The new normal

The kitchen is a disaster area.
Soup bowls in the sink and crumbs on the counter
And a pile of recycling that needs to be taken out.

Two cats make the wood floors dusty.
The stairs need sweeping,
The living room floor needs dusting,
And a good mopping would go a long way.

On the couch in the living room, a bedroom pillow
And two fleece blankets.
Every time I put them away, it's another sleepless night,
When I pull them back out and watch sitcoms on TV
While trying to doze off
After one o'clock.

Don't get me started on laundry.
Or on bathrooms,
Especially the glass shower doors
That need more scrubbing than I can muster.

And have I mentioned that I can't bend over?
Or roll over.
Or twist.
Or gracefully sit on the floor...or gracefully get up, for that matter.

I wish...

I wish I could go running,
And drink a big cup of coffee,
Or maybe some wine.

I wish I could go clothes-shopping
Or wear whatever shoes I want.
And spicy food. How I wish I could eat spicy food.

I wish for eight hours of sleep, all at once,
And the freedom to be more careless
And even klutzy
Without worrying that I'm hurting
The little one kicking around inside me.

This, this is the new normal.
However temporary.
However beloved and anticipated.
This is the new normal.