7 Quick Takes

1. Its extremely unnerving having a baby (well, an 18 month old) who basically can talk, who thinks she can clean, who climbs up the ladder to the slide, pushing your hands away as you try to help her, who runs around with an arrogant little swagger and who often takes your face in her fat little hands, tilts her head to one side and says condescendingly and loudly 'Mommmmyyyyy'. I feel so bossed and managed. Good Lord preserve me.

2. I was also totally unnerved to find my husband, who already does all the laundry, kitty litter and fully half the cooking, bring a basket of laundry up last night already folded. 'Who folded this!?' I asked in hysteria. 'I did' he said, 'are you mad?' 'Of course, I am,' I said, 'here I am, sitting in front of the computer, watching ancient episodes of The Thin Blue Line, amidst the wreckage of a filthy and cat pea laden house, feeling foul and guilty already. And you, after a full day of stressful work, come home and fold the laundry too! Can't you see that I feel bad enough already.' Said thank you later. Turns out some wonderful lady in the church told him, by way of casual conversation, that if you fold the laundry as soon as it comes out of the drier, nothing gets wrinkled. And since I also don't iron, he thought he'd give it a try.
3.Turns out, due to the size of the head of the baby, that I'm a week ahead of my previously calculated due date of November 6. The doctor moved it up to Nov 2, which makes us all very happy. The very nice ultrasound technician lady, when I cringingly lifted my shirt and bore my flesh for all the world to see, exclaimed, 'You have Battle Scars! What baby is this?' 'Number 5' I said. 'Wow,' she said, 'you're never the same, are you?' But the baby is super healthy and cute, and I think its a boy, mostly based on the size of that enormous head.
4.This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday and there's going to be food between the services (well, there's always food, but I think its going to be fancy). I so enjoy these eating days at church. Really makes the whole morning worth while. So, if you're in the Binghamton area, come by and help us celebrate our name day.
5. I have tulips growing in my front planter/bed thing. They're really lovely. I'm so surprised and impressed.
6. Elphine has decided she would like to be a professional ballerina who dances Swan Lake at Carnegie Hall. Told her she has to be Really good in Math, be able to read and enjoy it, and know the Time line perfectly. I'm not sure she believed me, but she did buckle down to work on the Time Line for the rest of the day, so maybe she really means it.
7. I can't wait for my parents to come. Wish they were going to be here the whole summer. Think about it every day instead of doing important things (like cleaning the house). REALLY wish I could eradicate the cat pea before they arrive (without eradicating the cats, don't even suggest it, its not an option).

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