Last night Gracie couldn’t get to sleep. She screamed like there were hot pokers in her diaper (there weren’t–I checked), a little ball of pure misery. Rocking her didn’t work, nursing didn’t help much. We were at wit’s end so I just put her in the middle of the bed, where she promptly fell asleep and slept until 5:00 in the morning, when she nursed briefly and then slept another two and a half hours. This morning she is bright and cheerful.
I do not understand babies.
Yesterday was a rotten day. I got NOTHING done from a very long (mostly freelance work) to-do list. I did accomplish two things: filled out the census and assembled furniture.
You might remember that several years ago I instated a lifetime ban on IKEA furniture. I can’t find the post in which I declared it but I didn’t look very hard. The only stuff we’ve broken the ban for is Sam’s bed (which Gramma bought) and some non-furniture stuff, which was not actually included in the ban (though I’m sure I said I was never setting foot there again, so you tell me if I’m backpedaling).
In the years since then, IKEA has done its damnedest to make me regret it, by introducing nicer things and generally tempting me. The final straw was a phone call from my mother, after I complained on Twitter about needing a cutting table (for sewing). She’d seen this table and wondered if I thought it would work for my needs. I said yes, it probably would, but I don’t have $200. She said she knew that, dummy, and was sending me a check. (Okay, fine. My mother did not call me dummy. But she might have thought it.)
Aesthetically, I hate it. It’s not my style at ALL. But functionally, I think it is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It could only be better if the drawers were large enough to hold sewing patterns upright, and that is far from a deal-breaker.
My sister and I assembled it yesterday. The instructions clearly showed that if you make it alone, you will be sad, but if you make it with a friend, you will be happy. Oh, how I wish I had not thrown them away so I could take a picture to show you. It was adorable.
The instructions were the easiest to follow of just about anything I have ever bought at IKEA. It went together quickly and easily, and for something that I think is ugly it is really quite lovely. The thing that gets me, really, is the fact that neither of us was injured AND we are still speaking. I guess Tuesday felt that it owed me something. It really was, otherwise, a very difficult day.
Easter is this Sunday and I am totally unprepared. Candy is not a problem, as I will just buy that when I buy groceries on Friday. But I want to make some clothes for the kids and although I now have this cutting table with its beautiful storage drawers, nothing is sorted into the drawers yet. I was going to also complain that there is nowhere to set up my sewing machine, but I am dumb because obviously I can just put it on the table.
I am also thinking about food. We’re having company for dinner the night before and I am making Mediterranean food. I will probably make my favorite almond cake to go with it (I made it last year for Easter and my birthday), even though it is not exactly regional. For breakfast on Easter, I have it narrowed down to Sticky Buns or Hot Cross Buns. One is sticky and sweet, the other is traditional. Decisions, decisions.
Okay, brain dump over. FOR NOW.
