Loading the Freezer

This weekend I did a huge freezer cooking push and my freezer is packed with main dishes. About 44 main dishes right now, and 4 batches of cornbread to go with soup. The kids and I are going to make tamales later this week to put up as well. But with the freezer full of food I feel much more ready for the baby to come.

Scott will be taking a couple of weeks off and he cooks well, but I feel better knowing there is food for those first couple of days after the baby comes (when, even if he doesn’t believe it, he’s going to be pretty worn out too) – and for after he goes back to work. I’m a bit annoyed that his company has chosen right. now. to make huge changes which are probably going to mean a lot of stress up until the baby comes, and probably after the baby comes. Having regular meals that don’t require too much effort will keep me less stressed when he goes back to work, which will be beneficial to him because he can come home to a (hopefully) peaceful house, as opposed to three children climbing the walls, wife and baby in tears, and absolutely nothing cooking.

Scrubbing the House

I’ve also been cleaning like crazy. Partially because my midwife’s home visit is tonight, along with a Blessingway some friends are having for me. And partially because nesting is in full force. I spent about 45 minutes yesterday scrubbing my bathtub. It’s a pitiful bathtub, really. I never have managed a great tub – my last tub was a perfect, huge tub…but the hot water heater always gave out when it was halfway full. In this house we have an awesome hot water heater that keeps on chugging. And an itty-bitty tub.

But anyways. I don’t think the tub has been cleaned since Scott bought the house (over a decade ago). So I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed. Talk about a cardiac workout. And all that advice “be on your hands and knees to avoid a posterior baby” – well he better not be posterior after all that time yesterday! But the tub came amazingly clean with a good scrubber and a generous application of Bon Ami (a very environmentally friendly cleaner that has been cleaning houses for over a hundred years :p). I was pleased. I still need to do a little more scrubbing around the faucet and up one side of the tub – I ran out of steam lol. But I got the bottom and side where the bathwater comes to squeaky clean. Clean enough to bathe a baby :p

Other cleaning adventures include a deep clean of the kitchen – something I have been putting off from the dread of it. It went much better than I expected :p One tip I’ll give you – if you’re considering some sort of decorative railing for the tops of your cabinets…stop now. Don’t even think about it further. They may look nice, but they’re a pain to clean. If I ever get the chance to decorate/design my own kitchen I will plan it to be easy to clean!

Baby Nest

Our bedroom is pretty well set for baby’s arrival. I have the birth kit in place, and I washed all the towels, sheets, baby blankets, etc for the birth yesterday. I just need to get them in clean bags now.

I have a medium-sized box full of newborn and 0-3 month sized baby clothes filled by the bed so I don’t have to go out to the dresser for the baby’s clothing. I also have lots of diapers around – I have some Tushies diapers I got for the first few days. And I have lots and lots of prefolds, which I plan to have under him when we start working on elimination communication. I also have quite a few pocket diapers on hand for going out. Six of them a friend custom made for us and I’m excited about those

I also have plenty of baby blankets and other assorted baby paraphernalia close to the bed. I think the only thing I really have left to do is put a few books over there for me to read; I tend to get a lot of reading done in baby’s first week since we stay in bed. So I end up nursing, cuddling, sleeping, and reading (and I am so, so, so looking forward to that!)

I feel like I have our “baby nest” pretty much ready. Food in the freezer, all birth supplies here (except the tub), and all of baby’s things ready… so on a basic level I am ready.

Other To-do’s

I do have some other things left to do. Besides attending the couple of baby showers I think we’re going to have (I am getting more attention for this baby than I have for any of the others…it’s strange almost) – I need to get things ready for the big kids.

Next week we’ll wrap up Cassidy’s current unit in school, then we have a one-week nature unit before I’ve planned a break from schooling. The “break” however, is also pretty full. We’ll continue the kids’ language lessons (they’re taking Japanese with a native speaker!), and I have several activities planned with them.

I’m sure I’ll also keep on cleaning :p

And I want to get plenty of activities ready for the kids after the baby is born. I’m planning to get the supplies they need for various crafts ready to go. I think my mom will enjoy doing those with them, and I’m sure she’ll bring some things of her own. She’ll be in town for a couple of weeks after the baby comes.

Most of what I need to do is things to help keep the kids content and settled while I’m pretty busy with baby – but it’s stuff I do really want to get done for them.

And now I need to go do more cleaning to get my house ready for tonight. I will hopefully be posting pictures of different things in the next few days!

We’ve officially started our homeschooling year which means the last two weeks have been busy, and we’ll be busy right up until we take a two week break for the baby to come (and I’ll still be pretty busy then!!)  I’m really enjoying schooling the children and this year I’m enjoying having a “grader schooler” and the challenges that brings.

And I’m still working to get my baby prep in.  I’ve completely finished organizing the house (yay!) We have a couple more pieces of furniture to buy, eventually (my desk and something for our almost-never-used-tv to go on so it can continue collecting dust).  But the “organizing” is done.  Now I’m working on doing a thorough deep clean.  It’s taking me time because I can only do it bit by bit each day while I fit everything else in.  But it gives me a lot of satisfaction to see things getting really nice and clean.

