possible topics...

Life is definitely plodding forward at a rapid pace...calendar days morph into weeks and suddenly May is at the gates.  I feel like I should write something to commemorate my lately because, though my blog has been quiet, my life has been full.  

possible blog topics:

(with a warning that this isn't pretty, but I'm throwing it all out there anyhow!)

• How I crumpled Aidan's homework in complete frustration yesterday (and was ashamed but still more proud that I had managed not to crumple him instead).
• How I flaked on my neighbor when she hired me two months ago to make fancy cupcakes for a baby shower. I was working on them all week, thinking the shower was Saturday. Friday night I came home late from dinner with my mom and sisters to a street lined with cars. Laughter and light emanated from the neighbor's home and my stomach sank - hard. It sounded - strangely, eerily- like a shower. A baby shower without fancy cupcakes, to be precise. I ran upstairs and submitted to the torrent of tears that came when I looked at my original calendar that put the baby shower on - indeed - a Friday.
• How Jim is a saint. Who does not complain about the state of our union. Even when he wears dirty-ish pants for days-ish because I'm a laundry failure.
• How it took me four and a half hours to make soup and bread yesterday.  Or how I inadvertently made enough to feed 6 families.  Or how I'm quitting my kitchen because everything takes twice as long as it should and only tastes half as good.
• How my eyebrows are a bushy disaster.  I seriously haven't paid them any attention for weeks.  And it only crossed my mind as I was rushing out the door last week to meet Lucy (who turned out to be far more of an old friend than complete stranger - even at first meeting). 
• How Aidan said a prayer a few nights back blessing the world so that there would be no litter...or bad people.  [How I think really "bad people" must crumple their children's homework into litter.]
• How Davyn has become my co-dependent, doling kisses and "beautiful mama"'s in a wildly profligate manner.  I even awoke (at 1 am!) one morning to him standing beside my bed kissing up & down my captured arm.  The baby is still in our seemingly far future, so should I dismiss this as a phase or understand it as a possible plea to remain my tiniest joy forever? 

OR how reading over this list makes the past few weeks sound not so great, but life still manages to be good and worthwhile.  Despite.  Or perhaps Because.  It's all about those darn ups and downs.

Comments

[Megan]

I know these past weeks were hard, but I laughed a lot while reading about them. I don't think you're bad for crumpling your son's homework, I mean at least you really didn't crumple him, that is an accomplishment.

[Leilani]

I so feel that way helping Rachel with homework - it is why I could never homeschool (at least not her). Hang in there!

[Jill]

It's good to have a new post from you. I would chalk all of these little incidents up to your pregnant state of being right now. Normal life, dates, times and responsibilities just go out the window when making a human, and that's okay.

[Neighbor Jane Payne]

I do love your posts, Amy.

Don't worry...you've got LOTS of crumpling homework opportunities ahead...it's hard to kill an English teacher.

[Kelly]

Oh, my heart sank for you when I read the cupcake part. I'm sorry life has been crazy for you. And I feel a bit responsible for the soup troubles -- perhaps I should have recommended a recipe without so much chopping?

Let me know if you need a personal assistant. Except for the homework. Both Avery & Emerson's teachers have become fond of assigning "games" to play with your parents. Is it wrong that I don't want to play games that involve 1000 little squares of paper with subtraction facts? I feel bad about it, but it's all I can do to muster the courage.

[Jaime]

Oh AMY, thank heavens your HUMAN!! :) Makes me feel a little better, but there are many times I have basically crumpled my kid!

[Lucy]

You should see me when the boys practice the piano. Total temper tantrums when they continually make the same mistake I JUST corrected them on, or they play too fast or whatever....it's not pretty. I have no idea where it comes from, other than I want them to do it right. Maybe that is where the crumpled homework comes in? You being the school teacher? If so, I get it. And I'm with you. Embarrassing, but at least the children remain unmaimed.

Sorry about the shower. That stinks. But, I've been to plenty of showers where adorable cupcakes were absent, and they were fun too.

