Ugh

So, morning sickness.  There are a lot of good things about it, especially this time around.  It means everything is going according to plan with the pregnancy.  It didn't start until after the ballet recital.  It will end before school starts.  I have time to rest, since it's summer.  Perfect timing!  But still, I have been such a slug this summer!

Fortunately, Xanthe has to be at Ellison's house to practice piano every morning at 8:00.  If it weren't for that, I might never get up.  During piano, I fix breakfast, i.e., put cereal, berries and milk on the counter, and lie down.  I try to motivate the kids to get dressed from the couch or my bed.  If it's a teaching day, I have to get through four hours of lessons with the aid of peanut M&M's and Gatorade.  If I don't teach, I get to groan in the car on the way to my kids' lessons, errands or dentist appointments.  I've noticed that my kids are starting to imitate me by groaning when they get up or randomly whimpering.  It's kinda funny.  During lessons, I lie on the grass outside teachers' houses or get fries at McDonald's.  For lunch, I put cold cuts, rolls, fruits and veggies on the counter for kids to forage through.  Poor kids!  Little do they know, I have sneaked to at least four fast food restaurants on any given day.  The only time I feel better is when I'm eating.  If I can make it to the pool, I can sit in the shade, sip lemonade and feel sick in a slightly prettier and more summery venue.  That makes me feel better.  I implemented a point system at the pool where everyone starts with five points and they lose one every time they talk to me.  I have yet to give anyone a prize, or even think of one, but for some reason, it works like magic every time.

In between errands and the pool, I throw another load of clean wash on my bed, fold three dishtowels and lie down to recover.  At some point during the day, I force everyone to practice and clean up the kitchen, but I have to admit, there is a lot of Disney Channel and HGTV going on.  Early in the day, I don't feel as awful, so I should get more done.  But if I do too much, I might feel worse sooner, so I procrastinate everything until I really do feel horrible and can't function.  Right about then, Scott comes home, finishes folding the laundry, picks everything up off the floor and straightens the house back into a livable place.  I am so grateful! 

By 8:00 PM, I'm curled into a ball, thinking, "This isn't morning sickness.  I bet I have the stomach flu!  I do, I seriously do!"  Of course, I don't, and I never, ever throw up with morning sickness, but about 20 times a day in the car, I say, "OK, I really think I'm going to throw up this time.  I seriously might have to pull over."  Never happens.  But morning sickness is like that moment when you have the stomach flu, you try to deny it, but you finally admit to yourself that you are going to throw up.  It's that moment for eight weeks straight, except I never throw up.  I'm lucky; I can't complain.  Some women have it much worse.  Plus, I am strangely comforted by the nausea because it means that our family is getting a baby!  Like everyone who has ever had a baby, I can do this.  It's not even that bad.

I am, however, completely depending on feeling better by next week.