So, it occurs to me that list of stuff to do that Mike provided says a lot more about me than it does about him. This is fair; you guys, I really hate getting the mail. I don’t know WHY, it’s just one of those things that I find horrifically annoying, which is apparently how Mike feels about changing sheets. Which is also fine; this is why I wash the sheets and he gets the mail. Teamwork. And the thing is, if the mail items had not been on my to-do list, it’s highly likely I could have gone four weeks without even THINKING of the mail, because … well, I hate the mail, but also, Mike always deals with it and allows me to live a life where I just assume the mail is a thing that magically takes care of itself. He’s the best.
Now that’s he’s been gone for five whole days, I have to say I’m obsessed with this mail thing. Every day has this “Must Get the Mail” weight hanging over it, and I literally think about it at regular intervals until I’ve actually gotten home from work and got and GOTTEN the mail, and then there’s the whole element of DEALING with the mail (shred this, recycle that, deal with that) which is a whole OTHER thing, and then in the middle of the night last night my eyes popped open and I was all “did I see a bill from my physical therapist? Was it a bill or a notice? Do I need to pay it? Shit, where’d that go?” and now I understand why Mike never sleeps through the night and also why mail is stupid.
So THAT’S a fascinating look into my life of glamour and intrigue. In other news: we found out the sex of our baby right before Mike left town, which is oh such a lovely thing to know, but also, wow, what a neat experience, the 20 week ultrasound. Kiddo was moving around and waving and/or trying to suck her thumb and/or trying to hit herself in the face (I actually made that “stop hitting yourself stop hitting yourself” joke twice and the tech didn’t find me funny at ALL, sigh) and it was really just kind of, well. It was probably the coolest experience of pregnancy so far, this glimpse of a person inside me, growing exactly as she should, nature just kind of doing its thing. I’m going to be a mom, and the whole thing just takes my breath away.
Now, of course, comes the naming portion. We’ve always had a boy’s name picked out, and could never agree on girl’s names, so of course we’re having a girl. The process of choosing a name is reminding me quite a bit of picking paint colors; you know, you walk down the paint aisle with a million options and you start pointing things out to each other and before you know it you find yourself thinking “HOW ON EARTH COULD I HAVE MARRIED SOMEONE WHO THINKS SAND DUNE DUSK IS AN APPROPRIATE SHADE OF BEIGE THIS HAS ALL BEEN A TERRIBLE MISTAKE” but never fear, we powered through and I do believe we have a name that we both like and that fits our girl-baby. Hilariously, the name we’re most likely to go with is a name that I previously had negatively judged others for using and now think is perfect, so it would appear the process of parenthood making me an asshole has started off with a bang.
Happy Wednesday, y’all. If you need me, I’ll be stressing out about the mail.
InnerTeub 
YAY A GIRL!
I am intrigued by your description of the name. This is going to give me something to look forward to!
girl! girl!
I’m basically the exact opposite, where I LOVE getting the mail and think about it all day long and usually check 2 times before the mailman has even come just to see if it’s time yet and then get all excited when finally there is mail there. This makes it sound like I get really exciting mail (NEGATIVE), but really I just like the chaaaaaaaance there might be good mail.
Is it Bambi? It’s Bambi isn’t it?! Or BARBIE?
Our mail drops into our house via a nifty door that sometimes also houses spiders and I don’t like reaching in there so I make the kids get the mail. See! Now new baby can get the mail for you!
A girl! Congratulations! I’m a big fan of mail, like Kathleen. It’s a highlight of my (apparently sad) day.
If i could make just one suggestion: I have a “touch once” policy with mail. For every piece I get, i try to touch it just once. If it’s a bill, pay it immediately. If it’s trash, immediately throw it away. I found that if you try to make piles to do stuff later, it just doesn’t happen and is a cluterfudge. This is my suggestion.
If you’re interested, here are my two other thoughts on Getting Things Done: http://loo.me/2011/11/how-i-get-stuff-done/
Thanks, happy to be here. Yep. That’s all. Later.
Oh, you just made me laugh so hard.
Jared and I also have very divided duties. He does NOT do laundry. I mean, he gets flustered if I even ask him to move something from the washer to the dryer. How he, like, had clean clothes EVER before we got together is a mystery.
I do not do the lawn, and I only begrudgingly do the trash. In fact, last week, when Jared was gone, our friend noticed that the trash was out, and actually asked me if I’d had Jared put it out, like, two days early, so that it would be out. I got all offended and was like, “No! I took it all out myself! I AM A CAPABLE ADULT,” and then I realized I hadn’t actually emptied all the trashes in the house but let’s not tell anybody because it was nice to feel capable for a minute, okay?
This made me laugh so hard: “Hilariously, the name we’re most likely to go with is a name that I previously had negatively judged others for using and now think is perfect, so it would appear the process of parenthood making me an asshole has started off with a bang.”
Funny how that happens, right? Also, the paint aisle description is SO SPOT ON!! Evan and I have had the hardest time coming up with/agreeing on names (it’s a huge responsibility!) and the longer we go on, the more ridiculous I find his suggestions. I can’t even believe this person that I married!
That’s seriously one of our reasons for finding out the sex early (2.5 more weeks!!). If we didn’t have that time to decide on a name, I just know our baby would remain nameless until some date in the future long after we’ve left the hospital.
Anyway, YAY for a baby girl! That’s so exciting. But, of course, you have me super intrigued about your choice for the name. …and more excited about our anatomy scan than ever.
What a lovely blog! I followed you over from Doug French’s site after reading your remarkably articulate comments on his post about girls giving speeches at a school function. So glad to have found your writing.
And congratulations! We always had a harder time thinking of boy names. I’ll be interested to see what name you picked.
HI! Sorry I am just replying to your lovely comment, but please know it brought a smile to my face and I’m thrilled to have gotten directed to your blog as well!