Getting Ready

I like to get things done early. I like to be prepared. It's in my nature and I get anxious if I have not planned something out or prepared for an event. If I don't plan or get the prep work done well in advance, I tend to run around freaking out and trying to do everything at once. Daniel helps and he tries to tell me we have plenty of time, but it doesn't stop me from trying to get everything done all at once. It's just one of my quirks.

So the crib was purchased and built when I was 20 weeks pregnant. By the time we had reached 22 weeks, we had the bedding, glider and changing table all set up. We had the butterflies too, but we put hanging those up off because it just didn't sound like a fun job.

In the past month, my motto has been "Tick, Tock." When I get really stressed about the lack of time we have until Zoe gets here, I announce it to Daniel. "Tick, tock, honey. Tick, Tock!" This makes him laugh, but he says he's not laughing at me. He says he's laughing with me, but I'm not laughing. He says I'm funny, but I'm not trying to be funny. I am being very, very serious in an apparently comical way.

We took our Baby Care Basics class (where they teach you how to bathe, diaper and hold your baby, etc) when I was 28 weeks pregnant. This seemed like a perfectly good time to take the class and it fit in our schedule since we knew we'd be taking a lot of classes over the coming months. That class was beneficial, but I could not get over some of the mom's-to-be gossiping in the bathroom during the break. While I was in my stall, two women went back and forth sizing up the other mother's bellies. They scoffed at the women who weren't due until April taking the class and for a split second I felt dumb because I wasn't due until the end of May. And then I told myself not to stress about what these other women were saying. I was doing what made me comfortable. We were preparing early. We weren't going to do everything last minute because that makes me anxious and stressed. Oh, and I made a mental note to not be as bitchy and know-it-all as they were, ever.

So, now we're in the middle of week 32. "Tick, Tock!"

We've gotten more stuff done:

The clothes our friends gave us are organized by month and the 0-3 month stuff is hung neatly in the closet on cute little green hangers.

We've purchased a few onesies and some other clothing items here and there and they are also hanging up. I still need to get some of that baby laundry soap and wash the new stuff.

We finally purchased a waterproof mattress pad for the crib, this means we need to unmake the bed (we made it just so we could see it) and wash everything in the special soap.

The Co-Sleeper has been shipped out and should arrive by the end of the week. We don't plan on her sleeping with us all the time, but we wanted it so that we could have her near by and we could adjust to waking up constantly. We're hoping she'll be in her crib earlier rather than later and then we'll use the Co-Sleeper as a playpen and travel crib.

We purchased a baby gate to separate the living room from the rest of the house. No, we aren't worried about Zoe getting into things just yet. We are worried about our two dog children who like to make mad dashes outside whenever anyone comes to our door. We wanted the gate as a means to separate them from Zoe when need be. We thought it would be better to put the gate up now and get them used to it rather than introduce them to a new baby and a gate all in the same day. Our dogs are sensitive and spoiled... and I figured they might associate the change in their freedom with Zoe's arrival. Duh. I can hear a chorus of “duh's” as I type this. I know. Their lives are about to change and that's just the way it is, but I'd like to keep them somewhat happy. Anyway. I'M happy. The gate has a step lever that opens it in either direction so I don't have to maneuver my rounded self over it. I love it.

We started making a list of the things we want to bring to the hospital last night. It's typed up and just waiting for me to print it up so I can use it as a checklist when I pack everything up.

We bought a nightgown for me to wear after Zoe is born, but it fit funky so we're returning it. Last night I ordered two different styles online. I hope they work. The idea of wearing a terrycloth zip up nightgown gives me the chills. And so do hospital gowns. Yuck.

I searched online for about a half hour for some slipper socks with tread on them and found nothing. I knew I should have gotten some during the holidays when they are everywhere. Grrr.

We're going to go ahead and order the car seat we want this week. It takes about a week to arrive and we want to take it to CHP to have it installed correctly. I don’t want us to have to worry about setting it up the day before I’m to be induced and then doing it wrong.

And for now that is it. I know, we've got time and everything will come together in the end. But I'm still just a little anxious. We're going into something that seems so uncontrolled. I know millions... billions of people have been through this before us, but I've never been in labor before. I've never given birth. Despite the books, friends and family, and classes… we don’t really know what to expect. In a time where there is all this unknown, I like knowing that I can control the little things.

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