Bullets of Bullets

• Milo has a fascination with my belly. I don't know if it has anything to do with my occasional remarks that he and Nora used to live in my belly when they were very tiny babies (sex ed starts early here, yo), but I doubt it, because he's been interested in my belly since way before he could talk. As a small baby he used to dig his hands into it and grab my loose folds of belly skin. (Sexy. I know.) Now that he's older he'll ask "Where's Mama's belly? Where's Mama's belly button?" and if I'm lying on the floor he'll ask "Want to hug it?" Then he'll gently place his soft, soft cheek against my belly. He's such a sweet boy.
• My throat hurts and I'm tired and achy, but mostly tired. Endlessly, endlessly tired. It is just the new normal, I guess. Always tired. Never any time to rest. Crawling through a giant pile of oatmeal. My doctor gave me some Ambien and I tried it one night, and seemed to sleep well, but the next day I still caught myself nodding off at my desk. So what's the point if I don't feel rested during the day?
• Nora has a cold (don't know if it's unrelated to the rash). Tonight over the monitor we could hear her coughing and sniffling and making these little grunty distress noises as she tried to fall asleep for over an hour. She never cried or asked for us, but was clearly tossing and turning for ages as she struggled to fall asleep. She's finally asleep now, poor thing.

Laura tagged me to make a list of 10 things that make me happy. That's a good thing to focus on! Here are 10 things that pop into my mind without a lot of thought put in to them:

1. Milo's belly hugs.
2. Nora and Milo's morning conversations between themselves before we all get up.
3. The last 5 minutes of a good workout, and that feeling when I walk in the door all loose and spent and energized.
4. Cuddling with our two cats, Sam & Caspian.
5. Evenings "off" (when I decide not to work) with Jake after the kids are in bed and we can cuddle up and watch a movie together.
6. A good, productive writing day at work, when I feel like I've really accomplished something.
7. Time spent with friends...meeting up for dinner, or having folks over for drinks, or stealing a couple of hours to meet up with a friend at a coffee shop. Yesterday I did this with a work friend and after 2 hours and a bottle of wine I walked out into the crisp evening air with a feeling of joy in my heart.
8. Great music.
9. Walking home on the bike path, and that moment when I go under our little ivy-covered stone bridge, and emerge on the other side on my street, with my house up ahead, and the park in the background, and seeing Jake in the kitchen window.
10. Going to bed at night with the knowledge that I can sleep in as late as I want the next day. (Last time that happened was, er...about 9 months ago or so).