33 weeks and panic

Panic. Not out of the fact that we are having a baby, but panic about how we are ever going to get this house ready for a baby. See my other blog for the gory details.

Things are going well. I am having far more aches and pains with this pregnancy then I had with Leif. Is it this baby? Is it that I am now 35 and not 32? Am I that much more out of shape this time around? It is probably a combination of all of the above and more.

Truly I am just so excited to have this baby, to meet this baby and to add to our family. There is no panic on that side. I went to Target on Saturday and loaded up on essentials. With the exception of a few small things, I feel like we are ready to go from a purchase standpoint. I enjoyed fighting my way through the crowded aisles of baby items with mom and dad's to be debating over every purchase. Part of me wanted to stop and offer advice... "no, you don't want that one, you want this one, it's a lot better". But I trucked on through picking up my essentials, with confidence in my every purchase that this was the best product... or at least in cases as Diaper Genie refills, it is a vital component to an acceptable product.

One of the major things AB and I are replacing this time around is our monitor. Oh, correction, our two sucky monitors. One picks up phone calls with amazing clarity, and the other just was a cheapo to get us by. We are investing in a digital monitor this time around. Monitors are one of those things that are either super sucky, or there seem to be a rare few that are truly superb. I have identified two. One is an affordable $59 digital with stellar Amazon ratings. The other is the Mercedes of monitors at $199 with intercom capabilities (one of those features that I have routinely stated would make any monitor flat out the best) and a number of other extras (star projection, lullabies, etc.). This is where we fall into those categories of first time parents, how long will we debate the pros and cons before just picking one.

The newly revised list is below. Comments of course, are welcome.

1. Remove contents from guest room (done once, but the items grew legs and crept back).
2. Paint guest room for Leif.
3. Paint elephant on the wall of the guest room and move Leif’s toys and fun stuff over to entice him over to the bigger room. (Since at this point the “bigger” room holds no appeal.)
4. Address furniture needs, shelves for Leif’s books and a dresser for the nursery. Admit that a trip to Ikea is really out of the question before the baby comes and resolve to “live” with whatever I can find here.
5. Figure out where all the stuff (wedding stuff, suitcases, wine, etc) from the guest room is going (attic, garage, formal dining room…) and put it there.
6. Put Christmas stuff in the attic at the same time.
7. While in the attic and the nursery is pretty much cleaned out courtesy of Leif’s evacuation, bring the baby stuff down.
8. Now the fun begins… Sort through the baby stuff. Figure out what should be donated versus kept and washed. Wash.
9. Find a pair of white soft newborn pants for going home outfit.
11. Buy more Newborn Diapers (need 1 more package and size 1's)
12. Pack bag (LIGHTLY) for the hospital.
-Camera and extra batteries
-Videocamera
-iPod and little speakers
-Going home outfits
-Comfy, but decent looking clothes for me going home. Maternity is a must... silly me last time thought I would be going home in regular clothes.
-Travel size containers of shampoo etc.
-Brush
-Toothbrush
-Chapstick
-Hair bands
-Soft socks
-Baby book
-Gift for Leif from baby
-(What else?)
13. Install infant carseat and get checked.
14. Pack Leif a bag for staying at our friends.
-Underwear
-Clothes
-Diapers for night
-Pajamas
-Extra carseat
-Blanket
-Pillow
-Teddy bear or lion
-Lunchbox
15. Birth plan. Ok, so I really didn't need it last time, but I need to have it just to remind me.
16. Write up list of phone numbers for taking to the hospital.