The before-promised blog...

After all, it IS still the same week as when I had promised this here blog post. I suppose my repeated apologies are falling on deafer and deafer ears so maybe I should just stop making them.

I am not sure how many of my dear readers are watching Glee, but I have to say that like many writers, I have a love-hate relationship with the show. It has moments of brilliance (take, from the "theatricality" episode, the "I Dreamed a Dream" duet between Idina Menzel and Lea Michele), but even in the same EPISODE, moments of...well...WTF-itude (case in point: the duet between the same actresses, performing a bizarre rendition of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face.") I watched transfixed by the sheer messed-upness of singing to your long-lost mother about your...muffin????? I cannot imagine how they got through the scene without breaking into laughter, it just seemed so bizarre.

Anyway, it got me thinking about how much I loathe Lady Gaga. I do not understand her fame one bit. She is not attractive in any way, her outfits are ridiculous, and her songs are vapid, repetitive and uninteresting (unless you want something to dance to at a club at 500 decibels, I suppose). I am one of those people who listen to lyrics, and while she can make a good rhyme, those lyrics are NOT good poetry.

So, as I was thinking about what a bad poet Lady Gaga is (and how somehow she is still paid a ridiculous amount of money for both her own songs and to write songs for OTHER people that are just as bad), I had another thought. Maybe I could take one of her songs and try to turn it into a passable poem. I think, sure, what do I have to lose? Why not?

And then, after doing a little research and looking at several sets of lyrics, I decided it's too late to do it tonight...but I do want to. If anyone wants to join in with their own stab at it, we can make it a poetry challenge! I have to say, on initial examination, we would certainly have our work cut out for us. Or, you can tell me in the comments which of her songs you want me to try to poem-ify. I think I may just have to take the "gist" of a song and write a poem on that. We shall see what I can come up with...LATER!

But because I have left you hanging once again, let me leave you with this.



Annnnd this.

2 months left.

Today was the first really warm day we'll likely have here this spring/summer, and I have a feeling I'm really in for it. Heat zaps my energy even when I am not pregnant, but being heavily pregnant I am certain will amplify the sedative effect.

Before we realized how warm it would turn out to be, we agreed to meet some friends and their toddler at a conservatory to check out the flora. It was beautiful, to be sure, but it was definitely HOT in there. Luckily the second part of our outing was to a terrific soul-food restaurant, where I finally got to try chicken and waffles. I heartily approve, particularly if they are washed down by a tall glass of sweet tea.

The boy enjoyed the trip, particularly his meal. He downed half a Belgian waffle and an entire cup of grapes and honeydew melon. Immediately upon returning home, he ate half a mini bagel, half a graham cracker, and the remains of his breakfast waffle and turkey sausage. Methinks we might be in a growth spurt!!

Again, I apologize for my lameness in not posting very often. Even when the temperatures haven't skyrocketed, I am feeling a severe lack of motivation to do much of anything apart from basic living activities. I hope the energy comes back sometime, I'm getting tired of being such a slug...but I'm not sure how to help myself out of it. Sigh...at least I physically feel pretty good still. Baby boy is starting to stretch out rather uncomfortably from time to time and my bathroom trips in the middle of the night have increased (he is super low most of the time), but otherwise I am counting myself lucky! The last ultrasound with growth measurements will be this Thursday; I am curious to see if this little one has as big a head as his brother did at that point. The 3d ultrasound I had at the beginning of the month showed that he bears at least a bit of a resemblance to his brother; we'll have to wait to see if the coloring sets him apart or not.

Anyway...hopefully I'll be back later in the week with another post. I'd love anyone to pitch in a late attempt at the Mother poems, since no one has taken a crack at it yet...

10 weeks left...

As slowly as the beginning of this pregnancy had gone, the last few months seem to have flown by. Perhaps it's the juxtaposition of how heavy and slow I feel like I am getting and how much I need to be aware of my constantly-active toddler (mostly damage control when he's in destructo-mode, trying to swim in the dog's water, open the china cabinet, etc.). Maybe that's why I need to nap so often in this pregnancy and I didn't really in my first one.

I am feeling pretty peaceful about this little one's impending arrival. I guess it's because I've gotten to the point where it is reasonable to expect a good outcome even if he chooses to come early. Otherwise I have to think it's because I have now been through all of this before, so there is not so much fear of the unknown. I'm sure he will have some surprises in store for me, but I'm trying to remain zen about all of it. No use worrying right now whether he will sleep well or be colicky, etc.

Anyway, I wanted to check in since I hadn't posted at all this week. I'll try to be better next week.

Poetry Challenge #27: Mother Poem

I realize it has been awhile since I have posted a challenge, but I could not let this opportunity pass by to pay tribute to my wonderful mother, given that Mother's Day is this Sunday. If anyone would like to join me, you are more than welcome. I'll leave the formatting up to you, and if you would rather write it about a mother-figure who did not give you life physically, feel free to substitute that person. OR, if you would prefer to write about yourself being a mom, that's also great. If you are writing in tribute of someone, however, please share your poem with her; things like that mean a lot!

Here is mine.

Mother’s Day

I remember climbing on my Mama’s lap,
snuggling in close would solve any mishap.
Her humming was gentle as summer’s soft wind,
and as I grew older, I found her a friend.

We weathered some storms as I went through my teens,
although they were mild by most people’s means.
Struck with the loss of my dad, we held on
to each other, and through the hurt we grew strong.

A mother myself now, I have no more doubt
of how all my Mama’s strong love was poured out.
No matter how far from her arms I may roam,
The sound of her voice can provide me a home.

The Joy of Toddlers.

Boy arranges two bites of sausage, one touching the other to resemble a figure. “The number eight!” he crows. He then stuffs them in his mouth. “Mmmm, eight.”

After a visit from the grandparents, Boy wakes up the next morning asking “Where Gamma? Where Pop Pop?” I tell him they went back to St. Paul. He considers this, then repeatedly tells me, “Pop Pop in St. Paw.”

Driving around town, Boy enjoys pointing out the various vehicles. “Look, Mommy, here comes a bus!” Two seconds later: “Bye bus!” He will do the same for trains and garbage trucks.

Wheeling around the grocery store, Boy enjoys shaking boxes of cereal and pointing out interesting packaging: “Look, Mommy, shiny! Look, Mommy, pretty colors!”

I love living with a two-year-old.