How Time Flies

The count down has more than officially begun now....

• 6.5 more days of work until I'm on mat leave
• 8 more weeks until bambino arrives
• 8 rooms in our house to organize perfectly (hmmm... conveniently that's one week per room)
• 7+ 'must have' items and 3 'sure would be nice' items to purchase
• 2 cats to help adjust, and
• 1 shed to finish building

Whew, no wonder I'm in hyper list making mode!  

At our second to last baby class last night the participants got a chance to finally chat with each other and share what's going on for them.  Our topic for the evening was how to best manage the transition between being a couple to being a threesome, which I honestly was really happy to see included in the agenda. So, for our 'group work' the ladies gathered in one room, and the men in another and were asked to list what they saw (or feared) changing in their relationships (with each other, extended family, friends, colleagues, etc) once baby arrived.  Then we came back and reported out to the room.  

It was an interesting conversation, and honestly a little bit of a personal check, because we are all going through similar angst.  We got on to talking about how us gals really wanted our beaus to tell us their worries and concerns and start thinking them our and planning with us, but when we ask them, they either respond by saying they aren't really worried about anything, or that we'll just handle it when ever 'it' comes along.  Meanwhile, us gals are pouring through books and surfing the web, trying to do everything possible to be as prepared as possible. It's nice to know it's fairly universal!  We (the gals) also talked about how we are concerned about how this will all affect our friendships, and how we will need to set boundaries with family and friends who are eager to be involved, but maybe a little too eager.  

One of the worries that has been playing on my mind a lot of late is friendships and the loss of 'adult time.'  It's something I struggle with anyhow, as I've yet to establish any strong girl-friendships in Victoria that are outside of work, and therefore get a lot of my adult conversation time while on the job.  But now I'm going to be on mat leave....  so where does that leave me?  

When the men returned and shared their list, it was pretty different.  They spoke of concerns around increased financial pressure, decreased sex, managing different parenting styles, etc.  And their list was quite long!  I think all us women were a little relieved to see that, yes, their partners were indeed thinking about and worries about things.  

LOL - typically a woman's reaction to feel better knowing that someone else was worried too!

I know B & I will be fine at doing the parenting dance, and both of us agree that we'll hit bumps in the road and be able to manage them.  So how do I just chill out about it?  Maybe I don't, maybe it's part of my role of being 'mom'....

Nesting or Crazy? ... It's a fine line

So, for the last few weeks I've had this growing need, no rather... complete and utter fixation on getting our house in order (no small task) and a growing frustration over why B doesn't understand why it is simply, and so plainly, obvious in the importance of EVERYTHING having a place...

And I mean everything... big stuff like the linen closet, which has been pulled apart and reorganized twice, to small things like all the colored pens need to be kept together.

Yesterday I found myself tackling our storage room. I vacuumed, reorganized, and even went to the extent of washing down any dusty surface that I could find. Then stood transfixed looking at the piles of laundry. You see, piles of laundry look messy... that just wouldn't do! So I sat for at least an hour trying to figure out a better system for keeping our dirty laundry organized ... then I luckily was able to give my head a shake and move on to something else (though, secretly, I'm still trying to figure it out).

The other challenge is, both B & I are naturally not the most organized people, and we are just at the tail end of renovating our bathroom... which means there is a LOT of clutter around the house, and we still don't have "a place" for everything. B is working diligently on getting the shed built in the backyard... which will clear up our big room on the main floor that is currently being used for storage and laundry. It will be our rec / laundry room, with a new cupboard for household storage ... whenever we get around to renovating it (in 2011 sometime I would imagine). So, I get into a room and get completely overwhelmed on where to even start in organizing.

I also have this growing panic that the baby's room isn't organized and really "created" yet. I bought three black and white prints of safari animals the other day which I love, but then realized the cost of the three prints basically equals the cost of a car seat. So, now they are repackaged in the trunk of my car to return to the shop (though I can't quite bring myself to do that yet). How does one decide on a theme for their nursery? I have two totally different preferences... I adore the really campy, brightly colored stuff... but I also love the sophisticated styles - what will my bambino enjoy more?

Poor B just listens to me fret and agonize and does his best to help out. Though, when I complain I feel like I'm doing it all on my own, he frequently pleads that he can't organize something because I wont like how its done. Sadly, he's probably right. How's he supposed to know that my inner psyche has decided that all the baby items in the bathroom need to first be stored by functional use and then for the towels, etc they get organized by color?

Now, as I sit and write, I'm eying a stack of magazines. So, I'll stop my rambling and make them my next victim of purging.

So, for the ladies out there what was nesting like for you? And for any men out there, how did you cope with your spouse nesting?

Any tips, tricks, and advice would be absolutely welcomed!

Momma Down with a Cold

I'd been doing so well... really I had. Everyone around me has been dropping like flies with this horrible cold/flu bug that's going around. B has been sicks for almost 2 weeks, and everyone at work has been off as well.

So there I was, strutting around all proud of my incubator status helping me ward off viruses from myself and my offspring. Until, wham-o ... the cough and exhaustion appeared. B kindly offered some advice "this one is really bad, you'll feel better, then a day later will feel awful again" - thanks honey. So I've done what any sick person should do ... I've gone to bed, and stayed in bed... and slept and slept and slept. But it's still here. *sigh* I guess I just need to keep resting and wait this one out.

Amazingly, there's been a bonus to feeling so under the weather ... it's called downtime. Yesterday I spent all afternoon in bed in a state somewhere in between deep sleep and annoyance at day time tv. But it turned out to be quality time with my bump, who has been extremely active, well, ever since I got sick it seems like, and with the cats. At one point, call me crazy, I even started to play a game with little miss bump... I rub my belly one way, she squirms and kicks as she moves the other way. FUN! Okay, well it seemed fun for someone stuck in bed at least.

Perhaps this will be what maternity leave will be like, less the incessant coughing? Quality time just hanging out. I think those are the 'memorable moments' we always hear new moms talk about.

I can't wait for more.