I truly cannot believe I’m officially FULL TERM today! Did you know full term is now 37 weeks? I think with Elizabeth a few years ago it was full term at 38 weeks.
Official due date is June 2… but this week my goal was to get ready and finish the last few fiddly things that should happen.
So will you indulge me in a little pregnancy ramble?
This pregnancy, like my first with Elizabeth, was pretty easy, all things considered. I really have only had heart burn and fatigue. Otherwise, normal weight gain, plenty of movement, and no health concerns. Win win!
It feels like I’ve been tired, constantly, this ENTIRE pregnancy! When I sat back to think about it, it’s no wonder I feel that way! First Trimester was Elizabeth’s second birthday AND my huge church volunteer project. Just as I was recovering from that, it was Thanksgiving/Christmas time. January and February were normal, but then we were sick all of March. And then April and May have just been dealing with the fatigue of the end of pregnancy. Wild, right? It certainly made this pregnancy go by very fast.
This week was my “get things done” week… I’ve sort of been productive in that regard. The blog has slipped, but other things have gotten done. That’s life, right?
Here’s what I tackled this week:
- A run to Trader Joe’s to stock up on freezer meals
- Finishing touches in the nursery
- Final laundry done and put away
- Final errands to pick up little bits and bobs needed
- Packed up items for baby for hospital
- Gathered items for me for hospital
- Packed a small bag for Elizabeth in case she needs to stay at someone’s house while we’re at the hospital
- Brought down car seat and other items from storage
- Baked a few batches of our favorite vegetarian meatballs and some breakfast pinwheels
- Wrapped “Big Sister” and “Baby Brother” gifts
- Set up diaper station downstairs
- Packed a car bag with “just-in-case” things when you’re out and about (like extra clothes, blanket, diapers and wipes, etc)
- Took care of some Church volunteering to dos
- Caught up on thank you notes (thank goodness!!)
Ah, seeing it all written out like that made me feel better! I was worried I had frittered away this week. Thanks for indulging me in that!
I’m trying my hardest not to get caught up in the “when will it happen??” thoughts. Labor happens when it happens. But this week I definitely noticed a change in where this kiddo is hanging. And it kicked my preparations in to high gear!
I’ve also started dipping my toe in to all the emotions of soon becoming a family of four, and that my sweet daughter will no longer be an only child. I can’t WAIT to see her as a big sister, but I can’t help but get misty eyed that our time as a family as we know it now is almost over. I am wishing we had done more! Done a vacation! Had fun adventures! Baked more! Created more crafts! I’m not terribly sentimental, but this has been tugging at my heart this week…
Switching gears – I realized I have forgotten what the typical schedule is for newborns! I know it’s a feeding every 2-3 hours for the first few weeks, but after that I couldn’t remember what I did with Elizabeth! So I pulled up my favorite app and looked at the schedule. I’m grateful that Elizabeth’s current schedule at 2.5 years old will line up nicely with the early baby schedule (in theory!). I’m also grateful we’ve got 3 months of summer to get our groove. If we were managing schedules of a toddler AND a newborn amongst the usual school and activities, I’d be so nervous. (I’m a schedule girl, can’t you tell?)
In these last few weeks, I’ve surprised myself that the biggest emotion I’m feeling is excitement! I’m not worrying about what has or has not gotten done (especially after this reasonably productive week). Sure, I planned to have made more freezer meals… but that’s ok! I’m not anxious about labor. I’m really more anxious to know who will be the OB on call the day I go in HAHA! I’m just really excited to meet this wiggly baby boy and to welcome him to our family!
In general, the fear of the unknown can get to me. If I haven’t experienced it before, it makes me nervous. That was me just before Elizabeth was born. I was nervous about what labor would be like… I was worried about how I would survive with little sleep… I worried about breast feeding… shoot, I even worried if I’d be able to bathe her!
