Spin-off: What is on your "to do" list?

[annekevdbroek]

The post about nesting got me thinking. I made a list a couple of weeks ago of projects that must be finished before baby arrives. It really isn't a complete list - in fact there is more that I haven't written down than has actually been put on the list. (The list is mainly for DH - so that he'll do some of the stuff.)

I'll be back to add my list shortly. I'm just wondering what everyone else has on their list? Any projects you are trying to get finished, aside from the general holiday craziness?

[MacKinnon]

Well... Here is the short version of the list...
-Move extra stuff out of baby's room
-Wash clothes & diapers
-Finishing painting trim in our room
-Finish cleaning/setting up our room (recent remodel)
-Set up co-sleeper
-Set up changing table/station upstairs
-Move computer desk out of playroom
-Set up shelving in playroom
-Buy remaining baby things (a wrap, some diaper covers, etc.)
And... If we get everything done... Paint the kitchen cabinet fronts!

We've been in the middle of redoing most of the house a room at a time and have little bits of a bunch projects left to wrap up. I REALLY want it all done before the baby comes! But, there is always a but, DH just came down with severe vertigo from an inner ear virus and he can't do anything! When he recovers, he will be out of town for the next two weeks, and then, it is Christmas... So, I'll be lucky if anything gets done that I can't do!

[annekevdbroek]

ilovemyavery - I can totally relate. We moved into a fix-it-upper 18 months ago. Now most projects are completed, but there are still these little nagging things that I HAVE to get done. We move again in another 18 months and I am already in the mode of what has to be done to show the house well.

Anyhow, my list:
1. Fix the wallboard where the shower curtain ripped out of the drywall. Patch with wallpaper. (Half done)
2. Put up thingies on the wall to wrap the window blind cords around. Do enitre house (20 windows or so). Materials have been purchased.
3. Fix air vent that is falling out of dining room ceiling.
4. Install skylight shade in baby's room. (shade ordered)
5. Reinstall shelves in garage that are falling out of the wall.
6. Tile study.
7. Patch cracks in drywall in family room (Got a lot done today. Two more coats of skim coat needed, then prime, texture, and paint.)
8. Caulk/grout for master bath

Sewing:
9. Crib bumper (1/2 done - may work on this late tonight)
10. Reupholster glider (waiting for fabric to arrive).

11. Apply wall decals in baby's room. (Keith Haring decals, so cool!)

12. Finish making bean bag toss game for DS for xmas.

Aldeady done: Gutters in the back of house have been removed and replaced, garage gutters have been rehung with better hangers. Bathroom has been recaulked and grout repaired as needed.


Oh yeah - and all the holiday stuff too! I hope to get my xmas letters/cards out tonight. I went to the post office today and the stamp vending machine was broken and there were about 20 people in line and one clerk. I just left.....And make chocolate covered pretzels for a few neighbors and DS's teachers. And wrap presents, and mail photos to relatives, and whew! At least I am DONE shopping.

My semester just ended (I teach some college courses) and I got my grades turned in last night. So now I have A LOT more free time. I felt like I got quite a bit done today in the family room.

[Shazer]

Ok, I thought my list of things to do was insane, but it seems like everyone has lots to get done.

Here is what I want to do:
1. Finish taking down icky wallpaper in kitchen, paint. Luckily a friend has agreed to do a lot of the work. But there is so much wallpaper left to do and I am not comfortable being on a ladder now.
2. Have garden plans finished and seeds purchased.
3. Wrap up 06 finances, prepare tax information for accountants.
4. Paint living room. I also want several other rooms painted, but I don't think this will happen.
5. Finish downstairs bathroom which requires cutting trim, touching up paint and lots of nitty-gritty work.
6. On Jan 11, some new kitchen cabinets arrive. Luckily we will have a carpenter hang them all and by scheduling now, it can be finished by Jan 15th. After cabinets are installed, I must clean the kitchen, reorganize, etc.


That is it for the major projects. I seem to always have little things I want done as well. Best of luck to everyone finishing projects.

[angel0123]

I feel I am "done" really...

