Stop the presses! I'm in a good mood!

Even though I am STILL working on my IRB proposal that should have been off my desk a month ago and even though my computer's start up disk is too full for me to upload a single picture, including the cute ones I took of the kids practicing their picture day smiles this morning, I am in an uncharacteristically good mood.

For one thing, I am working on that IRB proposal in a coffee shop where I am enjoying a grilled cheese sandwich, side of greens, and a delicious mango italian soda.  For another, I have been hoarding university research funds a couple of years and have ordered a custom-built MacBook Pro that should arrive soon.  I cannot WAIT to have it for class-- look out Keynote, here I come-- and hopefully for 2 talks I have coming up in the next couple of months.  The luxury of a computer with enough hard drive space to save files!  A computer that doesn't make a weird mechanical stuttering noise for 15 seconds by the clock every time I open it!  A computer whose case is not almost unhinged that actually closes and goes to sleep!

I also spent the morning at Little Gym and in Harry's class.  I saw Cooper overcome his fear of the air track (So weird-- my kids have always loved the air track, and I have always side-eyed the moms whose kids did not like to bounce or were sensitive to the air noise.  AND THEN I HAD THAT KID) this morning-- he was so proud of his forward roll and his silly little jumps.  And the first graders!  My god were they cute!  Some of the kids were in kindergarten with Harry, and they have grown up o much.  I know Harry has too, but I see him everyday, so his maturity (ha!) doesn't shock me the way it does with kids I haven't seen since June.  I am so happy to be in his classroom every week and performing room mom duties-- it is something I always assumed I would do when I had my own kids, and here I am, doing it.

On the academic front, I have stopped procrastinating.  It's crazy.  When papers come in, I grade them.  When I have to fill out boring paperwork, I do it.  When it is time to sit down and write, that's what I do.  No more shame spiral step of the creative process, and absolutely no work hanging over my head, despite the 500 different balls I am juggling right now.  So liberating.

Add in chilly fall weather, maternity skinny jeans, a basket of honey crisps on the kitchen counter, a kicking 17-and-a-half-week fetus, husband at home making meatloaf, and a tummy that is starting to look pregnant, not just blobby, and today is pretty awesome.