I realize that my blog, while titled Law and Motherhood, is more often than not about motherhood. That is due to the fact that practicing law while being a practicing mommy is frickin’ hard. Fitting in a law practice around diapers, swim lessons, nursing, and active involved parenting is like trying to cram square pegs into round holes.

However, I did finally manage to complete my first complaint, and file it (with some help from local counsel.) Today I got the following email:

Help us take back the Endangered Species Act.
Donate today.

Dear Misty,

The Center filed six lawsuits this month challenging Fish & Wildlife Service decisions on endangered species – decisions that were tainted by corrupt political appointees of George W. Bush.

Our suits follow a September notice of intent to sue over 55 species that were subject to high-level political interference by Bush bureaucrats ignoring science to serve industry interests. We filed notice, we’re filing suit — and this is just the beginning. The suits are the first phase of a national campaign aimed at reversing illegal decisions to remove protection for more than 50 endangered species and 8.7 million acres of land.

Help us keep up the pressure as we fight to take back the Endangered Species Act from politicians and their industry cronies!

Our goal is to raise $250,000 from members like you by December 31st. Once we do that the money will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a special challenge grant. Click here to make a gift now and help us move these cases forward. Together we can secure crucial protections for the imperiled wildlife the Bush administration wants to sacrifice.

As the Center’s Michael Senatore put it, “These are some of the most endangered species in the United States. It’s outrageous that federal scientists were blocked from protecting them by political appointees in Washington, DC.”

We need your help now to mount a legal challenge to the inactions and abuse of our endangered species laws by the Bush administration.

Please make a donation today. Your gift will go twice as far, because it will be matched dollar-for-dollar. And that’s great news for animals and plants on the brink of extinction.

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Michael Finkelstein
Executive Director

Guess what? I am a part of one of those six lawsuits! Yes indeedy! I have a dash of law mingled into that motherhood!

Seriously. Ever.

After days of insatiable nursing beginning in the haunting hours of the night and continuing in earnest until the rest of the house wakes up, I never want to be touched, by anyone, ever again.

By the time Otter is finished with his 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. nurse, I am ready to push all creatures as far away from me as possible and flee to a land where I am the only sentient object for miles.

My bones begin to feel as though they want to leap out of my skin and run away.

Of course, I can fall back on my wealth of patience and energy to get me through this trying time…. oh wait… I have no patience, I have no energy!! I haven’t slept well in months, and I have slept incredibly poorly over the last week.

I’m a Mommy on the Edge people!!!

Okay, it’s been days since I have had more than a handful of hours of sleep at night. Otter is waking up at four a.m. to nurse, and last night, he was up all night. Either he is in a growth spurt, or my life is about to get very interesting.

Ugh.

Well, to continue the fun of Thanksgiving…

On Friday we went to Suzie’s for the night, and enjoyed watching the children run and play. We put all three girls in sleeping bags in Elise’s room for bed, and they were quite happy with their slumber party. However, Monkey came into the living room about Ten p.m. in tears, saying “Mommy, Lydia is asleep and Elise is asleep and I want to be asleep but I can’t fall asleep!” I made a little nest for her in Lydia’s room and tucked her in. She was out almost immediately.

We went to a bouncy gym with the kids on Saturday. What a genius idea that is, a huge warehouse full of large bounce castles, mazes, and slides. It was an instant hit with the children, and they ran around like fiends. Even Otter enjoyed a little bounce.

After the gym we grabbed some yummy southern BBQ and headed back to Jack’s for a quiet evening, a delicious pot roast, and packing. Otter chose to spend Saturday night not sleeping at all, so I was a joy for the long drive home on Sunday, but even so, it was pretty mellow. Otter and Monkey were both a little cranky, but really, what can one expect from children cooped up in a car at the end of a family trip?

Well… Sir Cranky Sleepless Hunger Fiend is crying again, so I am off a’milking.