The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Let's keep the glass half full and start with the good, shall we?

• Tomorrow is a very important day as we celebrate the birth of a very important person. My grandmother introduced me to Father Tim McKeown over ten years ago and in those many years, he has been friend, mentor, spiritual advisor, father figure, cool uncle, counselor, cheerleader and encourager. As a birthday gift, if you feel so inclined, would you say this prayer? Whether you are Catholic or not, priests, like all faith leaders, need and depend upon our prayers for them. Graci.

MK on her Baptism day with her "Fadder Tim"

 

• More good. We are still pregnant. Thanks to the fervent prayers of many, including Padre Tim, we have pretty well baked little gremlin and find ourselves pretty prepared to welcome this newest Ninness creature.
• We did not get kicked out of Mass today.
• One of my dearest dearest friends is pregnant. Don't ask me who she is but I've been praying my rear off for her for a long time. Just know if you are one of the people hoping for baby, don't give up.
• Our house is finally painted and noone was killed during the process. Marriage still (mostly) in tact, contractor is receiving no more "I'm going into labor" texts from me and only a few of the walls have already been stained by MK fingers. 

The Bad:

• Ross and MK were on the bike Thursday, (in a very safe, very recommended, very researched child's seat) and a tire on  the bike blew. Both my babes took a nasty fall and Mary Kate has re-told the story 4,245 times. "I fell down daddy's tractor." "Dada boo boo, Mary Tate boo boo." It was probably my hardest night as a parent, watching my girl hurt and hurt and not being able to do a thing about it. It's those moments when I have to sit and pray for a supernatural comfort, since mama can't take away the pain. Thank goodness for helmets, foresight in putting MK in pants and a husband who kept presence of mind to absorb most of the fall. It could have been so much worse.
• Ross's idea to go to Mass tonight. Possibly prompted by his hope that Jesus would cure my foul mood, we braved a Mass without a nursery. WHEN WILL WE LEARN?? The priest definitely called MK out (jokingly/kindly/but with a tinge of please take that kid out). She did try to get cute and ask "I go see Jesus" because there is a cross in the atrium. Um, no kid. There is a cross behind Father, too. In the rare occasion that we are stupid enough to take her to a Mass without a nursery, we grade her. Today she got a D. It was generous. And it prevented the dinner out we had planned. (Mama's foul mood returned...)
• I am contracting just irregularly enough to not call the doc. This means I'm generally in some state of pain, always in some state of discomfort, and (as stated above) in a foul mood. I am fine with a few more weeks sans non-sleeping newborn but wish I could enjoy it. Yes, whine whine.

The UGLY.

• 38 weeks pregnant on this body. There's just nothing cute anymore. It's a lot o belly y'all.
• Name discussions for this kid. As I complained on fb (after complaining about people complaining in status updates), name conversations have been very not pretty. As Ross reminded me, starting these discussions late into the evening on the 2nd evening of college football probably isn't advisable. But I'm gonna quote my very smart sister-in-law in hopes that husband will read and agree "you carried it. you name it. done." I'll add " I carried it, I layed on my tush for 10 weeks. If I want to name it Brad Pitt I can."  I used to love naming my baby dolls. I never imagined that my dream husband would have completely opposite taste in names. Probably good he kept that a secret before we got married :)
• My child's behavior at 2. Tonight Ross was on "muzzle the banshee" duty at Mass and I was about to walk out and call it a night before the end of Mass (sorry Father Tim.) But I heard a voice, oddly similar to Sister Pat's, that said to "sit down." So I sat and used a few minutes to, gasp, actually pray. Without realizing it, I prayed "please help this baby be born healthy, grow strong, and skip age 2." I wasn't consciously praying it. It just came out. I am trying to remember something I read that reminded moms to not think an illy behaved child means you are a bad mother any more than a well behaved child means you are a good mother. But whoa is parenting this kid  killing  stretching me. Many times, I'll give her a direction and she'll glance at me, sweetly, knowingly, and do the opposite. I think I'm being pretty consistent with consequences and lots of positive reinforcement but it's the knowing glance that kills me. What IS that? Original sin? a demon possessing her presh little body? a side effect of too many "just be quiet" animal crackers? ugh.
• Brian Van Gorder's mustache and the next few months of college football. I am a big fan of the Van Gorder family and am happy to have Coach Van G back in the SEC but the stache is killing me. And on that topic, don't go defriending me but I'm just not that into college football. I love the fall but admittedly care more about MK's SEC wardrobe than the results of the game. I need to get onboard fast if I have any hope of MK learning "go dawgs" the way she knows "go gamecocks." Guess it's a good thing I'll be busy feeding humans 24/7 for the next few months. At least I won't be bored.

the toms were her idea. i fought for white sandals. should have known what Mass would be like when she started yelling for "red shoes mama!!!"

wearing the same pillow case dress she wore at 2 months old.
and yes, mama needs a new phone.