I grumbled and groaned about making this list. I usually love lists, but making a list when you don't yet have that crazy nesting instinct is akin to making an amazing batch of homemade ice cream when you have a dairy allergy. Um, yeah. My words reveal the inner workings of my psyche. Mostly ice cream thoughts. The pot of beans on the stove and fresh tortillas from La Superior will have to suffice.
But, alas, it is time for The List. The "Things-We-Must-Do-Before-The-Baby-Arrives List." We all write one, don't we? So we sat down (and Patrick put pen to paper) while we rattled off this here smorgasbord of tasks. Some things are more important than others (such as "write birthing plan" versus "check out good fiction reads from the library") but we ultimately found the list to be helpful. Since, in a few short weeks, life is going to grab us by the ankles, lift us up, turn us upside down and shake us until everything falls out of our pockets, having a list keeps us working diligently in the present moment rather than worrying too much about what the future holds.
My parents, who will be coming to stay with us for as long as they are needed, will be glad to know that on the top of that list, priority-wise, is making our dungeon basement a hospitable place for guests. We're even trying to find a used TV and get cable for my dad so that he can watch his basketball/football/baseball/golf (or whatever it is that they play this time of year?) My mom, on the other hand, is happy with books and a nice kitchen in which to cook. Clean out fridge. Check. Mop weeks (months?) of evidence that a toddler cooks in our kitchen off of the kitchen floor. Check. As for books, Mom, Patrick and I do need some good works of fiction. Our house is a House of Books. Unfortunately, most of them have titles like "Bretton Woods: Birth of a Monetary System" and "Haiti and the United States: The Psychological Moment." Among all of Patrick's books can be found smatterings of my own, most of which are non-fiction as well, though less verbose and somewhat more practical, in that they're largely books about early childhood education or crafting.
All of that to say - can I have your recommendations for good fiction reads? We'll be spending a lot of time by Lachlan's cribside in the ICU, and when he's sleeping, a good book would be a healthy way to pass the time, I think. (As a side note, I'm really enjoying this book
In the space of a few days, I went from dreading the list to going through it at full-steam. Does that mean I'm nesting? Whatever it means, I have a laundry room to organize. And a garage to clean out. And a bathroom floor to scrub. And now I'm happy about that.