I didn't notice anything askew about your brows, but I'm glad that you didn't let that stop you from coming to lunch. Bushy or not, you make a fine lunch companion.

[Marie]

Oh Amy! The cupcakes! The beautiful, half finished cupcakes! I would have cried if it was me. Last night I flaked out on my visiting teaching. I was playing with the kids, blowing bubbles, reading stories, and tucking in. At 8:30 I came into the kitchen, and the calender screamed at me that I was supposed to be seeing my ladies an hour and a half ago. Oops. I phoned, I applogized, and threw some cookies together, but still felt like a dunce.

What was the offensive kindergarten assignment?

[Amy]

It was the kindergartener, not that assignment, that offended...hence my relief at only crumpling the darn paper.

[Brady]

life is too busy to keep up on the brows, just shave them, that'll do the trick!

[Mandy]

First off I have to say I have always admired your eyebrows. I think I pluck mine too much so I am currently growing them out so I can have them professionally shaped. We will see how that goes. I'm sure I will cave and then regret.

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time right now. I can only imagine how cute your cupcakes would have looked. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

[Tiffany]

Despite or Because. I'm with you on that one.

Sorry for the cupcakes, homework, and life frustrations. What a funny "beautiful mama" boy--just listen to him and try to ignore that it's 1 AM!

[Katie A.]

In my novice oppinion, laundry is the first thing to go when pregnant. (In my house, it's just one on a long list of chores that have gone.) Probably then followed by eyebrow grooming. I am thankful that mine are so light that no one can tell how horrible they truely are!

[April]

Loved these tiny little windows into your current life.
I hate those Friday night moments...the sinking, sickening feeling. Oh, crap.
Would have liked to have been a fly at the homework table. Tee hee.

Love you!

[Elizabeth]

I am sure we all have a list of these we could jot down. I love your little boy kissing your arm. How sweet is that?

[Price Cream Parlor]

I love your thoughts! I feel sick for you and the cupcake venture! I have moments like this in my life (homework crumblinig!) and I'm not preg and can't blame the hormones! Hope you were able to freeze all that soup...

[Mandi]

Yeah, it's been crazy for you, I'll attest. That kills me about Davyn kissing your arm at one in the morning -- and not a little bit disturbing!

[kim sue]

phooey! i hate it when it feels like it is all crumbling around me! But you gotta love "beautiful mama" that will make you smile even in the biggest piles of rubble!

[Emily]

At least take comfort in knowing you are not alone.

Upon seeing my sister a few weeks ago in New York she gasped, grabbed tweezers, pinned me down and went to work on my brows. Shortly after she gave up and told me to get them waxed the second I got home.

Two my children finish this sentence on a regular basis Me: "Just pull some out of the.." Them: "Laundry Hamper". I too am a laundry failure.

Three. I spent 3 hours making dinner last Friday night. Just for us, no guests. And it was good, but not TO DIE FOR, which is what anything that you spend three hours on should be. So I said to myself "self, this is ridiculous, you should not do this anymore". So far this week we've had pancakes, Papa Murphy's pizza, and leftovers of the 3 hour meal".

And last. The homework. I can't tell you how many times I have had to stand up and leave the room for fear of cursing upon their innocent ears because I swear they are trying to kill me! (the children, not the homework)

Good Luck. Either everyone else has these issues too or you and I are freaks, either way at least we've got each other.

[jenny]

When and doubt blog about it right? I hope that at least made it feel better. Here is to a happy May!

[Tiffany]

Happy Mother's Day! I hope you have a great one.

[Nichole Davis]

Oh my gosh....you are a kick in the pants! I heard your blog was good....I'll have to blog stock you now! LOL!

[michelle]

oh, the cupcake error... that is just the kind of thing that would have me in tears! So frustrating.

We have all been there with the homework woes. (Haven't we?? Well, I have.)

Everything is harder when you're pregnant, it's just a fact. So go easy on yourself!