I just have to..
move ds's car seat
put in babys seat
get basinett from my parents
put up the blinds and baby on board sign in the car

[jilly]

Wow, you ladies amaze me with your know-how. Dh won't even let me paint becuase he's sure I'll get paint on something valuable (I'm not sure what we own that is so valuable, but anyway), so our house stays sort of permanantly beige and empty.

I have about a third of my list done, so here's the remainder:

-pick up furniture for ds from friends 1 1/2 hr drive away (doing it Thurs)
- rearrange our room with extra mattress for ds, and encourage him to sleep on it
- hang shelves in our room (to make room for mattress) and kids' room/spare room (with change table, kids' drawers, etc, so things are not accessable to toddler)
- finish one baby quilt for best friend and make two more
- recover nursing pillow
- make frog beanbags for ds for Christmas
- freeze 5 - 6 more meals
- hook up web cam
- organize and order photos from ds' first two years of life, organize into photo albums
- make small photo albums for granparents for Christmas
-Christmas cards
- pack hospital bag and bag for toddler
- scrub walls and window sills

So, only a few major things, but I doubt I'll make it through the list. Christmas is one of dh's busiest times of year at work, and I don't have any family or many friends who can help me out with watching ds.

[bleumoose]

My list...

baby and birth specific:
- find and buy a dresser and put away baby clothes/diapers
- gather birth supplies & prep them (sterilize the ones that need it)
- unpack labor pool when it arrives to let it air, do a practice run of filling
- rearrange our bedroom to move the crib to DH's side of the bed
- a couple weeks later (to give ds a chance to adjust) set up cosleeper

other stuff I'd like done before birth:
- declutter and stay on top of it (hahahahahahah! sure I will..... )
- continue to put away food for meals after
- sort through DS's toys and put away some (job for after xmas)
- make backups of the digital pics on my computer (I'm way behind)
- finish the scrapbook of ds's first year (I'm up to 9 months, i can do it!!)

[niki_73]

My list:

DH to finish painting bedroom
install new cabinet hardware
set up basinet in bedroom
organize linen closet


that's about it after our complete bathroom, kitchen and bedroom renos in the past 3 months :

[wendyk]

-take apart and wash the car seat cover and straps- they've been in storage and smell like it
-install said car seat, though not for a few more weeks
-put the closet organizer in place & hang up the baby clothes
-finish the freezer meals
-get a haircut
-pack the bags for the hospital (one for dh & I, one w/ entertainment items for dd)- in a few weeks
- put the waterproof cover on the bed
-clean the house, but mostly, I'd like to at least dust before the baby arrives so I'm not sitting on the couch nursing looking at the dust! Anything not done, my mom will be thrilled to do for me.

[storychick]

Well, right now we are staying in a hotel for the week because we are having new flooring installed in all our main living areas. Once that is done, and we put the living & dining rooms & kitchen back together and remove the dust and mess, we'll be pretty set. I have all my birth supplies together, a dresser loaded for the baby (though I do need to wash the clothes and diapers in there, they've been in storage). Uh, I should probably play with car seat configurations in my van.

There's a bunch of stuff that I just know isnt going to get done, so I'm not even bothering. If I havent scrapbooked my older kids' lives so far, I suspect it will not get done in the next 6 weeks either.

Really, my goal for the next month is to a) not kill anybody and b) survive it myself.

[wendyk]

Originally Posted by storychick

Really, my goal for the next month is to a) not kill anybody and b) survive it myself.

You and me both!

[2Sweeties1Angel]

*Finish painting kitchen
*Paint living room/hallway
*Replace flooring in kitchen. We're thinking sticky tiles.
*Buy carseat
*Call Ped about newborn screening
*Buy more cloth diapers
*Clean out the vacuum--someone (meaning DH) decided vacuuming up cat/dog urine would be a GREAT idea.
*Clean the entire house.

It's funny how getting the whole house in order becomes a top priority when you're planning a homebirth. I never did that when I was planning hospital births.

