In the negative

Today I didn't get up early with the babies. I didn't have to give them their breakfast, clean up soggy cornflakes, or tussle them into their day clothes. L did it all.

Today I didn't wear make up, blow dry my hair, or iron anything.

Today I didn't get the usual hour and a half morning baby nap time to catch up on my emails, make professional phone calls that can't have babies gurgling in the background, and do any tasks that require sustained concentration.

Today I didn't go for a walk. Or a jog, or a cycle or a swim. I didn't do any exercise at all. Also, I didn't manage to resist the coffee-and-cake deal at the Coffee Club cunningly located next to the local supermarket.

I didn't take the babies to baby gym or baby swimming lessons, or baby music or baby Spanish or Italian or Cantonese. We played in the sandpit, then we played in the bath, then we went to the op shop and played in the kids' toys section.

Today I didn't think of any particularly witty update for my Facebook account.

Today I didn't remember to take my mobile phone and missed five calls from L who probably thought we'd been kidnapped.

Today I didn't get much read of my latest library books on Islam, but enough to find out how little I know.

I still didn't find a gay Muslim person to talk to for my documentary. I have a myriad amazing Christians of all denominations, and some fascinating Jewish people.

I didn't pay my Amex or mobile phone bills, although they are high on my list of things to do. I didn't finish the corporate video I'm editing, I didn't propose those articles on parenting I'm mulling over, and I didn't sort out the admin on the children's TV series I'm working on.

Today, I didn't fantasise about getting a dog once. The hyperactive chihuahua we found (now thankfully reunited with his owner) on the weekend has cured me momentarily.

Today I didn't do the children's dinners or baths or quiet-play-before-bed. When L is home early enough, that's her job. Instead, I cleaned up the devastation wrought on the kitchen and loungeroom over the day, put on washing, hung out washing, brought in washing, prepared dinner and considered I'd gotten the better end of the deal.

I didn't successfully block out the evening television in the background. It really makes my brain short-circuit. Sadly, I didn't manage to use the three brief baby-free hours at the end of my day in a very productive way at all.

But at 2.35 a.m, pacing the house with a crying baby I'm trying to night-wean, I thought about how amazingly lucky I am.



(With thanks to Robin who nominated this poetry prompts website.)