Ready or Not, The Baby's Comin'

Well, we are here.

I've only got about a month-ish left of this pregnancy, fall is in the air (hooray!!!!!!), and we've started homeschool for the year. Not only that, but I've gotten a *really* good start on my to-do list before baby arrives. This list was SO overwhelming when I wrote it. It's a full page of things like "clean out the classroom/office/sewing room that has become the junk room over the summer", "shampoo the rugs" and "wash and oil all the kitchen cupboards" - oh, and we can't forget "clean up the landscaping and transplant peonies". Sheesh.

37 Weeks!

I am in no mood, nor do I have the energy to actually tackle it all on my own. Enter my awesome family and friends.

My mom and brother's girlfriend came the week before we started school and helped us clean out, organize, and overall de-clutter the school room. Thank you Jesus for them! I wish I would have taken a before picture. But then you would have seen the "hoarding-esque" nature of what the room had become. I'm so not kidding - it had gotten so bad that I literally had to ask my husband to move the big heavy things away from my sewing table so I could sew anything. Also? I hadn't used my office desk all summer long and much of the spring (it was too cluttered) - I had just parked at the dining room table and let that collect all my office stuff instead. Of course, that means that I had papers, magazines, office stuff, and just general clutter in not only the "junk room" and covering my desk, but also in the dining room so we couldn't even eat at our table. Ridiculous.

Then mom came back and cleaned and oiled all my cupboards while I cleaned up the dining room and shampooed rugs. It was wonderful! My bestie even came and helped me go through all our baby clothes so I could wash what's needed and feel a little more organized in that regard.

My brother is making a clothes line for me, my husband is doing some fix-it stuff around the house, and I'm just overflowing with blessings from people who care about me. My sister is even talking about coming down and doing my hair before the baby comes (she's a super-awesome cosmetologist from Watertown).

So, with all that done and out of the way, some things checked off the list in-between all that big stuff, and only a few really big things yet to do, I'm feeling relatively ready for the baby. Sure, I still have to get my diaper stash washed, organized and figure out what I still need, and I also need to do some things to prepare for the actual birth, but I'm overall feeling pretty good about things, and relatively organized - even if I likely won't get our room painted. Sigh.

Am I all the sudden super-mom and awesomely prepared for everything, organized and all? Not even

close. Do I feel like things are coming together and we can get through the arrival of a tiny new addition to our family who will likely turn our routines and daily lives completely upside down? You bet. I at least have some clothes and blankets washed for him or her, and luckily my mom will be around and willing/able to do school with the kids on the days Randall can't, and I'm working hard to get everything prepared on the work front so I can take a little time off.

Since contractions (real ones, not just the normal and constant Braxton Hicks) began last weekend and I'm 37 weeks, I think it's finally starting to sink in for real that this baby is coming sooner than later. I don't have months left anymore - it's more like weeks. I'm still quite certain that he/she won't grace us with their presence until about 41 or 42 weeks, but it's all the sudden very real.

I feel like my body is really revving up for the big show, and I'm just sitting here praying that doesn't actually happen until after October 3. I've got almost every single day mapped out with something planned until then.

So, baby Jellybean, if you could just hold on until then, I'll be most grateful!

Ok - I really need to get going and keep checking things off my list...for work and home. And if anyone really likes to weed or do landscaping, let me know - I'd totally take your help (I'll give you some peonies)! *wink*

~Evie