18 Weeks and 4 Days: No Rest for the Weary

Life goes on. And on. And on. And on. . .

• E has been sick since Wednesday with a flu-like virus. By flu-like, I mean she has many flu symptoms (horrible congestion, high fevers, a cough, and loose diapers) with a negative flu test. We've not gotten much sleep around here the last few days. I guess it is next to impossible to sleep when your nose is either running viciously, totally plugged up, or both. Poor E fell asleep on my chest this morning-- which I note only because this is something Miss Independent hasn't done since she was nine or ten months old. After her fever climbed back to over 102 degrees this afternoon, it was near normal this evening and she seemed more comfortable and happy. Perhaps that will translate to a better night.
• I'm knee deep in papers and projects at school. I have 41 students who are doing their senior projects under my direction. That might not sound like much, but I have to be part task master, part counselor, and part trouble-shooter. Despite being seniors, many have serious writing deficiencies so I have spent a great deal of time line-editing their drafts.
• I made a strategic mistake of introducing my publisher to a possible coauthor and she is pushing, really pushing, for us to renegotiate the contract NOW. This although I clearly told her I am too busy to work out a new flow until the semester ends. I hate her. She is the devil. She sent a horrible email basically saying that there was not time to wait on me and that we can just renegotiate my royalties later. Screw that. I have to pull P, the possible coauthor aside this week and share my feelings about this, because I think he is about to get steamrolled.
• The amnio was fine. We asked that the geneticist not report the gender. Now, somewhere in the bowels of university's medical information system, there is a lab report with that information. Hypothetically, it would be possible for a labor and delivery nurse to pull up that lab report and blow the news five hours before the birth. Hypothetically, that nurse might be named Addy. But, I'm hopeful we can keep it a secret this time.
• Despite the nice amnio, I remain fearful, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. The baby's heart rate has dropped a bit over the last week and that is making me crazy although I know this is probably normal. I'm having a lot of crampy lower back pain which makes me more than a little nervous even though I know it is probably kidney stone. Braxton Hicks have already started. Wouldn't it be nice if we could take a safe little anti-anxiety pill during pregnancy? A category A prenatal Valium. The market would be huge.
• My house is dirty. I don't mean messy. I mean dirty. As in floors need vacuuming, kitchen needs to be mopped, and dust-bunnies under major furniture need to be eradicated. Tomorrow, I am going to get J to bundle E up and get her out in the fresh air long enough for me to run the vacuum (of which she is deathly afraid) and mop the floors.
• I find myself craving a vacation. I didn't know how badly I needed one until we spent two nights away over my Spring Break. This was our first outing as a family that didn't involve coordinating with other family members or friends. It was wonderful to be away sans schedule, sans obligations, sans dogs, sans in-laws, sans squabbling friends. Now I want another week away. That would give us time to get E adjusted to being elsewhere and give us time to really let our hair down.