[bleumoose]

This is totally for me, I wanted to see how I was doing on making my way through my list. I'm wierd like that How're you all doing?

Originally Posted by bleumoose

My list...

baby and birth specific:
- find and buy a dresser and put away baby clothes/diapers
Didn't buy one, instead moved things around elsewhere in the house to free up a cabinet that will do the job for a few months until we need something bigger; clothes and diapers and washed, folded, and put away
- gather birth supplies & prep them (sterilize the ones that need it)
mostly done. Still a few things to gather up, but all the important stuff is in the basement, appropriately bagged, labeled, and sterilized
- unpack labor pool when it arrives to let it air, do a practice run of filling
Pool is unpacked, but we have yet to do a practice run - waiting on the hose to arrive in the mail.
- rearrange our bedroom to move the crib to DH's side of the bed
Done, but would now like to move the dresser and chest of drawers around to rebalance the room
- a couple weeks later (to give ds a chance to adjust) set up cosleeper
Not done, planning on waiting until the baby is born cuz I need my side of the bed free and open so I can get in and out with minimal trouble and clambering

other stuff I'd like done before birth:
- declutter and stay on top of it (hahahahahahah! sure I will..... )
working on it......
- continue to put away food for meals after
haven't made much progress, but a bunch of friends are planning on bringing me stuff so what I have should be sufficient
- sort through DS's toys and put away some (job for after xmas)
still needs done
- make backups of the digital pics on my computer (I'm way behind)
still needs done
- finish the scrapbook of ds's first year (I'm up to 9 months, i can do it!!)
hahahaha... haven't worked on it since I posted this

[wendyk]

I'm a lot more done than I thought- at least with this list. Somehow, I've managed to add to it....

Originally Posted by wendyk

-take apart and wash the car seat cover and straps- they've been in storage and smell like it
This is done and all put back together
-install said car seat, though not for a few more weeks
We decided to wait until the baby actually makes her arrival, since there's not that much extra room in my car to start with and this will eliminate another seat. DH can install it with no problem
-put the closet organizer in place & hang up the baby clothes
This is mostly done. I need some more hangers, so DH is going to get them after work today. I got fussed at when I said I would go get them since it is horribly icy here right now!
-finish the freezer meals
I am still working on this, though am down to the bottom of the list. I have 2 meals in the fridge right now ready for the freezer
-get a haircut
I got this done! Now, I'd like to get DD's done
-pack the bags for the hospital (one for dh & I, one w/ entertainment items for dd)- in a few weeks
This is done with the exception of a few items that DH is going to either pick up today (travel sized toiletries) and the camera. I do need to make the big reminder note to tape on the bag so he doesn't forget the camera!
- put the waterproof cover on the bed
Done!
-clean the house, but mostly, I'd like to at least dust before the baby arrives so I'm not sitting on the couch nursing looking at the dust! Anything not done, my mom will be thrilled to do for me.
The house is actually in pretty good shape considering there's an almost 4 year here and it was just Christmas. Laundry keeps mutliplying, as do dirty dishes, but I know those aren't going away.

Now I want to make a CD of labor music in case my ipod runs out of batteries- entirely possible since it's just a shuffle. I still need to add to and print out the phone list for the fridge so I have numbers handy and can just point and grunt at the number for DH to call if needed! I'd like to get some more pictures of myself, but will really be OK if that doesn't happen.

[kalisis]

You ladies have big projects on your lists! I thought mine were labor intensive, but I have it easy, I think now.

* Clean out the fridge
* Declutter some of downstairs
* Move around the car seats (put DS's new one in my car, wash the cover on his old one so it's ready for the new baby).
* Do some cleaning on my car - organize a little.
* Drop off some giveaway stuff at Goodwill

I already did some big stuff that was on my list:

* Buy a new freezer and stock it from Trader Joe's which is a pretty far drive
* Buy a new full bed to move DS into. He currently sleeps with either DH or myself in the spare bedroom and it's a queen, so when we have guests, he has to move back into our bed and it's not been working out.
* Get new sheets for said bed
* Clean out my closet - get rid of all those career clothes that were collecting dust
* Go through my cookbooks and weed out what isn't useful anymore
* Wash smaller size CD's for new baby.

