I do think I have to brag a little. For one thing, I'm relatively healthy, alive, happy, and I have the summer off (kind of). Technically we've had 4 days of summer since the grand finale of 1st grade ended, and every day has been quite.... well, nice is too nice of a word, but I guess I can say quite "awesome".
However, being pregnant has been trying to take away a bit of that "awesome". Carrying around a 25 pound belly that you didn't have 6 months ago can at times be a pain ... not really in the butt, but a pain on the back and the legs for sure. I'm getting used to it, but I keep thinking how with Celia and Effie I was pretty much able to do whatever, walk at least 3 miles a day, and go to work up until the day I went into labor. But... with this kid it's a little different. Summer (as I brag) has given us the chance to get back to walking every day, which is radical, but I'm really a slow poke. Good thing my kids don't run much, nor does their dad, so I don't have to scoot quickly. And back to the pregnant thingy, well, most people I've talked to seem to remind me that during my other pregnancies, I did not have: 2 kids, multiple teaching jobs, a thousand things on my plate, musical endeavors, or to have to take kids to school. And that's why I'm so so so so so so so glad it's summer. Cuz now, I pretty much just have the 25 pound belly, and have 2 kids. Oh, but I forgot, I still have laundry, a CD to finish recording, cooking, dishes, and places to go... but if I can get back to bragging, at least I get to take naps! Yeah... thanks to Jesus, Alex is outta school, and on summer vacation from work, which means, each afternoon, when that afternoon lull settles in, which I know hits a lot of people, not just the pregnant ones, I get that look on my face, and that fatigue seems to overpower my demeanor, and Alex says "go lay down", and I all of a sudden get this mighty wind of energy to run up as fast as I can and throw off my shoes and dive into a pillow. And to brag some more, well, my naps used to be about the length of an "Animaniacs" episode, 18 minutes or so, but now, since the husband shuts the doors and takes the kids outside, are at least an hour of super duper rest absolutely necessary for a pregnant woman to function like a non-PMSing woman or for any human being to be mentally stable enough to be kind. So, I appreciate it, and it allows the household to carry on in a plesant, well fed, and happy way.
Summer, as I continue to brag, has also brought about some new routines that have proven to be more reason for people to wish I was their mother. First, we have begun daily music lessons around here. It used to be that Celia would practice once a week or so apart from her regular lessons, but now she - and Effie get a good amount of music time each day in which they are learning the repertoire for the 9am English mass at Cristo Rey. At the rate we're going, they may be able to play all the mass sets in about a year (well), but so far they've learned about 3 songs. Celia on violin, and Effie is playing a small casio keyboard with her little left hand along with us. They are so so so amazing.
The second new routine is getting back to walking, which I will not elaborate on in detail because despite rather interesting conversations that takes place between Alex and the girls, and the extremely strange imaginary games they play with each other, like Effie pretending she left her physical body 3 blocks away and that the person actually following us is an alien twin sister of the real Effie, walking is never that exciting. I'm just happy when we're done, cuz I'm telling you. This little kicking 25 pound uterus/baby/womb/excess belly is not the most fun walking companion.
Routine number 3 is hanging out with the girls and Alex in the backyard after dark. We've been setting up lawn chairs, and for a few nights in a row, the girls make videos only lit with flashlights or flashing minnie mouse ears that light up. They just scream and chase each other around in the dark, then we sit down and take turns making up more strange stories. One of Effie's yesterday was about how this girl had a spoon that was large enough to reach the planet Mars, and that the girls who climbed it actually (and yes she says the word "actually" about twice per sentence) had to make a big helmet out of a cooking pot, which needed to be fixed in order to have a space for her eyeballs to be able to see, then decided a rocket ship, and a teeny tiny one (mind you) needed to be attached to a roller coaster that went up the giant spoon to Mars. And so those types of stories continue till I get too cold and tired and make everyone go inside. Tonight was even better though, cuz Alex set up our camping air mattress and brought out pillows and blankets so the girls could watch the few stars you can actually see in Glendale cozily. It was definitely a hit, but by the time the girls did go to bed, Effie was in tears cuz she said "that thing we were on in the backyard when we were laying down" was a lot more fun to sleep on than her bed. Wow. It really is fun to brag, and you're all lucky I don't own a personal journal, nor do I have patience to handwrite entries anymore, cuz now my personal life is just available for everyone to read.
And... I'll stop there but just say, that I am so lucky. Super lucky. Super happy. And if I'd be grateful for however many more days my life allows me to live, cuz life for me sure is good. Happy summer everyone! Make the most of it :)
