While we Wait.

For all three of my pregnancies, I have had significantly different nesting strategies...or maybe, I should call them different things that I chose to be OCD and anal about.

I think I like "nesting strategies" better...

About 37 weeks.

With Kaden, it was the classic first time Mama nesting impulse where every. single. thing. in my house had to be in tip top shape, cleaned, organized, and culled from top to bottom, attic to basement.

A more accurate side view of the "vastness."

With Jesse, I knew that I was going to be a Mama of two, and most certainly I would never have time to cook a meal in my life ever again; so my focus was more on meal prep and freezing.

And I had to repaint my kitchen cupboards.
This was an absolute necessity.

Attacking...er "loving on" London...

With Ransom, we were in the midst of moving, and he was my first fall baby, so we had just come off of harvest season.  My family may not have had their home set up yet, and they may not have had any meals to eat....but sure as shooting, they had a boatload of frozen strawberry jam and applesauce to live on for months on end to come.

A photo bomb by my photographer's hand.  AKA  Kademyster.

And with this little girl, I'm finding myself to be even more random.  Things are fairly organized.  Things are fairly clean.  And I have a handful of meals stored away in the freezer.  Nothing really over the top, however.  But, after our little "trial run" a couple of weekends ago, I got my sights set on the fact that I have got to have new shower liners before this baby comes.  I need new shower liners, and the bathroom curtains and window curtains all have to be washed.  And I will not be ready for her arrival until these two things take place.  Dirty windows?  Didn't feel the least bit led to wash them...but then my Mama came and learned that it's been four years (yes. four. years.) since I've given them a thorough going over.  So she changed that fact real fast.  She rocks like that.  Freshly scrubbed floors?  Meh.  It may or may not take place.  But, brand new shower liners and clean window curtains?  A necessity.

And I also need a constant supply of peanut butter in the cupboard.
I get twitchy if we are running low and don't have a back-up.
And I get really nervous if my favorite yoga pants are in the wash...
And if we are running low on toilet paper.
It's the important things in life that I really tend to worry about...

Packed suitcase with the essentials:  camcorder, cd player, Cribbage, and snacks...

But, as of right now, we are finally golden.
She can come.
I'm good.
Shower liners purchased.  Curtains washed.  Peanut butter and toilet paper stocked.  Yoga pants packed.
Phew....
Weirdness, much?
I've learned to just roll with myself....both literally AND figuratively.  Ahem.

And now for just a couple of my favorite hospital "traditions:"

I always give my "big siblings" a gift from their "baby" for when they first come to visit us at the hospital.  Just some little things to make them feel big and special.  It's become a really fun tradition for me, and just today I finished filling their little "goody" bags.

And for each baby, Kev has always made me a beautiful cd of songs...in which I try really reeeeally hard not to listen to before I go to the hospital...but I usually can't wait, because I'm so excited.  I rarely pay it a bit of attention during the actual labor and delivery, but for the entire rest of our time in the hospital, I have it playing on repeat to the point where I have the order of the songs memorized.  I love this.  It's one of my most favorite things.

Aaaaand, once again I tested positive for the Group B Step...so I know that I will be staying an extra night in the hospital for the baby to be monitored.  It's pretty guaranteed that I won't get both doses of antibiotic into me before London makes her debut.  With Ransom we barely got one in in time.  And whilst hospitals are very much not my favorite while I am in labor...I very much don't mind staying an extra night after my baby's arrivals.  It's kind of like a hotel stay.  Only not so much.  But, I do so rather enjoy showing off my baby....and living in my jammies...and having meals brought to me.  That's kind of "hotel-ish."  And Kevy always stays with me...and the Hoolies always have sleepovers with Grampy and Grammy.  So, it's really kind of fun all the way around.  Once the baby comes.....

It's cozy...and snuggly...with my songs playing...and my hubby beside me...with our new baby close.
One of my favorite things, indeed....

And speaking of favorite things....

Oh my word.  Check this thing out.
A priceless gift from a precious friend.
I love. Love. LOVE this necklace.  What a treasure.  I almost cried when I opened it....

Seriously, it is one of my most treasured possessions.  And little did she know that this was the exact sort of "mother's jewelry" that I had been looking at and wanting.  It was to be my "Mother's Day Gift" to myself this year.  Ha!  Sooo, Happy early Mother's Day to meeeee!

And so, now we wait...
And we savor these last few days and weeks.
And we nest just a little bit more.
And I shall treasure these last few hours of feeling her move "in womb" until the day when I can finally meet her face to face...

We will cherish the gifts of today...

And we shall also drink a whooooole lot of pregnancy tea whilst we do all of our waiting.....
And we shall walk around the house during the wee hours of the morning drinking "Calm" and hoping that the restless legs will die down so that I stop shocking my husband awake with all of my violent kicking...
And we shall continue to write blog posts at 3:00 a.m....
And have crazy, weird dreams about giving birth to small animals...
And have my sons tell me that they "can't remember when I was skinny"...
And have people talk about my hidden "watermelon" like it's the most clever joke ever known to man...

You know...things like that.
While we wait.