Passing Time and New Perspective

A few people have been asking me how I've been passing the time at home while we wait for Baby Boone to arrive. Although I don't have as much energy as I'd like, I have been able to check a few things off the list. And by list, yes I do mean I brought my daily planner home from work and make a "To-Do" list each day, just like I did at work. I get great pleasure in crossing things off my list and have been tempted to actually write down "take a nap" and "watch Ellen" just so I can cross it off. A friend with a 1-year-old told me that on her time home before her baby arrived, she almost ran out of Windex and resorted to alphabetizing her DVD collection. Maybe by next Monday...

This Monday I ran some errands in town picking up some baby supplies from friends and also got some of the cleaning done that I had put off from the weekend. I also did the laundry so I could actually pack some things for the hospital and have all the sheets and everything ready for the baby. We also made it to coronation at the High School.

Yesterday after my doctor's appointment I made a big trip to Walmart for storage containers, batteries for baby gear, and misc. cleaning and hygiene items since I don't expect to make a trip there for a few weeks. Just shopping and putting everything away wore me out, but I was able to try to sleep in the afternoon (didn't work) and actually took Nika for a short walk. I skipped my board meeting because I didn't want to be driving by myself (in the middle of nowhere an hour away) in case something got started. DH had a JH football game in West Lyon but was home in time to see the Twins lose (boo!).

Today I did some more cooking and worked on paying bills, balancing the checkbook, and entering our budget on the computer. Not a fun task but I feel better knowing where we are at. It will be interesting figuring out how to cover these 11 weeks of unpaid maternity, but I am confident we will get it to work out with the combination of insurance payouts and savings. It's just hard for me to adjust to a bit of uncertainty when I am used to regular paychecks.

My perspective on being anxious for the baby to arrive has changed as I've learned about a High School friend who is currently in the hospital struggling with her own pregnancy. She is having some major complications to her own health and at only 24 weeks, this puts her baby in jeopardy also. We are praying hard that she will get stronger each day and will be able to hang on for several more weeks to deliver, even though this will probably mean bedrest. I know Heather, her husband, their baby boy, and their families would appreciate everyone's prayers. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/krisheatherrozeboom

Her situtation has made me realize that we have been SUPER-BLESSED to have had an uncomplicated pregnancy and someone reminded me yesterday that going past my due date just means I haven't had any trouble with the baby that would cause them to try to take it earlier. So, I am thankful for being able to carry my baby to full term and that I am still able to do things around the house.

Tonight predicts to be another rousing night in the recliner since "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Glee" are both on. We'll try to enjoy one more night of peace and quiet at home!

Patience, not Patients

The day has finally arrived! Oh the joyous day we've been waiting for...the due date! The day I get to...do nothing more exciting than taking a shopping trip to Walmart in Wo-town.

Yes, the due date is here, but is the baby? Not so much. I have not had any contractions and my appointment this morning confirmed that not much is going on. The baby's heart rate is down a little (136 instead of the usual 144) and my blood pressure is up a little (122/72 instead of the usual 100/70) but neither really means much and there are no other signs of progress. I'm taking it all in stride and remembering that the baby will come when it's ready, but I really hope I don't have to wait a whole week. I'm going in Friday morning for a stress test, but I wouldn't be induced until next Tuesday (unless the test says we should do something earlier). I still don't regret Friday being my last day at work as I'm not sure I could handle working full days this week and don't really want to be that far from the hospital because technically things could get moving at any time. So, for now I will be content getting more things in order in the house and praying for patience, even while wishing I were a patient.

A Dazzling 39 weeks

Wow, haven't posted a preggo-pic in a while and the change is a bit staggering. I am down to about 3 shirts that are acceptable work-attire that are not super-tight. I have to explain this shirt, though. My older sister was at a White Elephant Christmas party with her small group and their friend Rod (over 6' and 200 lbs. I think) got this as a gift. He put it on and everyone laughed but Megan ended up trading for it because she was pregnant at the time. I got it in the tub of maternity clothes from her and ended up wearing it last week after trying on about 5 other shirts. My brother-in-law thinks it's pretty awful, but I think it's because he can't get the picture of Rod wearing it out of his head.

I think the designer of this shirt was inspired by "Dazzle Camouflage" made popular in WW1 as a way to paint battleships to confuse the enemy. Apparently the "complex pattern of geometric shapes in contrasting colors, interrupting and intersecting each other"made it hard for the enemies to judge size and distance. Definitely the goal I am going for.

Besides a limited number of shirts, the pants pickings are getting awful slim as well (or opposite of slim if you want to be technical). I've worn skirts for a couple days now because all the work pants I've borrowed are too tight! One more day of dressing up and then casual day Friday! I do have some jeans I can still wear since I don't think the SDSU football camp t-shirt and DH's basketball shorts I am wearing right now will work...even for casual Friday.

I feel like I've been running on adrenaline most days here--putting in some later nights at work to get some things in order since Friday is going to be my last day. My ankles are quite fat when I crash at the end of the day, but the doc isn't worried about the fluid retention since my blood pressure remains low. I have an appointment tomorrow but am expecting them to tell me to be patient! My prediction--nothing happens until NEXT weekend or I go all the way to 41 weeks. In some ways I am ready to get this show on the road, but in some ways it would be nice to have a few days off next week to get some projects finished up around here and actually RESTING like everyone is telling me to do before the up-all-nights begin.

We'll see what Baby Boone decides!

Shop 'till you Stop because the best part of shopping is when you get to stop.

