Written Proof

Life has been so busy lately. Seemingly routine tasks like putting away folded laundry and emptying the dishwasher have turned gruesomely exhausting, much like writing a 30-page research paper where you must break the process into steps if you've any expectations of ever finishing ANY part of it. That's us. Put the socks away one day and three days later, when searching for clean undershirts, dig for those in the basket on the floor in the corner of the bedroom. Oh, and while you're at it, you might find a sippy cup that you forgot to take downstairs and set in the kitchen sink five days ago. But you forgot because, well, the phone rang, and then the DVR was asking if you wanted to keep Dancing with the Stars, and the microwave was beeping because the steamed corn you put in there ten minutes ago was cooked. Cooked. Much like my little noggin these days.

As I said in a previous post, I've been bitching and griping at my husband lately. He works all the time. And I have high expectations, as one of my best friends pointed out the other evening. While chatting with another good friend this morning, she mentioned that her husband often drove her nuts, too, but that she tried to focus on the good stuff. I knew I kept these ladies around for a reason; a true friend offers insight, even if sometimes, it's not really what you particularly want to hear.

Yesterday was our fourth wedding anniversary. We plan on celebrating this weekend by going out for dinner. I feel a little guilty for not making a card for Eric, so to make-up for that, I'm sending him an e-mail I found just the other day while cleaning out old folders. I wrote it mid-day, the day Greta was born. At that point in the day, I had no clue I was going to be having a baby that day. I'd been in the hospital on bedrest three days and was scared, bored and uncomfortable. I was cranky. (Recurring theme, anyone?) And I'm sure the stress of the situation wasn't only playing on my nerves but on the soon-to-be daddy's mind as well.

I am the type of person who likes to be in control,
and I had no control over anything at that point.

Eric was a trooper. Because I was in the hospital, I was unable to attend one of my baby showers that was scheduled for that day. Eric attended in my place. (For the record, he had NO CLUE what half the gifts were.) So, while Eric was off playing the role of his pregnant wife, I took a moment to write a list title, "Reasons I Am In Love With Eric Walter."

