Project for the last weeks-need ideas

[mm72873]

I am having baby share a the room with us, leaving me without sort of a project to focus on the last few weeks. I have al the clothes set up and all the equipment. Not having a shower, for this is my second, and already have so so much....in "Birthing from within" they advocate a "project" to focus on the last few weeks....sort of to keep your mind off of the waiting part.....I am an artist and have a 2.5 year-old....any ideas.


Miriam

[NCMomworld]

I taught myself to knit and am going to make the new baby some wool sleep sack soakers for nighttime. Since you're an artist, could you make a belly cast and decorate it? My other project for the next couple of weeks is to make lots of freezer meals

[Jilian]

Do you like scrapbooking? With DS I spent the last few weeks scrapbooking baby book for him. I left plenty of spots for NB photos and the birth story, etc. Funny thing is that he's 4 now and I still haven't finished it

[wombatclay]

I was going to suggest a belly cast too!

Or...let's see...maybe a journal/scrapbook where you collect and organize impressions and images of the season? You could go on walks with your 2.5yo to collect leaves or flowers or pictures or splash in a mud puddle and make muddy hand prints on heavy paper or use light sensitive paper to make prints or anything that strikes your fancy and says "late spring" to you. Then bundle all the pages together into a folio or binding for babe to enjoy when they're older?

Or...hmmm...making/finding little items to turn into a mobile? Then building the mobile out of found sticks or dowels and bright ribbons?

Making cds of lullabyes and meditative music for your toddler and coming babe to enjoy? Especially if you're sharing sleep space then having a few cds that you enjoy as well is a good idea (well, if you and your little ones like nighttime music that is!).

And do you have any garden space, or a window planter/porch planter? Maybe plant some seeds or flowers or easy care veggies in pots with your toddler? That way you'll have flowers and yumminess later on!

[OTMomma]

I am working on a quilt for baby. I think making something for baby is a great way to pass these last few weeks. I'm also freezer cooking.

[Keeping up]

Not a big project - but I would spend some time thinking about the activities you will do with the two little ones - whether it is drop-in centres, walks to parks, grocery trips, meal planning, activities for the 2.5 year old (homeschool websites are awesome for that type of small stuff). I also liked to come up with 'menu plans' ideas for several days each week (less of a Monday xyz, Tuesday abc) - so healthy snacks. I wrote up cue cards for it all. I was worried I would resort to unhealthy 'fast food' lunches or bad snacks - which I do sometimes but the cards made me think twice while grocery planning.

[willoLevin]

Last pg, I organized all of our photos and put them into albums and photo boxes. That was a good project, that, honestly, could use doing again since we took so many photos when DS was little.

I had a "birth project" in mind--completing a big Lego castle, actually --for labor last time (idea suggested by our doula), but didn't need it at all. I think it is great to have something like that in mind, but to allow for the fact that we don't know what we will want during labor until we arrive in that moment.

--willo

[wombatclay]

I was just thinking...make a nursing necklace! I have the beads, and the thread, I just need to find the time to put it all together. It's the sort of "simple" project that can be picked up or put down at any time...but it will probably take me hours and hours till it's "just right".

[kkar]

Is your 2.5 year old a boy or girl? If they are a girl, you could make a fairy garden with her. I just finished one with my 2 and 3 yos and they got so into helping me place the little rocks and colored glass stones. We made a little path, planted some tiny little flowers, and I used a soap dish to make a pond. Then we went out and bought some little fairy figurines, and my girls just couldn't get enough of it. Plus, being an artist, you could probably really make up a neat little scene.

Ours is an indoor one, but most people make theirs outside. I did it last year with my older daughter, but after taking it down at the end of summer I forgot about it. It was special enough to her though that to my surprise, she started asking as soon as it turned spring when we were going to make another one. I think it made the girls feel really special for mommy to work on a project with and for them.