I have been so busy the past week. I can't believe we're already four weeks into the new school year. Schooling a first grader has been a very interesting experience for me. It's amazing the things I've learned just through teaching another. I'm going to post pictures of some of our projects after some of the craziness here this week is done.

Loading the Freezer

This weekend I did a huge freezer cooking push and my freezer is packed with main dishes. About 44 main dishes right now, and 4 batches of cornbread to go with soup. The kids and I are going to make tamales later this week to put up as well. But with the freezer full of food I feel much more ready for the baby to come.

Scott will be taking a couple of weeks off and he cooks well, but I feel better knowing there is food for those first couple of days after the baby comes (when, even if he doesn't believe it, he's going to be pretty worn out too) – and for after he goes back to work. I'm a bit annoyed that his company has chosen right. now. to make huge changes which are probably going to mean a lot of stress up until the baby comes, and probably after the baby comes. Having regular meals that don't require too much effort will keep me less stressed when he goes back to work, which will be beneficial to him because he can come home to a (hopefully) peaceful house, as opposed to three children climbing the walls, wife and baby in tears, and absolutely nothing cooking.

Scrubbing the House

I've also been cleaning like crazy. Partially because my midwife's home visit is tonight, along with a Blessingway some friends are having for me. And partially because nesting is in full force. I spent about 45 minutes yesterday scrubbing my bathtub. It's a pitiful bathtub, really. I never have managed a great tub – my last tub was a perfect, huge tub…but the hot water heater always gave out when it was halfway full. In this house we have an awesome hot water heater that keeps on chugging. And an itty-bitty tub.

But anyways. I don't think the tub has been cleaned since Scott bought the house (over a decade ago). So I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed. Talk about a cardiac workout. And all that advice “be on your hands and knees to avoid a posterior baby” – well he better not be posterior after all that time yesterday! But the tub came amazingly clean with a good scrubber and a generous application of Bon Ami (a very environmentally friendly cleaner that has been cleaning houses for over a hundred years :p). I was pleased. I still need to do a little more scrubbing around the faucet and up one side of the tub – I ran out of steam lol. But I got the bottom and side where the bathwater comes to squeaky clean. Clean enough to bathe a baby :p

Other cleaning adventures include a deep clean of the kitchen – something I have been putting off from the dread of it. It went much better than I expected :p One tip I'll give you – if you're considering some sort of decorative railing for the tops of your cabinets…stop now. Don't even think about it further. They may look nice, but they're a pain to clean. If I ever get the chance to decorate/design my own kitchen I will plan it to be easy to clean!

Baby Nest

Our bedroom is pretty well set for baby's arrival. I have the birth kit in place, and I washed all the towels, sheets, baby blankets, etc for the birth yesterday. I just need to get them in clean bags now.

I have a medium-sized box full of newborn and 0-3 month sized baby clothes filled by the bed so I don't have to go out to the dresser for the baby's clothing. I also have lots of diapers around – I have some Tushies diapers I got for the first few days. And I have lots and lots of prefolds, which I plan to have under him when we start working on elimination communication. I also have quite a few pocket diapers on hand for going out. Six of them a friend custom made for us and I'm excited about those 🙂

I also have plenty of baby blankets and other assorted baby paraphernalia close to the bed. I think the only thing I really have left to do is put a few books over there for me to read; I tend to get a lot of reading done in baby's first week since we stay in bed. So I end up nursing, cuddling, sleeping, and reading (and I am so, so, so looking forward to that!)

I feel like I have our “baby nest” pretty much ready. Food in the freezer, all birth supplies here (except the tub), and all of baby's things ready… so on a basic level I am ready.

Other To-do's

I do have some other things left to do. Besides attending the couple of baby showers I think we're going to have (I am getting more attention for this baby than I have for any of the others…it's strange almost) – I need to get things ready for the big kids.

Next week we'll wrap up Cassidy's current unit in school, then we have a one-week nature unit before I've planned a break from schooling. The “break” however, is also pretty full. We'll continue the kids' language lessons (they're taking Japanese with a native speaker!), and I have several activities planned with them.

I'm sure I'll also keep on cleaning :p

And I want to get plenty of activities ready for the kids after the baby is born. I'm planning to get the supplies they need for various crafts ready to go. I think my mom will enjoy doing those with them, and I'm sure she'll bring some things of her own. She'll be in town for a couple of weeks after the baby comes.

Most of what I need to do is things to help keep the kids content and settled while I'm pretty busy with baby – but it's stuff I do really want to get done for them.

And now I need to go do more cleaning to get my house ready for tonight. I will hopefully be posting pictures of different things in the next few days!