I’ve been working on the kitchen this week and though it has gone slow, I really like seeing clean counters and cabinets and shiny silver and bright whites.  The kitchen is, unfortunately, still pretty ugly – but at least it’s a clean ugly!

Yesterday I spent some time going through a few baby things.  I’ve really enjoyed getting a little basket of things by my bed ready.  It has things for the baby’s birth in it, and things I’ll want or want for the baby after the birth.  It gives me a lot of joy to see it, and to think of our baby.

My belly feels so huge right now (I can’t figure out how he’s going to fit in there for several more weeks!) but really I love it.  I like when we take our afternoon quiet time, and I can lie there and just think about my baby.  I like to feel him moving under my hands, and I like figuring out what position he’s in.  I like to imagine what he’ll look like.  I wonder if he’ll have hair, and what color hair he’ll have.  I like to imagine holding him and nursing him.

I’ve also been doing a lot of birth preparation – the Pink Kit work, as I’ve been blogging about.  I’ve also been listening to a CD of pregnancy affirmations.  And I typed out my own affirmations that I’ll print out and read as I get ready for the birth.

I’m really starting to look forward to the baby coming.  Our birth kit arrived yesterday!  I haven’t opened it to make sure everything is there yet; I’ll probably do that this weekend.  But just having it in the bedroom is so exciting to me.

And people keep asking me about doing this and doing that, and what are my plans for this weekend or that weekend – and it’s crazy to see just how much we have going on!  I’m getting a couple of baby showers I think, and a Blessingway (shocking for a fourth baby!!!!), getting ready to start stocking the freezer….

Have I mentioned so much is going on?  I still have so much to do yet I’m so excited and can’t wait.  Ah the joys of those last weeks of pregnancy.  Such a small, small thing though, compared to what the joy of holding my little one will be.  I’m very happy

It feels like time is really speeding up and I don’t know how I’m going to get everything done.  So much left to do on the house!  So many things to gather up and get together, and making space for the baby and everything.  Yes, officially nesting :p

We have still been working on our Pink Kit stuff and I’ve been practicing controlled breathing and observing my breath in different situations.  Let me tell you, jumping into chilly lake water sure gives me a great opportunity to work on that breathing and relaxation!  It’s also good exercise and I like feeling the baby settle around as I swim.

He is really moving around and I feel feet up under my ribs quite a bit.  I think my biggest discomfort is shortness of breath after I’ve been sitting for awhile.  I also get more tired walking and being out and about.  We went to the local Farmer’s Market on Saturday and that was a big trip for me!

Besides our Pink Kit work I’m also starting to read through some of my favorite birth books and I’m getting some baby care books lined up.  I’ve learned about a few new books since I had my last baby and I’m looking forward to getting those and reviewing them on the site for you.

Most of my focus right now is on getting me (and Scott) ready for labor and birth, and getting the house ready, clean, and comfortable for birth and the baby.  And I’m also getting for the school year to start.  Plans are for Cassidy to go to a local charter school, which I’m so nervous about it gives me a superb chance to practice breathing and relaxation…and the boys will continue our home school routine and I’m really really looking forward to that.  I already have so many plans made up for them and I can’t wait.

I think I’m going to post some pictures on the blog in the next few days so look forward to those!  I keep meaning to and forgetting but I’m planning to go through all of our pictures this week so I’ll get some up!

So I suppose I am officially nesting because I have been working hard on our house.  I’ll admit the baby is a major motivation – indirectly and directly.  I of course want a nice, clean, well-prepared home when the baby arrives.  But I also want the house to be somewhat presentable for the midwife and anyone else who may come to assist after the birth of the baby :p

I’ve also been working on it just because I want a neat and clean home.  To my credit I got most of the moving boxes gone within a couple of weeks of moving in.  We still have a few around in out-of-the-way spots.  But I dislike boxes unless they’re being used for storage. Even with the boxes gone, though, our house was (and is) cluttered.

I do not like clutter.  Even if we had a bigger house I still wouldn’t like clutter.  And if you move to a bigger place and you have clutter, your clutter just gets bigger too.  So I’ve been focusing on some really bad spots and it has really helped.  The kids’ room was the first place I got straightened up.  Since then I’ve been working mostly on our upstairs landing and some in the bedroom and office.

The house has improved a lot of the past few weeks and I’m really pleased.  I still have a lot to do (I haven’t touched the kitchen!)  But it’s a lot neater, more open, and functional.   If we’re going to have these things, we should be able to use them.

I’ve done all this by working about 30 minutes a day.  On the weekends when Scott is here to help me with bigger things we spend a bit more time on it.  But I usually work about 30 minutes each weekday and I’ve been surprised at how much gets done and how satisfied I feel with it.  There’s still a bunch to do and the never-ending mountain of paperwork to take care of.  But every week the house is looking better, and I’m able to take care of household paperwork faster and more efficiently (I mostly work through papers and budget issues on Fridays, and each Friday it has been a little easier as I’ve tackled the backlog).

So if you’re “nesting” and want to organize your house give short increments a go.  It’s good for the first and third trimesters when your energy may be lower.  And it’s great because you see definite progress towards your goal but you don’t get so overwhelmed that you quit altogether!