MORE

A friend (who went through the same "oops" last year resulting in a sweet baby girl who came last May) dropped off a HUGE box of clothes.  And the really NICE stuff, too, that I won't even bother to buy on clearance--like some Gymboree and Calvin Klein (really, I didn't even know CK MADE onesies!) and BabyGap.  Some of the stuff I won't be able to use since her baby was wearing a lot of 0-3 summer stuff, but the REST!  Oh!  It's just lovely!

...And I got permission from an online baby site to start washing the baby clothes NOW.  That's the only excuse I need, so it's ON!  But I guess I'll have to store the stuff in some plastic bins until the storage question is answered?

Speaking of, the hubs took me around the house last night to show me HIS ideas for how we can rearrange the house and make room for the baby.  Some of it is a bit weird (master bedroom in the DEN?), but I understand where's he's coming from.  What I KNOW about my husband--and me--is that these grandiose schemes will probably NEVER happen.  What he wants to do encompasses a LOT of work, and frankly, we're both the worst procrastinators around (hence the reason why the main hallway, which was stripped of wallpaper almost two years ago, has still not been painted, let alone the wallpaper glue washed off!).  I think we should just start simple and work up the proposed nursery--and THEN maybe work on cleaning out the basement, moving the playarea down to the basement, moving the master bedroom to the den, and moving child #1 into the former master bedroom (meanwhile setting up a nursery in the SAME room *I* was intending).  Start simple should really be our motto--especially since we've only got about 6-7 weeks until this baby gets here.

I did spend most of yesterday going through and cleaning out some of the toys out of the den/playarea.  I threw away a whole bag of toys/trash.  And I have another box that needs to be passed on or somehow donated.  IF ONLY the kids would keep the den clean now that I've gone through it.  I used to be so good about getting them to pick up after themselves, but now that the toys are not in the same room that DH and I sit/watch TV, it just gets completely forgotten by me.  

I've been utilizing the "Expectant Mother" parking spot at the store more often--and trying not to feel guilty about it.  Why is it there if not to use?  But I always feel as if I'm cheating some grandma--or maybe a nine months gone lady with three toddlers--their rightful spot.  Interestingly, many times I can find a good non-expectant spot if I go at the right times--so I don't use it ALL the time.  Cashiers are starting to ask me if I want the drive-up service to pick up my paid groceries.  I haven't used that yet as I still feel perfectly capable of hauling my cart out to my "special" spot and emptying the groceries myself.  I mean, I have to lug them out of the car when I get home anyway, so it's really no big deal.  But the one cashier, when I said I didn't really need it said, "Just keep in mind that we've got it--you might want to use it, especially after the baby gets here."  Hmmm....now THAT I think is a good idea!

I am getting pressure more often now when I walk, and I still sometimes hurt in my hips, but it's not every day or all the time, but it does make me not feel so weird about using that Expectant Mom's parking spot.  And I'm starting to notice the start of the "little black down" down my belly.  And my belly button is mostly flat.  And my stretch marks around my belly button are making a more visible appearance again. 

33 weeks!!!  SOON!!

Enough!

OK.  The generosity of folks getting rid of their old baby stuff is just soooo amazing.  I feel bad saying No to some as I feel I want to HELP them get rid of this stuff that's been sitting in their basement for 10 years.  "Crud!  I already HAVE a bouncy seat!"  (But then I pass on the info about a place I DO know that will take the stuff off their hands.)

I'm just feeling overwhelmingly grateful.  My neighbor gave me a whole bag of BRAND-NEW 3-6 mos clothes that she found while cleaning out her basement.  AND they are the proper "summery" seasonal phase!  I can't believe she had that many brand-new clothes that she had bought and stored and then totally FORGOT about when her daughter was that age six years ago!  And then, a week later, she calls me that she found some MORE stuff.  She brings over another bag full of BRAND-NEW clothes and TWO more hand-crocheted blankies AND hand-crocheted washclothes (really need to take a picture of those for you to get the full effect).  She said she had a friend who was told she was having a girl, but baby came out with a stem on the apple.  She's had this stuff stored for YEARS.  So!  I now have even MORE 0-3 mos onesies, little pants, sleepers, hats, socks, bibs, etc.  And what with the outfits my mother tells me SHE couldn't resist buying, I think I can safely say, I have ENOUGH 0-3 outfits, thankyouverymuch all you wonderful people!

And then another friend sent me home with her used exersaucer last night--she actually had it stored in the original box.  Lovely condition.  Again.  Just freaking OVERWHELMED.

And now I'm itching to start washing and putting away all these clothes, but I STILL don't have a place to PUT them.  AAAAAAUUUUGH!  Maybe I just need to drag the hubby out dresser shopping this weekend just to help put my mind at rest.

One good thing about all these clothes.  Perhaps I won't have to do laundry quite so often those first few weeks with such a variety of outfits from which to choose?

31 week pic and SQUEEEE!!!

Finally!  I got all the camera paraphernalia together to post my 31 weeks pic!

And guess what?  Last Sunday my youngest daughter's GS troop had a wonderful, fun cooking/baking meeting.  My co-leader brought some baby-decorating items for the girls to use on our mini-cupcakes.  And then the Moms all pooled together and presented me with a travel system!!!  (And you know, it's a good thing I hadn't LOOKED at or updated my baby registry in a while, cuz THAT's the one they bought, and it even SAID SO on the registry.  Um...thanks for the Surprise, Amazon!  Really!)

