Here’s the situation: Cletus the fetus will be making her grand entrance into the world in less than three weeks. Hopefully sooner than that. (She’ll also be receiving a much better name at that time…) That means I’ve got STUFF TO BUY and PREPARATIONS TO MAKE and all that pre-baby hoopla that’s supposed to make you feel less freaked out about bringing a new person into the world and changing your life forever.
I’ll confess, my nesting instinct has (finally) kicked into high gear. Up until recently it didn’t even occur to me that this child will probably need clothes and that all my newborn clothes had been handed down to nieces. Swaddling clothes were good enough for baby Jesus, right? My kid could totally be wrapped in a diaper and a blanket for a few days until we found something resembling actual clothing.
(For the record, that issue has been remedied. Rest assured: Baby will not have to go naked because her mama is thoughtless and lazy.)
The thing about nesting this time around, though, is that it seems kind of…arbitrary. All the things I know I should actually take care of are getting shoved aside in favor of random stuff that suddenly seems SUPER important. For example…
Re-potting my basil plant (and subsequently shuffling around a couple other house plants): critical.
Setting up the bassinet: I’ll get to it eventually.
Getting a haircut: scheduled for this afternoon, actually, because the world might end if I have to give birth with triangle hair.
Calling the hospital to make sure they have my midwife’s number attached to my pre-registration forms: not so much.
Making plans for this summer’s trip to California: I’m totally on it.
Mopping the kitchen floor: yeah, that ain’t gonna happen.
I promise my priorities aren’t entirely out of whack. I do have enough sense to file our taxes this weekend rather than waiting until we’re in the throes of newborn awesomeness. Baby clothes have been washed and sorted, and diapers are on hand and ready to go. And we’ve done this before. We can figure it out as we go, right? We’ll be FINE.
(And the child within her laughed its evil laugh and grinned its evil grin and though Just you wait, Mommy dearest, just you wait.)
I can always come down and help you prepare! Just an idea!
Kim, you stay home and get yourself healthy. You've got enough going on without trying to take care of me and my weirdness too!
I totally did this exactly. I could not bear to think I would give birth without my fingernails impeccably painted and my hair in fabulous order. All this means is that I had a girl child and she had nothing not-blue to wear for about a week. Then my mom and sister stepped in to dress the poor child.
Yes. Why on earth do we get fixated on stuff like that? Although to be fair, you did look pretty fabulous in photos I saw, which means your efforts were not in vain.
Hahahaah. This cracks me up. I get that way too when I have something big coming up.. My priorities seem very out-of-order, but I don't do anything about it. I just figure "Eh, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it". Good luck!! Let me know if you need help with anything! I know that's funny to say, seeing as we've never officially met, but furreal…..
You're sweet, Jacquie, thank you!
I was exact same way. I felt like I made so many great preparations, but I didn't do any of the important stuff. Like, I had my bags packed at 35 freaking weeks and then I got to the hospital and didn't need 95% of the stuff in my bag. Why did I bring so much stuff?! Why did I pack so early?! I was in labor for 12 hours at home so, clearly, I could have done in then. (You know, before the feeling of wanting to die set in.)
I did the same thing last time! Except I totally forgot to pack my toothbrush at the last minute, so I had NASTY breath for like two days. (Should've had someone bring it to me but I kept forgetting…) This time I've got a spare and some travel toothpaste all ready to go. Clothes? Not so much, but at least my mouth will be clean.