I am trying to be like Barney on “How I Met Your Mother” by living some more “legendary” nights. Most nights, you know where to find me. Right here at home, completely wiped out and nursing my back pain, maybe debriefing with the beloved husband or arguing with him about important matters like how to pronounce “Arsenio.” But now, I must keep the due date of 10.11.12 in mind and try to have more “legendary” nights. Live it up before postpartum recovery and Korean lockdown Part Deux goes into full effect. This time with my toddler in the mix. “Legendary” as broadly construed as possible: Be Out of My Living Room. So last night I left my living room to have dinner with a fellow pregnant. (I cannot stand the word “preggo.” Almost as much disdain for it as for “chillax.”)

On our date night, we felt so light and free. We cracked up as soon as we saw each other without our bosses, those little humans. We looked so different, 20 to 30 pounds lighter! What, no stroller to collapse and maneuver into the trunk? No toys and snacks to pack? No pleading with our toddlers to stay in their high chairs, and no, no, I know he kind of looks like daddy but please leave the patient Latino man to his lunch at the mall food court and no, no, he has been very sweet to you but please don’t hug up on his leg.

M has been waking up at 5:30 to 6 am the last few days instead of his usual 8 to 8:30. I volunteered to stay up with him when I realized that the crying it out so that he can hopefully go back to sleep (and let us sleep!) was futile and cruel. K said he wouldn’t let me be the designated Awake Parent because I am pregnant. Another perk of this new early morning waking is that it gives me this time to write a quickie post during his reinstated morning nap as I eat my breakfast of leftover skirt steak. After K let me go back to sleep, I had a horrible dream about fighting with some, er, relations on the Kim side. So when he came to wake me up, I said, “Please gimme a second. I just got ganged up on in my dreams by _______ and ________ and even ______. I have to catch my breath.” K said, “REMEMBER, it was just a dream! And I know what you’re gonna say – No matter how realistic, Ji-yah! You can’t be mad at them all day!” I know pregnant women are known to have vivid sex dreams. Why I gotta have realistically combative dreams instead then wake up before I can say my peace!?

Now, I’m gonna have me some cheese toasty with spinach dip. It’s a beautiful day in the 70s today. Thank you Jesus!