Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Nesting

Never has the phrase "live and learn" been more applicable than in the preparation for my second newborn. This is due primarily to the very little, if any preparation I did before having Luke. It wasn't because I was lazy or because I didn't have the energy to do anything, I just didn't know what to do. Only after having a baby to take care of at all hours of the day, being deliriously exhausted and overwhelmed did I wish I had done more.

I wasn't lacking in the instinctive "nesting" stage with Luke, I just didn't put my instincts to good use. Trying to pass the time before baby came, I spent hours ironing Luke's new and freshly washed sleepers, blankets, and burp cloths. Yes, I ironed his burp clothes...in June. Did I know I was being ridiculous, of course, but I wanted to do something, and I didn't know what I should be doing.

Now, with three months to spare, whenever I feel that little burst of energy I take full advantage. Yesterday I washed, folded, skipped the ironing, and put fresh and sorted baby clothes into the new baby's dresser. A little premature, but who knows if I'll ever feel the urge to do superfluous laundry again, and now I KNOW that there won't be extra time once there's a baby around.

Also on my list is reading. Since summer I have been reading in super-speed, picking another up as soon as I put one down, but now it's time for a refresher course in baby care. How I regretted not reading enough about nursing and fussy babies before I had a fussy baby of my own. By the time I had my own fussy baby, I had no time to trouble-shoot, read about methods of calming the baby, or shop for a book that would fit our lifestyle. While it's difficult to read these books now while they're not quite relevant, I will force myself knowing the impracticality of getting anything read once there are two to care for.

My list today requires a hammer, nails, and hanging up those loose pictures scattered around the house waiting for a home on the wall. One more thing to check off the list before life hits a long pause with a new baby.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your posts! Having just been through the first month with our new little one and chasing a toddler, something that helped was having meals prepared and frozen ahead of time. Even meat already cooked and ready to be added to a meal has been a HUGE help. This has helped with my sanity . . .

Mallory said...

Thanks, Sarah! I like your tips. I'm HOPING to be that organized and have "practiced" some meal freezing. Right now I've been freezing bread and soups, but cooked meat is a GREAT idea!

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