leave to drop son off at school
7:46 Machine delivers second cup of coffee, Error message "error#41", Lisa kicks machine, enjoys delicious cup of coffee and forgives

A person could enter and recover from caffeine withdrawal while waiting for this very very fancy machine to produce a single cup of coffee. Lesson; When at my house, LEAP to grab the first cup ... it could be the last one. I won't say how much we spent on our coffee machine as it is a little embarrassing. It seemed like a good idea at the time. And like I said, the coffee it does manage to make is good enough to make my list of good things.

4) I spend what I like without John interfering. This is a wonderful thing! Granted, my weakness at the moment is used books, but I also like to get my nails done once a week. John is a worrier and I could totally picture him reading over my credit card statements sputtering "What?! What did you buy at RB Books for $24??" or "So you're still getting your nails done at that Towne Nails, huh? ..." Instead, that lovely man just pays those statements. Knowing how he worries about money, I count his treatment of my spending as a pure act of love. Ooooohhhh, isn't he GREAT?!

5) Being married to that amazing man I like to call "John". He is incredible ... a partner, a friend ... I beam when I think about him and don't get me started talking about him! Sure, he can be a real piece of work. Just yesterday I was recalling to a friend how, after I'd had Ava and lay helpless and in pain in a hospital bed, he couldn't be bothered to hand me the tv remote or help me track my pain medication. Most of our lovely four days there with our new baby were spent yelling at each other. I'm sure the staff was wondering if they should contact social services to start looking for a foster home for the child. More likely they were thinking ... "these people always think a baby will bring them closer together ..." What I love about being married to John is that, at least so far, we have survived those lows together. I see the times I hate him as marriage strengthening times. For example, I now KNOW we can survive his being a complete jerk after I carried and delivered his child. Isn't that wonderful?! ... if you are wondering, this time around, I have plans to replace John's "function" at the hospital (handing me things) with a well stocked handbag kept near the head of my bed within reach. He will be welcome to hang out there with us or not. There will be no pressure. I will be willing to sleep there alone ... Yet, he was the only one in whom I could confide that I hadn't had a bowel movement yet even when I'd assured the nursing staff that "oh yes!, my bowels have been moving!" He was the only one with a matching look of adoration in his eyes as he gazed at my new baby. He was the only one missing Claire as much as I was. He is really the only one with whom I am mature enough to share my children. I love it when they clamor to get out of my arms to go to him ... I love it when they love him more ... it just seems right.



6) Watching the water outside. Our house was marketed as "lakefront" which is the reason we wanted to see it. I was disappointed to find that the lake was a bit like a puddle, really just a large pond. But that's okay! It is so pretty! Every day it looks different ... I am looking at it now and it is still and dimpled with large expanding circles of water rimming from where it is being disturbed by geese. Sometimes it is frozen sometimes it is marshy sometimes, during certain kinds of summer storms, it is so many different colors. It seems to set my mood ... when it is frozen over, I just want to stay inside all day and eat soup, when it is calm, like today, I want to get out for a walk, when it is being whipped by the wind, I want to go outside and throw up my arms. I can't really do these things, of course, and my day is pretty much dictated by two very influential children. In a paper scissors rock style game but with children and water, I'm not sure who wins. I suppose water covers children? ("with as little as one inch" I've heard but I am sceptical)

7) Other good things exist in my life, I am sure, but I am slipping into a Nyquil coma and must sleep.

8) Oops, must mention my lovely sister Jennie and handsome brother, Geran. They are still talking about the last time they didn't make one of my facebook lists.