Keeping Me...Well, Not Sane Exactly

I started this post at the end of October 2011. Weeks nine through twentyish of this pregnancy had been trying, but the holidays were coming, so! The things that were keeping me sane were things like Good Housekeeping's sugar cookies (they call them Valentine's cookies, so maybe the idea's still season-appropriate, even months later; we'll go with that). Will and I made them together, and I vaguely remember that we did have some fun.

Ceci also taught me how to make washable, toddler-sized pillows for the boys, and that made me feel capable and like I could indulge my nesting habits without giving fistfuls of money to my arch-nemesis, Pottery Barn Kids.

And I made some really easy pumpkin muffins.

That's the end of my notes from October 2011.

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Now that it's February, the list has definitely changed. Here's what's keeping my head juuuuuuuust above water lately:

In the Human category:

• My mom, who babysat and mother's-helped while both Will and I were down 'n' out with a stomach bug last month, and who ignores her back pain to WRESTLE with my toddlers whenever we visit (My dad is also wonderful with the kids, but he misses out on top billing since he's not around as much.)
• My midwives, who make home visits and ALWAYS leave me calmer than when they arrived
• My husband, who can take both boys out into a snowy (or, more frequently this winter, sunny) backyard for hours without complaint and give me time to actually get something done on the weekend
• My girlfriends, but you know what? Some of them just got a whole post to themselves, so we'll leave it at that. 

In the Things are Organized? Kind of? category:

• A new diaper bag. I know, long-time friends will groan at this bullet point, and here's why: I am currently in possession of four diaper bags that were created to function as such, and instead I've been using a tote-formerly-used-for-work for the actual, you know, diapers. But I DO use the diaper bags! This one is a messenger bag from Lands End, and it was cheap, and I can wear it across my ginormous body, and it's one of those Mary Poppins-ish bags that magically holds three times its actual capacity. It may not be sufficient with a newborn in tow, but it's ideal for two toddlers when one's fully potty trained.
• My kids are sharing a room. They've been sharing a room (at night) for twelve days now, and they were both smitten with the arrangement after the first night. It's clear that they both get comfort from having the other nearby. There have been some growing pains--Finn has woken up early (7) a few mornings, which in turn wakes Will up before he's ready. But the fact that we have a whole room, outfitted with a crib and a changing table and a built-in closet, to spare* is great for our mental health. We don't even plan on putting the baby in there right away, but it's nice to open up the options a bit.

In the Distractions category:

• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: I was completely bored by this show the first (eight) time(s) I caught a clip as I was switching channels. One evening recently, I watched an entire episode and nearly cried laughing. Then I watched a few more and DID in fact cry laughing. For me, it was an acquired taste that's quickly become the only thing I want to watch most nights. I DVR all the late-night repeats and then if I can muster the strength to stave off bedtime past nine (seriously), I'll lumber downstairs to watch them. Dave followed me down the rabbit hole, so at least we laugh until we cry together! (I should note that this show is incredibly inappropriate, so I'm not actually recommending it, nor will I be offended if you don't get/like/tolerate it. Unless you're Jenny Sheehan, in which case I'll assume you've been supplanted by a pod person.)
• My iPhone: I remember my lovely friend Inger reminiscing about her middle-of-the-night sessions with her first daughter, and what she would do on her iPhone, and I'd be all, "Whatever! We just popped in a DVD of The Wire when Will was eating at one a.m. What's wrong with a good old-fashioned DVD, Inger?!?" Now I have an iPhone with HBOGO and have in fact watched an entire miniseries (John Adams) on that tiny screen (also developed moderate crush on Thomas Jefferson while watching, strange I know), and I may actually be sad if this baby's eating is too efficient to justify TV in the middle of the night. No, I won't be sad, but I do love my iPhone.