And now, with #2, since I’ve been through it once before, I’m just relaxed and excited. Even though I can’t predict how this labor or this baby will be compared to Elizabeth, I DO know I survived the first time! I know others have survived before me! I take comfort in the village of other moms both here locally and online (thank you blogging world!) that I can always count on for encouragement and prayers. I think Elizabeth will be a fantastic Big Sister (until this baby can grab her toys, anyway) but I’m mentally ready to offer her tons of grace. Speaking of grace, I’m planning on offering it to myself and my husband too.
So stay tuned throughout the next few weeks! Thank you all for your patience with how quiet things have been around here… I’ve been prioritizing naps over blogging. HA! But a new normal around here is coming.
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I’m getting so excited for you! I can’t wait to see pics of your new bundle of joy!
Thank you!
This is the hardest part…the waiting! Will it happen in five minutes, five hours, five days???? Ugh…sorry, that probably didn’t help any. Praying that you are able to get lots of rest before your bundle of joy arrives.
HAHA no it’s true… I think we all enter these last few weeks thinking “it went so fast… but when will it be over??”! Thank you!!
Oh, you’re so close! I honestly felt the same way with Lucy, uncertain and feeling bad that we hadn’t done more together or that I hadn’t spent more time with her. And those first couple of days home with Parker really hit me emotionally…I actually went into Lucy’s room while she was sleeping, held her in the rocking chair and just sobbed while she slept on my chest because I just felt this overwhelming guilt that she was being neglected because of all the new newborn duties. But ever since we have been doing great! Lucy absolutely loves Parker and the constant newborn napping helps me get in that time with Lucy that I felt I was lacking. It all works out with God’s plan and timing! I’m like you and try to plan ahead and schedule everything, but God always knows better and I’m learning to trust. Good luck, mama! You are going to do great, and Elizabeth will be the best big sis!
Mariah
http://www.faithandfashionblog.blogspot.com
Thank you!!! It’s always comforting to hear how others are doing it when I’m nervous about something. And I think you’re right – the constant newborn sleep will give us a buffer for time together, mommy and daughter. But THANKFULLY I’m excited more than anything 🙂 Hugs to you, friend!!
So excited for your newbie to be and glad you’ve been enjoying a plethora of naps in preparation. Praying all goes smoothly! Having summer as a buffer period will be so helpful. I remember becoming a family of four when my sister was born, and I was such an excited big sister. Elizabeth is going to love her baby bro!
THANK YOU! I was an excited big sister too, so I’m hoping that’s genetic 😉 And now Elizabeth can’t walk past a little baby without saying high and trying to rock it. So we’ll be good for a little while, at least 🙂 And now, off to take a nap! HAHA!
I can’t believe you are so close to delivery! I honestly have done very little research on newborn schedules so I feel a little unprepared but from what I hear you just sort of figure it out. 😉
Exactly. The book Moms on Call was basically the only book I chose to read with my first because it was just giving me the basics (diaper changes, what to do for a fever, etc) and then it had the schedule. I’m a schedule girl, so it helped me for the first few months, then once we got the routine down I stopped referring to it. But it helped me feel like I had at least SOMETHING right in the beginning 😉 But you WILL figure it out!! Promise!
Wow, I can’t believe it’s almost here! Congrats! I definitely handle things better if they aren’t totally unknown, so I could relate to your excitement for baby #2 vs fear with baby #1 (even without a baby of my own!). 🙂
It’s the only thing that can get me “fearful”, the unknown. Experience it once, and I’m good to go! Even if this birth/baby is the exact opposite of Elizabeth, that’s ok. 🙂
You’re in the home stretch!! Yay for a stocked freezer and all the baby excitement. It’s such a mix of emotions those last few weeks. Trust me that all the sweet sibling moments will be worth it and your heart will burst with love. I did shed a few tears saying bye to Olive to head to the hospital and Elizabeth will magically seem to have grown into a big girl while you’re at the hospital. It’s a crazy, sweet, tiring time of life. Thinking of you & sending great baby vibes your way 🙂
It feels like the one time in my life I’m becoming all mushy and sentimental! But it’s just hard to believe our little girl is a big sister!! She’ll be great! But can’t help getting a little misty eyed. 🙂