My SIL is here right now tho and she's amazing. I know I'll get through most of the list, even if it's just because she'll play with DS while I can do some stuff.

I was due over the weekend tho, so who knows!

[MacKinnon]

Originally Posted by ilovemyavery

Well... Here is the short version of the list...
-Move extra stuff out of baby's room
-Wash clothes & diapers
-Finishing painting trim in our room
-Finish cleaning/setting up our room (recent remodel)
-Set up co-sleeper
-Set up changing table/station upstairs
-Move computer desk out of playroom
-Set up shelving in playroom
-Buy remaining baby things (a wrap, some diaper covers, etc.)
And... If we get everything done... Paint the kitchen cabinet fronts!

We've got that list done!!! Except for painting the trim and cabinet fronts, which I have accepted is not going to happen We also
-took down the christmas tree/decorations
-got all the baby stuff out of the attic and mostly washed/ready to go
-packed the bag for the hospital and for DD

I've added a couple other things too
-some Christmas returns
-clean out the laundry room/storage area
-get bills paid/set for next month or so (Dh does not do bills)

But, I am now OK if I was to go into labor today So, come on baby! 38 weeks tomorrow... I am ready!

[mommy2boys]

I have done a lot of nesting the past two weeks. Left on my list are

1. Put bags in car

2. Have baby

[jilly]

Originally Posted by mommy2boys

I have done a lot of nesting the past two weeks. Left on my list are

1. Put bags in car

2. Have baby

[jilly]

[QUOTE=jilly;6741269]Wow, you ladies amaze me with your know-how. Dh won't even let me paint becuase he's sure I'll get paint on something valuable (I'm not sure what we own that is so valuable, but anyway), so our house stays sort of permanantly beige and empty.

I have about a third of my list done, so here's the remainder:

-pick up furniture for ds from friends 1 1/2 hr drive away (doing it Thurs)
finally got this done after many stalls and complications
- rearrange our room with extra mattress for ds, and encourage him to sleep on it ds' bed is now next to my side of the bed. He loves it, which is good, but I'm a bit sad
- hang shelves in our room (to make room for mattress) and kids' room/spare room (with change table, kids' drawers, etc, so things are not accessable to toddler)not done yet
- finish one baby quilt for best friend and make two more FINALY got my friends' very complicated quilt done and can start on the one for my baby
- recover nursing pillow I bought the fabric for this -- its very ugly / old lady blouse fromt he '70s -- but better than happy teddy bears
- make frog beanbags for ds for Christmasdidn't happen
- freeze 5 - 6 more mealsmakind lasagnia at some point and then givign up - I'm way too tired
- hook up web cam done, much to my parents' delight
- organize and order photos from ds' first two years of life, organize into photo albumsordered online and will organize when they arrive
- make small photo albums for granparents for Christmas
-Christmas cardssent out an email saying I would mail out birth announcments (decided to do this around Dec. 23 when I still hadn't done cards)
- pack hospital bag and bag for toddler done
- scrub walls and window sillsdone

I also got all our new diapers washed, so I have all the important stuff done. the rest is just stuff I'd like to get done before the baby because I know it won't happen for another 2 or 3 months otherwise.

Oh, and I have to get the carseat I'm borrowing from my friend Allison. But her Dad is (or was last I heard a week ago) in a coma, 3 hrs away from here. So I don't think she's around, and I really don't want to bother her with it right now. So we might just buy one -- we're planning on at least one more babe after this one anyway, so its probably worth it.

[MacKinnon]

[QUOTE=jilly;6895983]

Originally Posted by jilly

-Christmas cardssent out an email saying I would mail out birth announcments (decided to do this around Dec. 23 when I still hadn't done cards)

We are also sending out birth announcements instead of Christmas Cards. Actually, I need to add "type addresses into computer" to my list of things to do! I suspect I won't have time to hand address 60 announcments Shutterfly will actually address and mail them for you, which sounds good!