Cathy: Spring Break in Writing
The boys’ spring break sucked any incentive to write in my manuscript right out of me. I figured my state of constant interruption would increase ten-fold, and I was right. Anytime I sat at the computer, Baby C started ripping books apart or K engaged me in pestered conversations that went something like this:
“Mom. (brief pause) Mom. Mom. Can I use the computer. Mom, can I use the computer. Mom, Can I. Uuuuse. The. Computer.”
“K, can you see I just sat down and am using it while nursing your sister to sleep? Please let me have a moment. You can use it later.”
“Mom.”
“Let me read.”
“Mom. (pause) Mom. Mom. Mom.”
“WHaat?!”
“If I can’t use the computer, can I go see if K2 and K3 are home and can hang out?”
“Mmm…” (still trying to read, nurse C to nap and tune him out)
“Mom. Can I see if K2 and K3 can hang out? Mom!”
“Ok, but walk Lucy first.”
“AAAhhhh!”
Dog tags jingle, claws click and scrape floor, the screen door ff-ths open and closes with a bang.
Then it’s S’s turn, just when I think I may have brokered some peace from the pestering.
“MOOMM! CAN (have I mentioned he has a problem with volume control?) I USE THE COMPUTER TO WRITE MY PIRATE PLAY/LOOK UP TITANASAURUS AND BARAGON SO I CAN RESEARCH FOR THE MONSTERS IN THE MOVIE I’M MAKING IN THE GARAGE AND…”
Baby C pops off, turns to see the source of the racket, and there goes any kind of nap as she has just become interested in anything, particularly S, besides napping. I yell at S “Can you see I’m trying to get C to sleep here? You can use the computer when I’m done and she’s asleep, now please go find something else to do QUIETLY while I try to get her to nap.” After some begging and plenty of the cute face, he eventually ran off under threat of no computer ever again in his life.
We had some fun, too, especially the day we bowled and my mother-in-law kept picking up the ball with the wrong size finger holes, so it would fly backwards off her hand — a real hoot! And the bumpers were up, so what would have been gutters galore, ended up being advantageous, as the boys figured out how to make the bumpers work for them toward strikes.
So this week, as the boys head back to school on Tuesday, I will get back in the rhythm and actually type in those parts I longhand wrote a week and two ago, and fill in researched parts. I also have decided I need another name change for that character I’ve already renamed, as well as changing another name, which in effect changes two character names for a total of three. Snaggly little annoying details as I run the first read through of the completed plotline. Phew, almost there, really. Think I can finish before April ends? It’s only my third projected finish line.
Studio Mothers: Life & Art 
update: i didn’t want to overload y’all on me last week when i wrote this, but i didn’t do much writing in the week promised. but now i’ve given myself a deadline of this fri to finish my book during chloe’s naps (which she just started one, so i should hop to it). wish me luck!
The conversation with your son is too funny. Typical, huh?
Good luck with your deadline. You can do it! Just think how good you’re going to feel when you type THE END.
oh yeah! i can do that! THE END! brilliant! kristine, you just made me happier about the prospect of finishing.
I bow to your dedication for even trying to write with all the kids around. I am amazed at naptime writers; I’m so tired by the time I put the boy down that I just sit there staring.
i hear ya, jacqui, often those naptime ‘writings’ are cut in half because i must just zone out in something like a blog reading mini-marathon meditation before i actually write. sometimes mama needs just her body and her mind to herself for a change.
you’ll get there! congrats on continually dealing with your everyday challenges. 🙂 i got very little done during my week off for spring break with the girls too. but that was just as well, since i needed to spend some quality time with them anyway. and even though mine are long past nursing, “sometimes mama needs just her body and her mind to herself for a change” still rings true because they still cling and hug and jump all over me at every opportunity. most times, though, that’s a wonderful thing. 🙂
thanks, kelly! i put FIVE HOURS of minimally uninterrupted writing and editing today. minimally for me that is, which is still a lot.
have been in kindergarten clases for 4+years of my ed. career, i know how they still love to be up against a warm adult even at 5-6years old. even in 2nd grade, adn some still linger a little too bodily close up into 5th for that comfort. i can only imagine what it must be like to be home with 2 simultaneous hovering huggers! (although, s still overly leans into me for hugs as a fourth grader, while his sister is on me, too)