Anyway, I picked this system for my registry because it was somewhat reasonably priced and it had a lot of good reviews to it.  I'm just so tickled to get it! 

The really funny part is that my mother found a system on sale and was looking to try to purchase it for me on the very day I got this one.  It's a good thing that major chain was having problems trying to figure out how to let her purchase a system in one state and then let me pick it up in another state.  THEN we would have had the hassle of how to return the darn thing!

So now I feel all "complete" in that that was the last absolutely necessary thing I had to have before this little girl gets here!  The only other expensive thing on my list is a new breast pump since mine died out while I was working/pumping for baby #2.  I actually borrowed a pump for baby #3.  (Hmmm....wonder if that mother still has it????)

And even though it's early and I said I wasn't going to do it yet, I've actually started to put together my hospital bag.  It's just one more simple thing I can actually do NOW and, you know, check off the list.

Meanwhile, the girls still can't get enough of watching/feeling this baby move.  It's been a lot of fun.  And I'm perusing the baby naming book again to see if anything else tickles my fancy.  Molly is still one of the front-runners, though.  Ugh!  The pressure of a NAME!

Big

31 weeks and counting!  I did have my oldest take another picture, but I haven't had a chance to download it yet.  Anyone surprised about that?  Maybe after I get caught up on all this GS stuff that is hitting me all at once???

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and I think I've gained about 2 pounds.  BP and belly were all fine.  Then I got to see the nurse for my third trimester talk.  One more milestone!  Yay!  It's nice to see a few things that have changed in the seven years I last gave birth.  For example, I now only have TWO forms to complete for my hospital pre-registration, AND I can MAIL IT IN instead of trying to find time in the day to drop it off in person (although, this was more of a hassle back in the day when I was actively employed).  The nurse kindly said to disregard the "call if you have contractions five minutes apart for 1/2 hour" and just to "call when YOU think you're in labor."  Will do--especially since I seem to go pretty quickly!

I think that most of the hand-me-down maternity clothes I got must have SHRUNK for their previous owners because most of the shirts I have (and we're even talking the LARGE-sized ones) are NOT fitting over my belly and giving me a nice, cool little breeze on my belly that I really don't want during the month of January!  I do have a torpedo belly, to be sure, but really, I'm not THAT big!

Although, an acquaintance asking me with all alarm the other day, "Why are you volunteering here at school?  Shouldn't you be at home?" did not help.  She thinks I look HUGE and did seem honestly concerned until I reminded her that I'm not due until March.  "Oh!  I thought you were due in January?"  Really!  I'm NOT that big!!!!!

(Although let's not discuss how I am certain I'm going to tip the scales at more than I did with the other pregnancies.  I keep reminding myself that I started a few pounds heavier, so SURELY it's normal.  And well, I think the doctors would NOT keep saying "you're weight is doing well!" if they didn't mean it, RIGHT?)

Anyway, it's a good thing I'm unemployed again since many of my clothes don't seem to fit right.  I am mostly wearing my non-maternity comfy pants pulled up under the belly and the large t-shirts I normally sleep in (although some of those probably won't fit me soon, either) and a large sweatshirt over that (it's awful chilly in my house). 

My husband's employer is going through some rotten times right now, and even though DH thinks he'll be OK at least until the summer, and it's against my superstitious nature, I've started buying some simple things for the baby NOW.  Every time I go to the store now, I try to remember to pick up a pack of diapers or wipes.  I actually bought a bottle brush the other day.  I am eye-balling the other sales around town and will start picking up more of those day-to-day things we'll probably need if they get to a good price.  The corner of my bedroom where I've been storing all this stuff is getting full.  I need to find a place to PUT everything!

Speaking of, I did spend some time cleaning out the proposed nursery the other day.  After two hours, one can actually walk IN to the room now, but it's still not even remotely done.  There is too much STUFF there that belongs to my husband for me to attempt to go through it.  Once I get all my GS gear out of there, we will have more space.  And DH also needs to get the book shelves--and maybe even his dinosaur of a computer that no longer works?--out of there.  THEN I can set up the bed for me and baby.  And put baby stuff on the built-in shelves that are part of the room. 

The only BIG thing we still need for now is the car seat.  I'm starting to price those right now, too.  Let me just say, that Babies Is Us is quite daunting--and even more amusing to walk around after having three kids and realizing that parents don't need a good 80% of the stuff they have in there!  I got the biggest chuckle out of the girl clothes.  I just don't want to dress up my daughter in a fair amount of the little outfits they had available there.  My poor, plain daughters!

Oh!  More getting-ready stuff....  I actually found all our childbirth class materials the other day and have read through them to brush myself up on the inevitable "what goes in must come OUT" situation that is now 8-9 weeks away.  Even after three "moderately easy" labors, it all is still a bit freaky to me.  I reviewing my breastfeeding info, too, despite being an almost pro after nursing and pumping while working full time for all three past their first birthday.  It's good to refresh one's memory.  I would like to join LLL again, but the times available for the nearby groups won't fit into my life too well right now.  I loved my old group, but it's too far away and in the crazy evenings.  The day groups aren't convenient, either.  Guess I'll just stay at home and go goofy this spring!

I'm still wanting Johanna or Molly for a name.  DH and I have put the discussions on the back-burner for a while while we deal with what all the already-existing kids need.  Busy, busy, busy!