Random Crap: August Edition

I wish I had some more purposeful blogging to present to you, but sometimes life just isn't that exciting. So here is a rundown of all that's going on in the Libutti house:


Michaela started Quilt Camp this week, and I, for one, am highly jealous that she is getting three hours every day this week of uninterrupted sewing time. She will end the week with an honest to goodness quilt, which is pretty impressive for a seven year old. She chose adorable fabric (it has a dog theme with bright, primary colors) and even survived an injury yesterday while wrestling with a super sharp rotary cutter. She also went to a Vacation Bible School camp last week at the local Methodist church that she has attended for years now and had a great time. It is such a well-run program and hugely popular in town; it inspires me every year to volunteer at our church's February Break VBS. Jenna watched things carefully this year and has decided to attend next year. Now, if I can only get them to whip up an infant class for Baby Boy... then I'll have all three in camp next summer... (Cheryl, for goodness sake: he's not even BORN YET and you're trying to shove him off on other people already?? What kind of mother are you??!!?? Geesh!!)


Jenna is good; she has decided that 10pm is a MUCH better bedtime for her than what us old folks want, which is about 9:15pm. We did a little back to school shopping for the girls this week and I knew Jen was done when we walked into the LL Bean store and she declared,"I don't like this store. It's TOO DARKT! And I'm HUNGRY! Let's GO!" Years ago I would have coaxed her to stay a little ... but I'm smarter now. We left and went to eat some Auntie Anne's pretzels, and everyone was happy again. I bought some educational workbooks for Jenna to practice her numbers and letters and shapes at, as she calls it, "Barnes and Nobles", and Michaela made a little chart for Jen when she has completed a few pages correctly. Michaela made a space for a star sticker, a comment from Michaela and a comment from Mommy. Who's the classic first born child??? Jenna seems to have transitioned very nicely into Michaela's room, which is a relief.


I have been reading (Revolutionary Road and Angels and Demons, both pretty good... apparently I'm going through a made-into-movies stage) and gestating and generally fretting about getting things accomplished before the baby comes. I am slowing waaaaaaay down in my activity level, though, so not much is getting done. I have tons of the Braxton-Hicks "practice" contractions, and have had two real contractions during the night which were powerful enough to wake me up. I am 34 weeks today, so I am hoping the next three weeks or so fly by and that I go early. I will give a more detailed update next week when I get to 35 weeks. Stay tuned.


I have been absolutely haunted by a news story that started a few weeks ago: a 36 year old mother of two young kids was driving with her three nieces (ages 3, 7, and 9, I think) on the Taconic Parkway (ironically, on the same day we were driving on the Taconic but much further north) and entered the Parkway going the wrong way. She drove for two miles and slammed into an SUV. She killed herself, her three nieces, her daughter, and the three passengers in the SUV. So that's tragic and horrifying enough, right?


Then the toxicology results come back and it turns out she was drunk and high at the time. All I can think of is the rage and grief and sorrow that her sister in law feels now that her three babies are gone. I cannot imagine how her life is different- on a day to day basis- how quiet and empty and lost the house must seem. How all that love and energy and effort and goodness that she poured into those girls has vanished. The horror of waking up every morning and realizing what has happened. I don't know how I could go on after that.


So combine this story with my pregnancy hormones and all I want to do is hold my girls and hug them and kiss them and protect them from every conceivable danger and control their environment as much as possible. Which is impossible. Because life does go on. But it's a tricky, tricky part of parenting, isn't it?


Well, I'm off to soothe my anxious heart with a good old dose of retail therapy at WalMart. That's sure to cheer me up.