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Thankfully (I think!) it’s mostly physically falling apart as opposed to emotionally falling apart. I’ve got a handle on the emotional right now. Lots of stuff running around my brain and making dents in my psyche but nothin’ I can’t handle and nothing that’s not “normal”. The physical, however, is not working. I’ve got shoulder strain and hamstring strain and lower back spasms and fleeting, sharp abdominal pain. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

I went to see the Nurse Practitioner this week and she said “Stop rocking The Tater Tot standing up! Set limits! Show her who the adult is here!”. The last one went a bit far but I could see how, only having seen me for a half hour, she could come to the conclusion that I over-indulge The Tot. I really don’t, as evidenced by the number of tantrums that occur each day that I DON’T give in to. But I DO carry her up and down the stairs because it’s quicker, lean over to pick stuff up with her on my hip, rock her standing up for nap and bed times because she “won’t let me rock her in a chair”, run and jump and dance and play almost incessantly for most of the day. It was the “won’t let me rock her in a chair” that gave her the impression that I’m The Flexi-Mommy that doesn’t set limits. And the amount of “Pickapookoo” that I described is going on right now. And the description of how desperately (and pathetically) I’m trying to have a life after The Tot goes to bed.

So I moved the comfy chair that I slipcovered in pink and purple fuzzy material into our bed room for Reading Time With Mommy (because she no longer wants Reading Time With Daddy…it’ll pass) before bed time and moved the rocker from our room to her room. I doubted. I doubted a lot that she would not throw a fit when I tried to rock her in the chair. But I swear, every time I am apprehensive about some change in her routine, she pulls through like a champ. I explained to her that Mommy needs to rock her in the chair because my back hurts and she was fine! Not a peep! Snuggled in like we’ve always done it that way! Hallelujah.

Decreasing “Pickapookoo” has been relatively easy too! Who knew? I explained, again, that Mommy’s back hurts and she cried a bit the first day or two when I would pick her up and sit with her in a chair as opposed to standing with her but I’ve noticed that the requests have decreased. I still hug and shnug her as much as I can because I do miss the closeness that the pickapookoo affords.

As for the abdominal pain, I got to go through yet another pelvic exam. Yay. *sarcasm* But she said everything seems normal down there (no cysts/masses, etc.) so let’s just call it ovulation pain and keep an eye on it. That’s actually the least of my worries. Thanksgiving is around the corner (we’re hosting), my LEEP procedure is next week (fun), my house is nowhere near clean enough for company, we’re taking off to visit Gammaw and Gampaw today since they’re not going to be able to come for Thanksgiving and I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping. Thank God The Daddy doesn’t expect me to cook a home made Thanksgiving dinner on top of it all. Marie Callendar’s to the rescue! Martha Stewart I am not.

Mommy Tip: If, like me, you’re not a Martha and/or don’t enjoy hours and hours slaving in a hot kitchen, consider using one of the many places have dinners that you only need to heat up. Our local health food store has ‘em, the grocery store, Marie Callendar’s… You might not be able to get one for Thanksgiving since it’s just a few days away (but try anyway!) but Christmas isn’t too far away now and you could call your order in now! There’s nothin’ wrong with delegating a little bit of the holiday cooking! Who cares if it’s not the way your mother/mother-in-law does it? Start a new tradition!