Just a sliver of my life on display

Today is February 10th. This time last year, I was pregnant with my third child and working full-time in a job that I adored. I looked rather svelte in my dressy maternity clothes, because the "fat" spot, if you will, was where it was supposed to be.

At about 3:00 on February 10, 2004, I likely sauntered into a cross-systems meeting with a snack in my purse. I had no guilt about eating a high-calorie treat, because I was "eating for two!" and I needed the extra calories. Someone probably opened the door for me, or pulled out my chair. When I entered the meeting, people quieted down. I facilitated, and afterwards, the participants thanked me for my help. Some told me I was "going places", while others asked if I could train their staff. On the way back to the office, I enjoyed listening to my favorite song on the radio. I stopped to chat with my friends on the way to my desk, finishing up a funny conversation that we enjoyed during lunch. We planned a trip to Target for lunchtime tomorrow, to window shop and buy Valentines for the kids. I called my husband and told him what I needed him to do to start dinner, and that I'd be home in time to finish cooking. My boos came around and handed me an envelope - final confirmation of my pay raise - a raise! - for a job well done.

Here's what I did today at 3pm:

After driving my son to preschool this morning, I returned home (with his two sisters in tow) and tried to get a shower while the younger one slept. The older one locked herself in her bedroom accidentally while I was showering and screamed loud enough to wake her sister, so I never got to blow dry my hair. It is now a frizzy, knotty mess. I was, however, excited to wear my new Target workout pants (a $16 splurge!) that 1). make it look like I work out and 2). hide the flab from my 30 lb. weight gain. I am wearing the slipper socks that they gave me in the hospital after the birth of one of my children - you know, the kind with the no slip stripes on the bottom - and my husband's shirt from 1987. I have actually applied makeup for the first time in a week, but only by appeasing my toddler with lipstick and eyeshadow first.

We drive to pick UP my son from preschool and eat a quick lunch before our Little Gym class, but nobody ate lunch (except for me - a half of the hot dog that Adelyn didn't eat), because we were going to The Little Gym people, and their little stomachs just can't handle that much anticipation! So when we rushed home to nap the littlest one again, the other two screamed and cried that they were starving, and why couldn't I just feed them before they eat each other. Of course, the cat threw up the flowers that the kids bought me for Valentine's Day, so I had to clean that up first. I ran out of paper towels.

I stuck a DVD in and then made some popcorn for the kids. The kitchen garbage was overflowing, and I decided to empty it, but I couldn't get the bag out of the canister. I asked Riley to help, but he thought it was too "gross" and went back to his movie. I finally got another bag and tried to dump one into the other, but I ended up with garbage all over the floor.

A broken egg. A shitty diaper. The cat's vomit, and Bella's vomit from yesterday morning (I didn't even mention the mild gastrointestinal thing she's fighting), when she threw up in her carseat. At least two banana peels, and the skin of an avocado.

I cleaned it up and came downstairs to try and read some blogs - maybe even write an entry. I am interrupted no less than eight times by the older two, who are fighting over the popcorn and the blanket. The DVD blinks out and is replaced by a TV show. The popcorn runs out and is replaced by two oranges and a pear.

Then, just as I am typing this very sentence, the baby wakes up screaming.

No one says thank you. I smell like vomit. My feet are itchy and I realize now that I only put mascara on one eye.

What a difference a year makes.