Next week will mark six weeks (or more? or less?) to go and the time to get things done is now (or soon)! We are staying home from the lake/Penn State for the long weekend to do "all of the things" - house, baby, relax - I want to cross a lot of our many to do lists so we can spend the upcoming weeks enjoying fall, football, fun.
I've rounded up fifteen to do's that are saved for the end of pregnancy - some we've just accomplished, some we still have to check off. I'm really hoping to have most big things done about a month before or definitely by the start of October.
Wash... Everything
Baby clothes, baby bottles, bedding - the washing/putting away process has started around here and the smells are so good! It's never to early to get this stuff out of the way and so accomplishing to be finished with it.
Hospital Tour/Baby Classes
It's always great to know where you're going ahead of time at the hospital - tours are usually quick and free. Hospitals also offer a variety of classes from birthing to baby. We're a little late with this and not doing our tour until the end of September and picked out one newborn class to do too.
Install the Car Seat
They won't let you leave the hospital without it so this one is key - I foresee this being a "Derek" task. We'll tackle this in a week or two and we also need to pick up another base.
Put Together... Everything
There are so many things to be put together/set up - the bassinet, the swing, the baby chair, the bouncer, the monitor, the noise machine, etc. It's better to just get it out of the way - plus I feel pretty unorganized with boxes just sitting around all over where the items will go.
Final Shopping
A lot of little items can be saved for the end after the baby shower is over. We have just a few things left to grab and with the holiday sales this weekend I figure now is the time! The last thing you want to be doing is running around the last month rushed to gather what you need.
Birth Plan
It can be simple, it can be detailed, it can be literally gathering information of who to call/text and when. My biggest item for our "hospital notes" is making sure Stella gets to my parents safely (we even have a backup for her!) along with her favorite toy/bed - Have to take care of our first baby :)
Pack the Hospital Bags
You never know when that little one will come so it's a safe bet to get these packed around 36 weeks - better safe than sorry. We'll get to this in a few weeks and then I have a little list of items to throw in right at the end.
Stock Up
Groceries, household items, dog supplies, WINE (!!!), Extras (Halloween candy) - you don't want to be running out for little things when you could be home enjoying your new baby - or sleeping when they sleep!
Freezer Meals
You know what your favorite dishes are so it's simple to either have them for dinner now and make extra to freeze or just have a freezer meal day - we have a list of a few things to freeze and will try to get that done later in September.
I'm also going to make a list of our favorite easy meals/take out spots so when we are too busy to think the ideas are right there and one of us just has to run out for a quick pickup. I've also already started a running list of meals I'd love to have my mom make us so we can make outings to my parents for dinners :)
House Deep Clean
There's nothing better than a clean house to come home to - We'll have our cleaning people in the week before I'm due - or while we're at the hospital but we're doing little things right now to get ready like getting our closets ready for fall and things like that.
Nurses Gifts
The baby nurses are so helpful in the first few days and during the hospital stay - there's also so many cute ideas on Pinterest - it's nice to throw a little something together for them to say "thanks"!
Setup the Newborn Photographer
Many like to be booked a month or more in advance because of scheduling - plus it's one more thing not to worry about in the final days. We just crossed this off the list this week AND ours will include your pup in a few of the photos too.
Get the Baby Book Ready
I almost forgot about this one! It's great to save photos on the computer and scrapbook like this on the internet but there isn't anything like doing it the old fashioned way. I just started writing in ours to get ahead and we have a photo album to go with it for him.
Pick a Pediatrician
Recommendations from friends/your healthcare provider can be the best and also easy - we're also interested in ours being located close to us for convenience.
Enjoy Yourselves!!!
Date nights, pampering, rest, pick shows to binge watch, etc.
There's only a little bit of the pregnancy left and it's best to enjoy it and take it all in while you can. I genuinely enjoyed being pregnant other than a little bit of unwanted stress so I'm ready to enjoy these final weeks before it's over.
Sounds like you are ready to tackle on the last things to do!! If you end up doing a freezer meal day, I would love to see what you make!
ReplyDeleteYou sound ready! Totally not Internet appropriate, but be sure you have enough feminine products, nursing pads, Tylenol and a heating pad on hand, too. Brandon always died having to go to the store for those for me, so I stocked up at Sam's Club before Knox was born and it was so helpful to not have to worry about that when we got home from the hospital. Also, many fire departments will install your car seat(s) for you and/or check it to ensure you installed it safely and correctly. Good luck, girlie! I know those last few weeks are so exciting but also so stressful and anxiety-ridden!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your on top of your to-do list! Sometimes it's nice to take a whole weekend and just get lots of things done. I hope you all get a lot accomplished and get some rest as well!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great list, Christina! It sounds like you have it all covered! And YES to old-fashioned baby books! Both of our babies have one and I wouldn't have it any other way! The blog is great and all, but I'd much rather have something that they can pass down from generation to generation.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how many things you have to do before the baby actually gets here! I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do as far as baby books, but I think that I'm just going to make one myself since I'm not very good at actually writing things down in a physical book. I tried a pregnancy journal and never actually kept up with it!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great list. It good to get things done early and be prepared. My friend did a baby book for her children and it's really awesome to look back at. Not many people do them anymore but I think they are fun. My friend's daughter loves to look at her's. Shes loves to show it to people too. It's so cute.
ReplyDeleteI love the attitude that you have that there's still a lot to prepare for, but you have to enjoy it! It sounds like you're in pretty good shape, so hopefully these next few weeks will go smoothly. Ryan laughs at me all the time because I'm not even pregnant (obviously), but I always talk about how we have to have a plan for what to do with Finn when the time comes. So, I certainly can appreciate the plan for Stella. :)
ReplyDeleteYes yes yes!! All of these! I didn't do nurse gifts bc I was surprisingly induced at 37 weeks and was not prepared but next baby I definitely will because oh my gosh, those nurses are angels. You are SO close!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletexx
Lauren Elizabeth
Petite in Pearls