We worked hard.

The baby’s room is moving along, thanks to some coats of primer and paint. All the wall colors are up. All the ceiling panels are primed and sanded. We have some of those panels painted. We will continue to paint this week and once they are all pretty in their blues and greys, D will begin to place them on the ceiling.

My body aches today. My right wrist and hand are sore because I have a bad habit of clenching the paint roller when painting. My knees make me feel old and worn out as they seem to barely be able to keep me up at times. My feet are still slightly swollen but at least I am able to put my shoes on.

But for all the soreness, it is worth it because progress is happening and I got to help.

But the weekend wasn’t all about hard work.
We got to visit Home Depot.
The Olympics started and we checked in on one of the many stations televising the different sports when we would take a few minutes to sit down or eat lunch. (Our favorite sport so far- table tennis.)
Our friend Es had a surprise birthday lunch on Sunday. While at her house, we watched Iraq beat Costa Rica, the USA Men’s basketball team loose, and then some Australian men loose at beach volley ball (to the US).

But the most precious memory I have from this weekend was when we kept nursery at church. It gave me a glimpse into the not so distance future.

D was holding one of the many little ones in the nursery, keeping her happy and occupied. She liked to grab on to the train table and pull herself up, finding toys to put into her mouth. At one point she sat back down on D’s knee and then suddenly pitched forward bonking her head on the table. (Hey, accidents do happen. No need to go calling DCFS.) She cried and he tried to comfort her and then we noticed that the child had a bloody nose.

While I was ready to freak out and get the mother, D took the baby into the bathroom, wiped up the blood (getting a few spots on his pants) and tried to keep her happy. Her nose quit bleeding almost as quickly as it started and when we explained it to her parents (at the end of church because I didn’t go get the mother) they were so cool about it. The baby even fell asleep in his arms.

It was a nice glimpse of how D will be able to handle what comes our way when the baby arrives. And, I think, a testament that parenting skills aren’t necessarily learned from a book, but can just come up from somewhere inside of you.

I can’t believe Julia Childs died.

I mean, I know everyone dies at some point, but it is just a tad surprising.
She was the first cook I remember seeing on TV and I thought she reminded me of Aunt Margery’s friend, Dot.

Today we have a slew of television chefs that owe their graditude to that talented woman.

I will miss her.

Well, not this space but this space… for a very exciting announcement coming very soon!

(See, I just don’t know blogging protocol here… I don’t want to steal other people’s chance at making their own announcements, but I know there are loads of people waiting for some kind of news. So I am going to be horribly mean and just tell you to keep your eyes on that blog there.)

I offer this article up to any English teacher or professor who teaches literature. I think it should be required reading for any contemporary literature class.

My favorite lines include:
“If a large portion of a largely illiterate or aliterate population claims to be reading the same book, that’s known as “damning with faint praise.” Although it does explain John Grisham.”


“Hollywood made a movie out of it? So what? Hollywood also made Baby Geniuses and gave Ed Wood a career.”


“It may surprise you that reading doesn’t require a big time investment. Carry a book with you everywhere. When you’re waiting in line, crack it open.” This makes me think of Rory Gilmore.

Enjoy!

Last night, after watching a movie, D had control of the remote and landed on the NFL Hall of Fame game. D was in heaven, so I kissed him and went to bed. And as I settled under the covers I thought to myself, “Here we go again.”

I am an Auburn fan by marriage. In our marriage contract there is a clause that states something like, “And whenceforth, the wife shall surrender all Saturdays that Auburn plays football, on TV, to watch and enjoy all Auburn football games. All games that are not on TV will be listened to via internet radio. During television or radio broadcast of the Auburn football game, the wife shall not multi-task by reading books, magazines, talking on the phone, or cleaning house. The wife will learn the Auburn fight song and sing it, when appropriate, before, during, and after the broadcast of the Auburn football game.”

I began my education in Auburn football in Fall of 1998, when D and I were dating. He had a ritual that included watching the game from Todd’s Mom’s house while eating pigs in blankets and maybe baking bread in her bread machine. He couldn’t wait to share this ritual with me.

The problem was that I didn’t really enjoy televised sports. Sure, I was a cheerleader for 2 years in high school, but that didn’t have anything to do with sports (duh). I really didn’t get football and I was sure that I was going to disappoint D because of my lack of enthusiasim in watching and especially learning the game of football- regardless of who was playing.

It has been 6 years since that first football season. Now, I look forward to the ritual of the Saturdays- making pigs in blankets, singing the fight song, and hearing the announcer say “Touchdooooooown Auburn!” I understand a lot more about football, like who the coach is, what a touchback is, and what it means when the team is first and ten (which is funny to me because when I was a cheerleader we had a “first and ten” cheer but heck if we knew what we were chanting about).

This year, our family football ritual will gain a new fan, once the baby is born. Then D can pass along all the football knowledge in his world to our child (like, why Auburn should bring back the Wishbone as part of its offense). And maybe then the clause can be amended to allow me to read some magazines during the parts that get really boring.

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

If I hear that question from certain people I am related to by marriage one more time, I will scream.

When this adventure began, D was the one who wasn?t sure if he wanted to know or if he wanted it to be a surprise. I have always wanted to know if it is a boy or a girl. D finally decided, around 18 weeks, that if we could find out, that would be great. No surprises here.

We have tried 3 times to find out and we have never been successful. The last doctor?s appointment I did have another ultrasound, but I was so surprised that I was having another one that I didn?t press Dr. G into looking to see if it could be determined. Plus, I had already resigned myself from the previous ?undeterminable? result that this kid will just begin his or her life having one upped Momma & Daddy.

So yesterday we went to Dr. G again (31 weeks!) and we only got to hear the heartbeat.

D is disappointed because even though he wasn?t sure if he wanted to find out, now that he can?t he really, really wants to know.

I say we just wait it out. The nursery doesn?t depend on the gender- we already decided that. If we need gender specific clothing, there are plenty of people who can help us out there.

We will know when we know, and that is that.

But if my mother-in-law asks me one more time, that high-pitched scream you hear will be me.