Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Reflections on the Good Body

I went with my girlfriends to see Eve Ensler's "The Good Body" last night and I was a little disturbed by the content. It's about how women all over the world see their bodies. American women HATE their bodies. Women from third world countries, who are lucky enough to have enough to eat, love their bodies.

Like any woman, I've gone through body-loathing phases (from about 1978-2003). But most of the time (since Eric's birth), I just don't have the energy to worry about it. I've watched so many people I love die of terrible diseases (mostly cancer). My body is healthy and strong. My butt is big, and my stomach will always hang out. It broke my heart to see Eve Ensler, self proclaimed "Radical Feminist for 30 Years" tell the story of her hatred for her body. She's probably about a size 12. She's not a particularly large woman. I probably couldn't fit into her clothes. She wrote an entire one-woman how about hating her stomach.

Maybe it's because if I had been skinny, Saint Richard might not have fallen in love with me at first sight. And he's the best thing that could have ever happened to me. He's good, and devoted and kind, and makes me into a much better person than I ever was before he came into the picture. He likes larger blonde women, which I happen to be. Maybe it's because I am so proud of my body for making beautiful babies. It can't be part of an evil capitalist conspiracy. Look what it can do! See that boy? He came from my body. At 38 weeks pregnant right now, it feels sluggish and uncomfortable, but there is a miracle swimming around in all that extra weight.

Am I just one of those women who stops caring because she has kids? The answer is sort-of. I still put on eyeliner every work day. But I seldom check my appearance before I leave the house on a weekend. But I make time for reading good books, hot bubble baths and decadent naps.

There's still a mean old drag queen who sits on my shoulder and tells me I'm too fat. I'm not good enough. But for the most part, I'm too busy to listen to her.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Girl's Night Out!

This will probably be my last one for a while, but I'm looking forward to it just the same. Me and three girlfriends are going to see Eve Ensler's The Good Body and we're going out to eat before the show. A kid-free meal at a restaurant. I must be dreaming. I shouldn't complain, I do get to go to lunch during work about once a week, but then I'm rushing to get back to the office. And I'm going to a restaurant that doesn't serve plain pasta or macaroni and cheese!

The theater is two blocks from New England Medical Center in case I go into labor during the performance, so I think we're covered!

Here's hoping I can stay awake through the performance.

Monday, March 20, 2006

Weekend Update

Saint Richard has been nesting. He's been getting the baby's nursery all ready for her. He's got the furniture arranged in a logical fashion, but then he realized we had no place to keep her books and toys. He wanted to go to Target, but I really hate their furniture. It only lasts about a year. We got a bookcase for Eric before he was born, and it's falling apart. So, we went to Ikea on Saturday night. Last time we drove down, we went fairly close to 10:00 AM when they opened. But after about 20 minutes of shopping I developed crowd-induced-vertigo as thousands of people swarmed around me. When we left, route 24 was backed up for a good five miles before the Ikea exit. So, on a hunch that most other people have something better to do than look at reasonably priced Scandinavian furnishings on Saturday night, we decided to give it a shot. Our hunch paid off. While the other people of Massachusetts bathed and put their kids to bed, or went to dinner or movies, we shopped for reasonably priced Scandinavian furnishings. We got there just before 8:00 PM and it wasn't crowded. It only took about 20 minutes to drive down from Somerville, and we got a spot very close to the entrance. We got a cube-shelving unit for our den that has plastic drawers. It looks fantastic.

We also got a very tall bookcase with cabinet doors for books and toys. Rich hasn't had a chance to put it together yet, but I think it will be very nice.

Eric was a champ in the store. Aside from a minor melt-down caused by us having him out WAY past his normal bedtime, he was well behaved and cheerful in the store. Then we ran out of raisins. After that he got really grouchy. He wanted to lie on the floor of the store and rest. It wasn't that crowded, but it wasn't a safe place for a 2.5 year old to have a snooze either! So, we got him home and to bed by 10. But the kick in the crotch is that he still got up before 6:00 AM and wanted to play.

"Daddy GET UP!"
"No Eric, it's too early. It's sleep time."
"No, Daddy. It's WAKE UP time!"

We have this conversation for a while. Poor Rich eventually stumbles out of bed and they do their morning stuff. I am 38 weeks pregnant, so I get to sleep late. But I still feel guilty about it. But not so guilty that I'd actually get up and let Rich sleep. Hence the Saint Richard designation. He's really awesome.