1. You cut up my well-done hospital ribeye steak.
2. You retrieved my much-needed ChapStick from my car.
3. You mowed the grass.
4. You take care of my puppy dog.
5. You bring me whatever I ask.
6. You've brought me clean clothes.
7. You specifically located the underwear I asked you to grab (not the too small ones in my dresser drawer).
8. You brought me my favorite flavor Combos.
9. You brought me Gatorade in my favorite flavors.
10. You offered to help wipe my butt, if I needed you to.
11. You pushed me in a wheelchair to see the babies in the nursery.
12. You oohed and ahhed over the cute babies with me even though you were very hungry and exhausted and wanted to get home.
13. You registered with the CBR!
14. You located the travel system at a Babies R Us other than the one near our house where we shop.
15. You drove to Chesterfiend Babies R Us and bought our travel system.
16. You've made it a priority to get the car seat installed.
17. You step outside the room each time you answer your cell phone because you know cell phones drive me nuts.
18. You had a "talk" with your dad about not being too annoyingly positive when he and Mimi came to visit me.
19. You're willing to play "mama" and attend my baby shower in my place, god bless ya.
20. You take my dirty clothes home.
21. You refreshed my travel tolietry bag to make sure I had new razors and a toothbrush.
22. You brought me my smell-goods.
23. You rub my carpal-tunnel syndrome-ridden sore hands.
24. You encourage me to lay on my sides instead of my back.
25. You help finish my leftover food when I can't eat it all.
26. You go refill my cup with fresh ice and ice water when the nurses cannot do it.
27. You help me get on and off my compression leg thingies.
28. You help me get in and out of bed.
29. You're managing everything at home.
30. You answer my phone calls and play secretary for me.
31. You transferred money to my bank account so that I could pay the Target bill.
32. You brought your swim trunks to the hospital in case I needed your help when I took a shower.
33. You suffer through bad tv shows while hanging out with me in the hospital room.
34. You open the blinds in my hopsital room in case there were fireworks that I could see.
35. You help me accomplish the many petty little things on my never-ending "things to do list."
36. You tolerate my crazy family by listening to and responding to crazy voice mail messages from my mom.
37. You listen to me rant about my crazy family.
38. You take care of my stuff.
39. You got down on your hands and knees and held me after we had the Canada trip argument last week and for the first fight in our relationship I remember you saying exactly what I needed to hear and doing exactly what I needed you to do -- getting on my "level" and reassuring me how much you loved me.
40. You held my hair back when I threw up last week late at night.
41. You cleaned up my puke after I threw up.
42. You have initiated conversations about our birth plan.
43. You've called the doula to make arrangements for meeting with us.
44. A few months ago, you arranged to get me a beautiful "push present." ;-)
45. You brought me my bed pillows from home.
46. You rub lotion on my dry scaly nasty feet.
47. You looked in the vending machine with me and guessed what my favorite sweet snack was -- and you were right!
48. You correctly picked out my favorite "salty" snack out of the vending machine, too!
49. You wash my laundry.
50. You fold the laundry.
51. You help out with all the household chores.
52. You read baby articles that you think might be of interest to me and cut them out for me to read.
53. You listen to me talk about my nipple "issues" and willingly sit through my whipping them out to show you what I am talking about.
54. You sit for hours on the uncomfortable vinyl-covered couch in my hospital room and keep a cheery disposition.
55. You pretend to still like me even though lately, I bitch at you non-stop.
56. You use a public potty and not the one in my hospital room just because I told you I'd prefer you to not use mine in my room.
57. You continue to tolerate my neurotic tendencies.
58. Not only do you work hard at home, but you work your ass of at work.
59. Everything you do is for me, and I know it, and I love you for it.
60. You eat the leftovers in the fridge that I refuse to eat.
61. You help me remember things I need to do and ask the doctor (or whomever) by jotting down little notes and reminders for me.
62. You hand me my book when I cannot reach it from my bed.
63. You organize all my things and belongings nicely into the drawer and closet.
64. You remind me to order my next meal so that I get it on time.
65. You tell me the dog licked the phone when I was talking to her, and even if she didn't really do that, it was nice for you to say because it made me smile. :-)
66. You smile at me when you come to visit me.
67. You always hug me and kiss me before you leave me each night.
68. When we get off the phone, you always tell me that you love me.
69. You brought the baby's dresser up to her room!
70. You returned the baby's rug to Pottery Barn Kids and exchanged it for a smaller size, like I wanted.
71. Even though the mall is not one of your favorite places, you ventured into Pottery Barn Kids and bought another window panel so that we now have a full set of curtains for the baby's room.
72. You briefly entertained the idea of me buying you a pink tie to wear to work once you're a new daddy.
73. You agreed to let us get the pricey photography package so that we have a plan to capture our baby's first year of life.
74. You let me get the baby bedding I wanted.
75. You let me get the baby furniture I wanted.
76. You constantly try to be the best husband you can be even if sometimes I don't appreciate your efforts or I don't agree with your efforts.
77. You try. That means the world to me.
78. You do without your beloved laptop all so that I can have it at the hospital with me.
79. You occupy yourself while I'm napping in the hospital, while I'm sure you're bored out of your mind.
80. You ask the doctors questions that I don't always necessarily think to ask.
81. You don't tell me I smell even though I think I do.
82. You don't make me feel that I look gross and ugly even though I occasionally feel like I do look a little unkempt and grody.
83. You keep our baby's name a secret.
84. You call our baby by her real name instead of by her nickname. I think it's sweet.
85. You help me brainstorm to narrow down her middle name, and it's cute how you take it seriously and seem to get so innocently "overwhelmed" by the decision-making as I do, too!
86. You reminded me that you were here not the doula. Sometimes, I need a little call back to reality, I must admit. (Do not mark my words! ha!)
87. You set-up the DVD player in my room so that I can watch my Desperate Housewives DVDs.
88. You get excited and show encouragement when my blood pressure numbers improve.
89. You drive from Arnold to MOBAP just to visit me and show me that you love and support me.
90. You let me choose my souvenir and get a pedicure and manicure instead of something from a New York street vendor that would just collect dust.
91. You are kind.
92. You are patient.
93. Your heart is huge.
94. You are generous.
95. You are loving.
96. You are honest.
97. You are trust-worthy.
98. You are unique in so many ways, but mainly in that no one else has the qualities you have wrapped up in one person.
99. You are my best friend.
100. You are the only person in the entire world I will ever want by my side. Ever.

I might bitch about him, but, you see, I DO like him. I love him!