9/21/07 The Storm

Tonight we made a "pajama trip" to Redwood City to pick up Dave's car, and got to see a rare thing: thunder and lightning! Gabriel was thrilled and had all sorts of questions about what happens if lightning hits you, or the car, and thought we'd have to use flashlights when we got home. I wasn't crazy about driving in the dark and rain with all 3 kids in my car -- I so rarely drive at night these days! And those conditions reveal my slightly compromised eyesight.

But that wasn't the worst storm. This morning, I was walking down a city street and saw some sort of supernatural entity approaching, something that was going to strike me. I grabbed a tree, knowing that I'd get hit harder for resisting, and I was. I was surrounded by wind, mist, flashes of light -- and fear. Then the tree branch I was holding onto broke off, and I was swept into the air with a sickening lurch. I was being pulled from inside out as I freefalled toward the pavement....

....then I woke up with a start. Again. That was worse than the standard taking-a-final-exam-without-studying nightmare, which I'd also just had, with the twist of spilling soymilk all over my exam, and not even knowing what class it was for.

The image of hurtling toward great pain from the clutches of an evil storm haunted me all day. But I knew what it meant right away. This is a new pattern, but a consistent enough one now that it all points to: migraine alert. Disturbing, violent, terrifying dreams, something I haven't experienced since childhood, when the subway trains came barreling down the stairs at home in Brooklyn and carried me away.

And sure enough, the first few jabs of pain started as soon as I sat up. I took an Imitrex and went through the morning motions (including dropping Katrina off at Melissa's and going for a very short run at Fremont Older), then took as long a nap as I could before having to be Mom again. I can still feel the pressure and intense sleepiness, but it doesn't feel like it's going to be a bad one this time. I think the key is taking the Imitrex immediately, though I don't like to pull the trigger too soon since I really don't like how it makes me feel.

At least my children were relatively rewarding today, with the exception of one Julian meltdown before dinner. I succeeded in grocery-shopping and then picking up Gabriel from school this afternoon, though that meant Katrina didn't wind down for a nap until 4pm.

The boys played (mostly) happily together outside until it started to rain, when Gabriel came in very excited and told me with great gravity that it was raining. So I told him to get the garage key, open the door and put away the bicycles and tricycles right away! He took this errand very seriously, as just like his Dad, protecting vehicles is of utmost importance. I just love that I can ask him to do stuff like that now, and it's actually a genuine help. Kids -- way cool.

After his errand, Gabriel described to me very seriously his working on his bicycle. He was SO sincere and likes trying to talk technical so much that I had to try to get him to describe his work again. It wasn't as good the second time, but here he is anyway.


Meantime, baby sister did a fabulous job tonight of feeding herself. I hawked over her to prevent a huge cleanup job, but she dug into her dinner of rice, broccoli and chicken with great enthusiasm, and succeeded many times in scooping food onto the spoon and actually getting it into her mouth. The times she did send food flying everywhere, she got the best reinforcement possible: unabashed peals of laughter from her brothers, which made her beam and smile and giggle and think Oh! Boy! I gotta do that Again!

As a comparison with her brothers at this age with the same skill (spooning and eating food):

Gabriel: not a prayer, no clue, refused to try.
Julian: almost there, and delighted to accept help and learn how.
Katrina: stellar efforts, but SCREEEECHES if you try to help her (like taking the spoon just to turn it right-side up again).

I didn't like running with a camera last week: it's distracting to stop and take photos, and it bounces around. But I'm sorry I didn't have one today. Fremont Older Open Space Preserve has one of the best views of the Bay Area I've ever seen (Hunter's Point), and it's pretty easy to get to. Today's filtered light and cloud formations, a precursor to the lightning storm that skirted us tonight, also made for good photo conditions.

I sort of hope it rains tomorrow. I like rainy days. And two, I hope it gets it out of its system for an outdoor party we're looking forward to on Sunday.

9/21/07