Today we made our last trip to Sioux Falls to finish our baby shopping. The main objective was to pick up the rocker/recliner we had ordered two weeks ago. We knew it would take up a lot of room in the living room, but it just sits nice and I have a feeling functionality will take precedance over design in the next few years. We also picked up a clock for the nursery, changing pad protector, a hamper, and a step-trash can for diapers. (A tip from my sister was to simply use a step trash can with a grocery bag in it for the first few months, then when the baby gets into solid foods and stinkier diapers, start using the diaper genie. This saves money on diaper genie refills.)

Shopping was pretty exhausting today as we did a lot of walking to find the last item on my list, but it was worth getting it all completed to enjoy a 3:30 lunch at Panera. We picked up the chair after eating some delicious soup and salad (me) and Panini and frozen mocha (DH). Boy, was I ready to be off my feet! I could barely shove my feet back into my sandals after the hour-long ride home and they are currently a majestic shade of magenta with some shiny white places where they seeped up through the spaces in my sandal straps.

When we got home, we hung the clock along with a smoke detector and the orange mirror. I also hung the cute bear I received from my coworker on the crib. It plays four soothing sounds like a heartbeat, rain, ocean, and wind. The bottom center picture also shows another gift from a co-worker: a super-soft stuffed cow that opens up to be a pillow. I received some other great gifts from my department at our Pizza Ranch buffet "shower" last Thursday, including some adorable clothes, a jack-o-lantern outfit, blanket, orange fleece pillow and blanket, and cloth diaper burp cloths. I especially enjoyed the box of assorted Ghirardelli chocolate squares Brit gave me since she had given me a baby gift earlier. I think I ate 4 that night as I worked late. Sometimes it takes another pregnant lady to know just what a pregnant lady would want!

Other things crossed off the nesting list today: installing the car seat base in the car, washing all the garage sales clothes, and organizing everything in the nursery closet. I am feeling slightly more prepared, but have yet to pack a bag for the hospital! At least it feels like a few things are winding down. Tomorrow is my last PowerPoint Sunday at church and this coming week is supposed to be my last week of work. My co-worker reminded me this coming Monday is my last "Monday morning" until December! Only 10 more days until my due date, but the Doc said the baby seems pretty comfortable, so he's planning on an October birthday. Not good news for my sister who said I should have the baby this weekend (since she was bored.) I just hope it doesn't come the weekend after my due date when she and my brother-in-law will be in Minneapolis running their first marathon! Some days I feel like my body has been through a marathon too but I will put $100 on the fact that it will never actually complete one.

It can barely take walking the Empire Mall.

Sorting the Hord, or why I have 6 jars of Peanut Butter

I have admitted before that I am a food horder. If you need a reminder, see my freezer inventory from last fall which is back up to teeter-tottering proportions. Whether it is some genetic disorder brought on by the "gray shelves" we had in the basement growing up (always stocked with a minimum of 3 bottles of ketchup, 3 cans of every cream soup, and 7+ cakes mixes among every other ingredient known to man), or if it's my miserly affinity for "stocking up" when I see a sale, I know that I have WAY too much food on hand for just 2 people. I love being able to pick any recipe and know that I most likely have every ingredient in the house to make a batch or three. But, I also know that it has gotten out of hand in several areas.

I have been trying hard lately to cut down on the grocery bill and have succeeded in depleting some of my pantry (less than 3 boxes of spaghetti) and my canned goods (less than 3 cans of Rotel). Tonight, however, after one-too-many metal coffee mugs came flying out of the cupboard while I was searching for peanut butter, I decided the next area to tackle was making itself painfully (literally) obvious.

Here is the cupboard above the coffee pot before my self-imposed intervention:

I took everything out and sorted it into categories. Why did my brain think these things all belonged in the same cupboard? I think it has something to do with the shapes of the containers, but I also use the excuse that I grew up in a house where the Oreos were kept in the onion cupboard, the measuring cups were in the Jello drawer, and the chips went with the 9x13 pans over the fridge, but the crackers belonged with the glass bowls below the phone. Just because.

Here's the (embarrassing) tally:

Peanut Butter (with 6 jars, this is it's OWN category)

• Skippy Creamy 28 oz
• Skippy Roasted Honey Nut 16.3oz--on sale $0.99 last week!
• Skippy Creamy 16.3oz (2)--on sale $0.99 last week!
• Skippy Super Chunk 16.3oz
• Jiff Extra Crunchy 18oz
• (You know you need several varieties for monster cookies, O'Henry bars, and PB&J sandwiches!)

Coffee/tea

• Folgers Classic Roast
• Folgers Classic Decaf (2)
• Folgers Classic Roast Instant
• CoffeeMate Vanilla Caramel
• English Breakfast Tea
• Cinnamon Apple Tea
• Coffee Filters
• Travel Mugs (4)
• (Also interesting that I have not had coffee or tea in about 8 months and DH has had very little since I can't stand the smell during pregnancy)

Drink Mixes

• Swiss Miss No Sugar Added
• Swiss Miss No Sugar Added-indiv. packets
• Great Value Hot Cocoa Mix
• Country Time Raspberry Lemonade
• Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade
• Crystal Light Natural Lemonade
• Hy-Vee Thirst Splash Raspberry Tea
• Hy-Vee Thirst Splah To-Go Raspberry
• Drinking Straws
• (I am pretty sure I could fix drinks for over 100 people-summer or winter)

Ethnic Food

• Tostitos Chunky Salsa
• Prego Chunky Garden Spaghetti Sauce
• Ty Ling Egg Drop Soup mix
• Old El Paso Taco Shells (2 boxes)
• Hy Vee Taco Shells
• (We better get eating or we'll never finish the 48 tacos we have coming!)

After consolidating a few things and throwing out the empty, the gross, and the humidity-hardened, everything fit quite nicely back in the cupboard.

I am hoping this little exercise helps shame me into buying and hording less.

Now, if only I could tackle my cereal habit.