Nesting

We have been busy getting ready for our new baby girl. I have to admit, I've had many thoughts lately of encouraging myself to blog less during this coming year. Lately, I just haven't felt like doing much of anything, but I've also contemplated the value of my time and the activities I choose to spend my valuable time on...anyway...that's enough on that, for now. We rang in the New Year just the three of us, with a traditional Southern dinner of Black-Eyed Peas and Greens. We toasted with some sparkly apple cider (Sawyer really liked the clanging of cups and shouting "cheers!") I felt like going to bed at Sawyer's bedtime (8:30) but decided to stay up and watch a movie with Jacob. We knew it was 2010 when our neighbors set off a bunch of fireworks. Hooray for a New Year! A new beginning...and lots of new adventures - I love it! Our first new adventure, of course, it going to be the quickly-coming arrival of our baby girl. We are all very excited to meet her! Sometimes it still seems surreal that within 2-5ish weeks, we will be a family of four! Here's what we've been up to in preparation...

We got her bassinet all set up in our room. Our tiny room, I might add. It's a small room to begin with, and now there's barely room to walk around the bed. But we don't mind :)

I've washed all the blankets and bedding, and a few new (so so soft) swaddling blankets. Sawyer was a summer baby and was indifferent about being swaddled, since the weather was so warm. But I have a feeling our winter baby is going to love it. I also washed and organized all of the newborn clothes. As I pulled out some of the newborn-sized onesies Sawyer wore only 18 months ago...I couldn't help but have some sweet flashbacks thinking of him when he was so tiny and new. I wonder if Aspen will resemble her brother at birth? Or if she'll be completely different. I wonder if she'll be bigger than him? Or smaller? I've gained 21 lbs so far, which is about where I was at with Sawyer at this time in pregnancy (hoping to hit the recommended 25! I made it to 26!) although I feel bigger. I feel like she juts out all in front whereas Sawyer was jammed into my rib cage. I suppose we'll soon find out the answer to all of these questions!

Oh yes. The girly clothes. I think I'm good for the first 6 months. I always had fun shopping for Sawyer's clothes - they make some pretty darn cute boy clothes now-a-days...but my-oh-my, how much fun to shop for girl clothes! I just love all of the little details! (Don't worry, she has many plain old white onesies with little leggings...I am practical as well as excited about the cute outfits!)

The nursery. It's pretty much done, just a few little finishing touches to do - but if she came tomorrow I'd be happy with where we're at. Of course, Sawyer and Aspen are going to be sharing their room, so I had to choose "neutral" colors. All of the furniture is white, so I went with pale shades, for the most part, of green and yellow for bedding and storage/organization. Pink will just have to wait (although I did go with some pink in her bassinet). I searched forever for the perfect coordinating baskets, and have to thank The Land of Nod for many of my favorite finds.

Oooh. The teeny, tiny, newborn-sized diapers. I stocked up on a few packages. Sawyer was so small, we had to roll over the tops of the smallest diapers we could find. And while we will do cloth eventually - we found that cloth doesn't work so well until the baby is at least 8lbs. Her little bum will eventually be covered with little "g's"...

So, this week we are nailing down our game plan for where Sawyer will go when we head off to the hospital (times like these it would be heavenly to have family closer by!) We washed and vacuumed out the car, and will install the infant carseat this weekend. And so on, and so on...getting ready!

I have to be honest and say that sometimes seeing people's lives on a blog can make it seem perhaps a little more glorious or glamerous than it actually is. What I mean by this is...I've actually been feeling HORRIBLE the past couple of weeks (let's be real...the whole pregnancy!) I struggle just to get a few things done each day. My doctor has asked me to "take it easy" and stay off my feet as much as I can for another week (she has a sneaky suspicion the baby may come a little early - and I'm crossing my fingers she will be anything but late). If I seem obsessive in my preparation for baby #2, it's because that's pretty much all I can do right now. Poor Sawyer, he really needs a play date! Maybe after my appointment next week my doc will say "run wild and free!" although I may still not feel like it. At least if I drag myself and Sawyer to the Zoo...it won't be too big of a deal if I go into labor!

Here's to getting ready for Aspen, celebrating our anniversary, and my 33rd birthday in the next few weeks! Wish us luck!