Big news!
Hi RSS readers! Remember us? The squibix family who hardly writes anything in this blog because sometimes our web host inexplicably cuts us out of service for weeks at a time? Sup?
Anyway, it's been a crazy couple of months in the squibix household, what with all the lying in bed for 24 hours at a time, running to the bathroom for dry heaving.... no we didn't go on a 3-month binger (i wish!) but we are preparing to birth ourselves up a little human come spring. Yes, it was an un-fun first trimester, but the second one is turning out to be significantly more enjoyable, and more importantly I now finally resemble the fat-ass I've always called myself.
Most of the five people who read this blog have already heard this news, of course, but it's good to keep the chain of narration going on this blog so that now I can launch into long posts about my breasts without preamble. (Haha, no. Who do you think I am, Heather?)
Anyway internet friends, I hope you will send your warm mildly sarcastic wishes, and come visit us in the summer to teach the little baby squibix how to play Mario Kart.
Leah's Christmas List
So, I'm a bit reluctant about stating my Christmas wishes this season for several reasons. First of all, we really cant fit a single nother thing in our house, and we will soon be forced to wedge a lot of baby crap up in here, so I cant really deal with thinking of anything that might take up space. Second, I usually ask for fun stuff for Christmas, like clothes and bath soaps and liquor... but now i cant drink, I cant take a bath over 100 degrees, and even looking at pictures of maternity clothes on the internet makes me want to start sobbing over the disgusting state of my midsection. So, it is with great emotional discomfort that I have cobbled together this list of holiday desires. That's how much i love you, early internet shoppers.
Update:
After driving around Billerica for two hours yesterday trying to find an office building, and returning home sobbing because I thought I would never escape from Billerica and never see my family ever again, I have a new major wish for Christmas: A GPS SYSTEM.
Maternity work-out gear.
This is the stuff I really need, and I can't find it anywhere but on the internet. I'm not too picky on the style; I just need new running pants and cycling shorts that will actually fit over my belly without a tight elastic. Everything is in size M.
Pregnancy Pillow.
They say something like this will help me sleep more comfortably. I am sceptical that it'll stay in the bed all night, but I'm willing to try anything short of ACTUAL DRUGS to get a good night sleep (oh how I miss my theraflu night-time). That one is a U-shaped pillows, which looked like the best shape to me, but what do I know.
Other crap that I need:
Other maternity tops, like sweaters and long-sleeve t-shirts
Dress socks (especially white, brown and tan)
A gift certificate to sephora so I can buy new mascara
Zig Zag Scissors
a good desk lamp
And, err, money? That's always good.
Merry Christmas!
A Poem from the back of Trader Joes liquid soap
Wet Hands.
Work
into a rich lather.
Rinse.
(spacing added for poetical emphass)
preemptive snow day
Well, snow half day anyways. There is some winter weather in the forecast, our second helping of winter weather this year, and I suppose folks felt that they didn't panic sufficiently for the first batch yesterday. We won't be making that mistake again! Leah reports that Whole Foods was packed with shoppers stocking up on staples such as prepared foods, organic California tomatoes, and perhaps brie; and schools all over the region have already canceled school for tomorrow or announced an early end to the school day. Lexington is in the latter category.
Which seems a bit much to me, I must say. After all, as of now the storm isn't even supposed to really get going until 10:00 or so, so it'll have to be a real humdinger if it wants to snow us in at school in an hour and three quarters. I suppose it's the memory of the time last year, and also a few years before that, when school wasn't called off and there was a little trouble with dismissal. I can tell you in confidence that, as much as we enjoy educating the little treasures for 6.5 hours per day, no teacher wants to be stuck with them after hours! Better safe than sorry is I suppose the attitude, at least now in the beginning of the winter. Watch in February, when it's: "there's only 18 inches forecast, that should be no problem for anyone!"
Not, of course, that I'm complaining about the half day, of course. Other teachers might be, but in their case the complaints are that we have to come in at all. "I was hoping to have the day to go shopping," one person told me. Me, I figure I wouldn't get anything accomplished before noon anyways, and it's always fun to be in school on a snowy day: much more excitement than tedium. So whatever may be, tomorrow should be fun!
EMERGENCY REPORT
Liveblogging this week's Blizzard of the Century
12:30 - Home from work. No snow yet.
1:10 - Light snow begins to fall. Area roads crowded with the cars of shoppers.
2:30 - Fine snow falling thick and fast, and accumulating on the cold cold ground.
4:00 - Two and a half inches on the ground, a great deal more in the air.
5:50 - Four inches. The lower bound of the prediction for the day has been reached, although considering that it happened well over an hour after sunset, I don't know if it counts. I'm not sure how that works, actually.
bedtime - Seven inches.
first light - 8°F on the thermometer on the porch, light snow and heavy wind. Too cozy inside to go out and check snow depth.
trafficing with the natives
Oh my goodness. This evening I was trapped for two hours in an unholy snarl of terrible traffic created, I can only imagine, by folks trying to get to the mall to shop. And subsequently to get out of the mall. I was only going to the grocery store, but I wasn't spared for that and I've now learned my lesson: never leave the house in the week before Christmas. At least not in the direction of any conglomeration of shopping locations.
It's really a good thing we're doing a home-made Christmas this year, so I didn't have to go into the mall itself even once. And then there's the fact that, while Leah is obviously quite adept at the handicrafts, I'm quite incapable of making anything at all. That really makes for relaxing holiday preparations on my part!
sick with anticipation
I hadn't missed a day of school this year before today, and I still haven't, but I have missed a couple hours. I revealed that I was feeling poorly and was immediately kicked out of the classroom and then the building, despite my protestations that why don't I just see how I am in half an hour, after lunch maybe, I'll just stick around to take the kids to library... no. Out I went. Which was probably for the best: I went home and lay in bed for a couple hours, which is just what I needed. No being sick on Christmas Eve allowed! Christmas, sure, no problem, but Christmas Eve I need to work!
recovery period
I woke up this morning thinking it would be nice to refrain entirely from talking and eating today, in order to give my voice and belly a rest. Christmas was tough on both of them, naturally. The plan went great for a couple hours, but I have to say it was really tough when there were so many delicious treats to eat and interesting things to say. I think I made it until about lunchtime on both counts, and I'm all the better for it; I'm also all the better for stuffing my face with chocolate and reading a couple chapters of a story to Leah this evening. I can recover from those tomorrow.