Sleep & Other Things

It is nearing 3pm on a Thursday.  The weather is beautiful, the kids are all sleeping, the dishwasher humming, and the laundry almost done.  I am sitting down for a moment (with some Southern Blackberry Cobbler ice cream) to update my blog before time slips away from me again and I feel so lost in my own thoughts that I don't even know where to begin. 

We are now less than two months away from my sister's wedding, which means that the festivities are in full swing.  The bachelorette party was a hit (both in terms that it was an absolute blast and that it literally "hit" those of us in attendance flat on the floor for at least two days), the showers are, too.  Sadly, because of my work schedule, I haven't been able to attend one yet, which will make my cry if I think too much about it, so I try not to.  However, we have one coming up in just a few weeks that promises to be legendary.  Here are a few pics from the low-key points of the Bachelorette Party (pre- and post-debauchery):

Katie Marsh looking fabulous at a winery 3 weeks post-partum

Kelly R., always looking more sober than she actually is



Megan M., the glowing mother-to-be

Giggles

And more giggles

Not the most in-focus picture, but our beautiful bride and two of her also-beautiful friends

Making sure our bride is stocked for her wedding night...and after

Camille H., looking lovely, despite being a little under the weather :(

Someone is happy ;)

Kemrie, another glowing mother-to-be (again)

A small segment of the attendees

Kelly R., the next morning

On our way to brunch.  It looked this bright in real life, too.

Veronica is the only one who still looked cute (but wearing sunglasses inside) after that kind of night

Just last night, I bought the boys' wedding outfits, and if I could post them on here, I would.  They are absolutely precious.  Er, handsome.  Whoever thinks that dressing up little boys is not very much fun is sadly mistaken.  Or hasn't had the pleasure of being around these three in their Sunday best.  Beautiful boys, they are.  (I can say that.  They are mine.)  Patrick asks at least a few times a week when "the party" is, and I just have to keep putting him off.  Unfortunately, though he understands the basic concept of time, he doesn't really understand it in terms of "months" yet. 

Personally, I feel I am in a state of constant nervousness.  My heart is always beating fast, or skipping beats, or just sitting like a lump in my chest.  Between planning for the wedding, managing life at home as a part-time single parent, and working nights with the bare minimum hours of sleep needed to survive, I can't help but to just feel "off."  Not unhappy, mind you.  In fact, I feel very happy.  I just don't feel like myself.  It's actually quite bizarre.  However, as I tend to like things in a constant state of evolution, I rest assured that I can't feel like this forever.  It's just for now.  Right?  Everything passes.

Physically, while I do feel at least a little ill almost always (it's the night schedule.  I'm still not fully-adjusted), I am doing what I can do take care of myself.  Most of my extra baby weight is gone.  In fact, as of this morning, I have 1.4 pounds to go until I have lost all of my baby weight...as in, all of it from all three babies.  For the first time in a very long time, I feel so much more confident, so much more like I used to, at least when it comes to appearances.  It feels fabulous.  (I started that I was sitting down with some ice cream.  I ate two bites and put it away.  Dieting.  See?)  Thanks to Green Bean Delivery, we eat far, far more fruits and veggies than we ever have before, which has to be credited, at least in part.  In fact, since the bin was dropped off at 5pm last night, we have devoured two heads of broccoli, one bunch of asparagus, a pint of strawberries, and five Gala apples.  I kid you not.  So, even though I'm functioning on fumes, at least we're all eating well.  I get an A in this department.

Come August (wedding time), my plan is this:  I will rest.  I will figure out some way to sleep because, as the house is more organized, well-running, and tight-shipped than ever now, I figure that once I sleep, I will be unstoppable.  Or not.  But, either way, I really need some sleep.