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This week, I enter my third trimester, and with that, the to-do list has been weighing more heavily on my mind. I guess it’s true what they say about your second-born. We have been quite lax this time around. No baby magazine subscriptions, no intense Google searches (except for my heart palpitations), no rush to completely baby-proof every nook of our home. I’m even having a hard time getting interested in baby literature this time around. Certainly some things have changed in the last six years, but most of the baby guidelines are much the same. I’m excited–certainly! Just a little more lax. But, that to-do list is creeping up on me:
- Decide on a name. I’m already through the “K” baby names and have found absolutely nothing I’m happy with. Once we settle on a name, don’t ask what it is though. It’s our only secret:)
- Prepare and freeze extra meals for when the baby comes. Now’s the time to start clipping recipes that I can double or triple and freeze. Any good resources?
- Pick out a new car seat. Our old one is obviously expired by now, but I’m hoping to find one that’s compatible with our still-useful travel system stroller.
- Make a list of what to pack in my hospital bag. Then, eventually, pack it.
- Sew a baby bunting thing. I have a lot of sewing projects on my Pinterest board, but this is the only one that I’m hell-bent on finishing.
- Find furniture for Peanut. Poor boy has had a girl’s vanity dresser for far too long. We want to get him a new wardrobe and desk instead of the girly dresser and changing table-turned-bookshelf. Scouring Craiglist every day.
- Along with that, we really need to get a move on Baby Girl’s room soon. What was once our office will now be her nest. We need to get the old furniture out and move the new furniture in. It hurts thinking about it.
- Choose a new pediatrician. Our insurance has changed since news of our Baby Girl hit. Peanut and Baby Girl will both need new care.
- Journal for the baby. I kept a journal before Peanut was born about what I was thinking about, what was happening, current baby news, and how I felt about him. I remember all the news about BPA in polycarb bottles was just coming out and I’ve got a clip about that in there, along with our choice to use glass bottles. I want to do the same for Baby Girl. I think I only have one entry so far. Must. Get. On. That.
- Choose an easy scrapbook format and some simple embellishments for the baby. I don’t want to cheat my second-born of what I created for the first-born. I know I have to stay right on top of it or it will never happen, so purchasing the whole set-up now will save this project.
- Purge Peanut’s baby clothes. I no longer need any boy clothes. This is going to be so hard to do, parting with those little bitty outfits that bring back memories. However, we’re having a family rummage sale soon and it would be the perfect opportunity to clear the attic. Plus, I have friends and family with boys younger than Peanut that might enjoy some of our spoils.
- Figure out the whole breast pump thing with my insurance company.
- Film a prenatal workout video or 4. I likely won’t have anymore children, so I know right now is the ideal time to film a prenatal workout video. I really want to do this because there’s not a whole lot out there. It’s not just a “should do.” I’ve been jotting momma-friendly moves and hope to get something together really soon. Before I lose my baby belly in three months.
- Do some kind of maternity photo shoot.
- Pick up a few more baby girl clothes. This–and the car seat and diapers–are about the only things we need for baby #2. All the big stuff has just been patiently waiting for a new recipient in our attic for the past 6 years.
- Clean out the chest freezer. Gots to make some room for all the extra milk.
Oh geez. Just looking at this list is making me sleepy. Haha. I could literally nap just about anywhere right now. In fact, I’ve been known to steal away on my lunch break for a quick nap. Luckily, nothing will crumble if I don’t get to all of these things–or most of them really. I’m enjoying this time to take things a whole lot slower than my normal Type-A turbo pace, so I’m not as intensely focused on all of that right now. Just making it through a work day and dinner is enough for me. Ideally though, it would be nice to tackle most of them, or at least get a start on most of them. Baby steps (pun totally intended)!