Pinky and the Brain

I saw an ad for Lynda Barry’s new book in the latest issue of Harper’s, and my heart skipped a beat. I had no idea such a tome was in the works! It is all about writing and the creative process in general, and looks to be phenomenal based on the sample download (available via the link). I cannot wait to get my grubby mitts on it, so I’ll be visiting the Boulder Book Store tomorrow during lunch. The timing is perfect because Jim will be working for most of the weekend, and the little guy has recently been indulging in long, leisurely naps. And there is only so much cleaning a person can do.

The good news about the book almost makes up for the bad news that I’ll be working on my usual day off. I received a call early Monday afternoon from Max’s daycare informing me that he appeared to have pinkeye. I strongly suspected it was just his blocked tear duct acting up, but I went and fetched him and put a call into his doctor’s office. And thus began a ridiculous back and forth that lasted for a couple of days and almost made me mad enough to break something. The long and short of it is that Max had to stay home on Tuesday, and I had to stay home with him. He’s on eye drops and doing fine, but I’m going to have an in-depth discussion with his pediatrician about the office phone nurse and her lack of helpfulness/professionalism when we go in for Max’s 4 month appointment. Grrrrr.

Aaaaaannnyway, Jim has now taken to calling the two of us “Pinky and the Brain”. “Pinky” is a pretty obvious allusion to Max’s pinkeye, but “The Brain” is courtesy of a far simpler time. You see, I was voted Class Brain my senior year in high school. I’m pretty sure I would have rather been Cutest Shoes or Prettiest Eyes, but I guess Class Brain was probably more accurate. I graduated 3rd in my class and would have tied for first had it not been for a snafu regarding honors credits and my transfer from a private school (which didn’t have honors classes) after my freshman year. My parents fought long and hard with the superintendent of schools to try and get him to intervene, which I found really embarrassing. I couldn’t care less about the ranking issue then, or now. But I do find it kind of amusing that I was Class Brain. And it makes for a delightful dual nickname. Lemons to lemonade, and all that.

Sanity in a Box

It’s true. Sanity is actually sold online at Target, in the form of this fantastic gadget.

I love it for many reasons, but mostly because I know deep in my heart that it had to have been created by someone as neurotic as me. I know that every new mother worries about SIDS, but I am terrified beyond the point of reason. Probably something to do with what we went through to have this little guy, or maybe just a factor of my already borderline OCD personality.

Anyway, I ordered this lovely monitor a couple of weeks ago but finally decided to install it this weekend. It’s time for Max to sleep in his own room. He’s still waking up a few times a night, and I’m starting to think it’s partially due to his easy access to the lunch wagon, who is asleep right next to him. I also find that I anticipate when he is about to wake up, and therefore I’m not sleeping well.

So earlier today Max took two naps in his newly rigged crib and things went swimmingly. It wasn’t quite as easy to get him to sleep tonight, but he eventually calmed down and drifted off. The real test will come later when it’s time for me to go to sleep. I love that I’ll be able to watch the movement indicator and rest assured that he’s still breathing in there, but I sure will miss the little guy. I have grown used to his soft noises and watching his cute face peer at me through the mesh sides of the co-sleeper. Maybe I should tape this to the side of facing the bed to get me through the night.

Baby’s First Haiku

Hey—what are these things?
So very, very tasty
Succulent morsels