Getting ready for baby, part II

Baby books alway have a list of things to do before you have a baby but I've noticed that they aren't as helpful as they could be and they're almost always written for first time moms. Some of these are things I've never seen in a magazine, but I'll be so glad they're done!

• wash all the (boy!) baby clothes and baby sheet and receiving blankets


• get the cradle all ready (make it up with layers - sheet, waterproof pad, sheet, waterproof pad, etc to make changing the bed in the middle of the night a little easier)


• sterilize the breast pump just in case


• pack a baby kit with nail clippers, infant tylenol, mylicon drops, thermometer, nose suction bulb thing, etc)


• make a new baby carrier (I make ones like this wrap and pouches like this one - they're so easy!)


• declutter everything I can find to declutter!


• make a thank you note/birth announcement kit - something I can take to the hospital - with pens, notes, addressed envelopes, stamps, etc all in one place


• pack a hospital bag with lots of little extras to make my stay a little more relaxing...especially takeout menus (hospital food is enough to make me want to take my iv and go home) and homemade granola


• charge batteries for the camera and video camera


• stock the pantry and the freezer with meals for at least three weeks


• make plans for the kids (who will be with them and when they'll come to the hospital)


• dig out some comfy non-maternity clothes to wear for those first weeks when nothing fits


• move Christian into the big boy room and a big boy bed...I won't be able to lift him in and out of the crib and, by moving him before the baby's born we avoid the "who's this new kid taking my bed?" problem


• start drinking red raspberry leaf tea


• look for ways to boost milk supply

Well, that should keep me busy for awhile. But if anyone thinks of anything else they would do to get ready, I'd love to hear it.

Baby News

The ultrasound waiting room was a bit crowded...my parents, sister, grandmother, and all four kiddies waited to hear...

A brand new baby boy is on his way! Brenna was briefly disappointed at not getting a baby sister, but she seems to be enjoying her "only girl" status for now.

ed to add...we could not get a good picture of his face or profile so we have a wonderful shot of his little bitty foot and side (3d? or 4d?) picture of his hands over his ears, his body and little knee. Are we that loud already little guy?

Getting ready for baby

My parents went home yesterday. We had such a great visit...I'm always sad when they leave so I try to get busy doing something right away to take my mind off of it. Luckily, I have plenty to keep busy with. Besides trying to do some fixing up around the house, I have a baby to get ready for!

I started a list yesterday of things to do/buy/find before this little guy gets here. You would think with baby #5 that I would have everything all ready, but we've gotten to the point where a lot of our baby things are actually worn out!

Here are the necessities I need to have on hand...some I just have to unpack, but some I need to buy. Hopefully I'll have time to find some good deals!

• diapers, 4 packs (these I have already, thanks to Kroger coupons I only paid $1 per pack)


• wet wipes, 2 packs (for newborns I usually use water and old baby washcloths as much as possible so I don't need as many of these)


• new washcloths for baby baths


• nursing pads and nursing bras (at least 2, 3 is better)


• bottles (when Christian was born, I did not have a single bottle in the house...in my defense he was the first baby that I actually needed a bottle for)


• a new carseat (convertible or infant? I still can't decide)


• pack-n-play (I have a cradle that I love for my room, but I want something to keep in the toy room as well. A pack-n-play will also help corral a crawling baby during school time)


• baby swing (we have been through two of these! my kids love them)


• "new" dvds for the big kids, especially for the trips (an hour one way) to and from the hospital


• coloring books, crayons and other activities to keep the kids busy


• snack things that will be easy to grab for me and the kids


• pantry necessities for the first month or two and things that will make housekeeping easier...paper plates, paper towels, laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent, toiletries and TP

Whew! And that's just the stuff to gather! The list to do is even longer so I think Ill make it a separate post. I know (and as my friends say, I speak from experience here!) getting this stuff taken care of now makes bringing a new baby home so much easier!

Homeschool Science Day

Our homeschool group invited Dr Craig Anderson to give a one-day science presentation - from all I've heard it was a huge hit! Casey took the day off to go with Levi and they both had a great time! I'm so glad that Levi had an exciting science experience since science is really not my thing:) But, considering what a great time they had, I might have to check it out myself next year!

Trip to the barbershop...in Georgia

Casey and I took the boys to get haircuts last weekend. They love going to the barbershop because afterwards we stop by the hot dog stand next door so everyone was in good spirits...until Casey opened the car door. He calmly turned to me and said "don't freak out" (how well he knows me) "but there's a snake out here." In the parking lot. Where I had to put my actual feet and my precious children's feet. I was, in fact, about to freak out. Thankfully the snake was very dead...something I had Casey verify before I'd get out of the car. He handled it so well that the kids were totally unfazed. I, however, had to record the moment with photographic evidence that I had, in fact, been this close to a real snake.
It turns out that one of the barbers had killed the snake by his pond and brought it to work to mess with people (um, way to drum up business...put a deadly rattlesnake in front of the door). It was kind of funny, once we were safely inside and divided by glass from the dead snake, to see other people react...especially the grown man who lit out down the street running and left his friend to stumble across the rattler himself.