"To do" before baby lists...

Here it be:

Arrange finances with midwives (they're dropping us down a sliding scale bracket, so we need a refund and we need to then pay a lab bil with part of the refund)

Get my name changed with SSA--never did this after I got married. Don't want any birth cert. issues, so I gotta do that.

Put away school supplies and buy book for next term; rearrange class schedules to that DH and I can do all our own childcare

Order birth kit and herbs for pp baths

Cook more freezer meals (we ate up several of ours when I was finishing term papers)

Finish sorting anj washing baby clothes and diapers

Order snappi, wool-wash, and wipes solution

Install carseats and have them inspected

Do yard work and plant garden

finish painting the half-painted bathroom

Assemble list of phone numbers/e-mails for announcements

Clean out spare room and make up spare bed for midwives and/or MIL

Sew moses basket liner (it's an heirloom-type basket; no commerical liner will fit, and I wouldn't want to use one anyway)

Finish edges on wipes (I cut up some old towels for wipes but need to finish edges. Anyone got a serger?)

Work on baptismal gown (So far i've prepared the fabric--a very nice and expensive Irish linen--now I need to cut it out, sew it, and embroider it.)

Clean living room carpets.

Organize birth supplies so that they can easily transported

Hrm, that's a formidable list. Also thinking of adding:
making a birth plan in case of hospital transfer
obtaining records in case of some kind of emergency and we end up in the close by hospital instead of at home or our first choice back-up. Yeah, I'm hospital phobic. I like to have my t's dotted and my i's crossed before I
walk into one.
making last minute appt with prospective ped. Dunno why I'd need to do this, but he suggested coming in around due date. He's actually an FP. I think we'll just go in a bit after the babe is born.

This is a great thread. A good tool to make me write this up - 'cause it's at the top of my list to make a to-do-list! :

(Edited: Woo! I am actually checking stuff off! It's a start!)

replace missing bolt on cradle (& pick up other misc. hardware)
sew up cradle sheets/hem receiving blankets
*DONE! get shower pictures uploaded for family back home
design birth announcements
pack birth center bag
*DONE pack maya's overnight bag
write birth essay for midwives
write birth plan in case of hospital transfer
read up on my new breastpump
*DONE register: carseats, breastpump
get carseats inspected at policestation (find out if this is state law here)
write mad tons of thank you notes
order gift for SIL who has been watching DD for appointments/when we birth
frame/hang pictures in kids' room
fill out birth certificate paperwork
figure out what the heck we're doing about the name.
make some more freezer meals
*DONE fix car!
*DONE! keep my blood pressure down!
snuggle my sweet kid
be patient!

This is a start, anyway. We'll see what I manage, huh? 35 weeks right now. Must make it to 37 with low bp for birth center birthing.

1. Finish packing hospital bag (I keep randomly putting stuff in there- it's like I'm afraid that if I actually do it, it becomes real- like I AM going to have another baby 15 months after having one)

2. Finish washing baby stuff that my mom brought over today

3. Buy gifts for big brothers from baby sister (and maybe buy a little something for DH too)

4. Easter baskets (not baby related, but needs to get done)

5. Put car seat in van

6. Have DH put all the crap up in the attic that should have been put up in it when he was home 2 weeks ago

7. spend as much time with the boys as possible- especially Alden

Great idea!! I just started making a list yesterday!

(Many of my things are not specifically baby related but things that I want done so I can have a peaceful babymoon!!)

1. Clean out refrigerator -- DONE

2. Give both bathrooms a thourough cleaning

3. Return baby gown I decided I don't like and buy new first outfit -- DONE

4. Declutter office

5. Hang clothesline (I think my dad is coming down today to do this! )

6. Laundry, laundry, laundry...

7. Declutter our bedroom

8. Set up co-sleeper (or bedrail...not sure which we will use first )

9. Buy/dig out misc. stuff...straws (so I don't spill water all over the babe and the bed at night), breast pads, alcohol swabs, lanisoh (sp?)

10. Cook and freeze

11. Easter stuff

12. Big sister present for DD -- DONE

Ok...that's enough for now. I'll add more when I think of it (and hopefully cross a few off soon!!)

The first thing on my to-do list is "make a to-do list"

But now that I am doing that:

* Write up birth plan and "in case of transfer" plan
* Figure out what other stuff we need to put on the registry [ETA: have added more things, but probably will add more... but I think now I have all the basics covered]
* Wash dipes and clothes we've already recieved
* Rent co-sleeper
* Order birth kit
* Fill out tub rental form to take to my MW next week
* Bug my mom and sister to send the box of baby stuff they've been holding for me [ETA: done ]
* Figure out who to send announcements to! (And get/ make announcements, leaving room to add pertinent info after the birth)
* Make a phone tree list of people to call *after* the birth (no one but the MW is getting called during the birth!)

Hmmm... that doesn't actually seem to bad, now that I look at it But I'm sure I'll think of more later...

Y'all are kidding right? I have to make preparations? There really is something happening other than my belly swelling up like nobody's business?

OK. Here's my list.

I need to find all the pieces to my Amby. I didn't exactly "put it away" and the kids are always dragging them all over the house. Then I will wash the linens, I want to replace the foam part of the mattress, and I want to get that stuff at the hardware store to dip the powder-coated metal part in because of that thread last year about the dust from the metal parts getting in some baby's eyes.

I would love to get the house tiled before baby comes, but that's probably a pipe dream. I'd at least like to get the carpet out of my bedroom and tile it and get an area rug. DH has a dream of getting a new bed but I don't see the $ for that happening. My bathroom is exposed plumbing, bare concrete and drywall and I'd like to get it finished before the baby. I pulled the application for the building permit which DH has never bothered to do. Got it off the web today. I'm thinking.. just thinking... that I'll take the permit down there myself, and then go to the hardware store myself and buy everything we need, and just start doing it. If Robin on HomeTime can do it, why can't I? Apparently Prince Charming is happy putting it off until we retire.

Sometime before I need to go somewhere with the baby, I need to get a car seat.

I suppose washing all the new gowns I bought and the new diapers my friend helped me sew would be a modest project.

My diaper-sewing friend asked me if anyone was doing a baby shower... so I have a friend from church I feel safe mentioning it to... the diaper-sewing friend said she'd love to help co-ordinate a shower and invite all my non-church friends to. My church friends should be all over that, the chance to invite all my "heathen friends" to the church. Haha. Every baby at my church gets a baby shower and a meal-train..... no matter if it's a firstborn or 10th born baby... they celebrate 'em all.

I need to train this new couple who offered to help with the Parenting Classes at the Pregnancy Resource Center. I've been teaching The Parent Project by Dr. Sears (it was Dr. Sears' response to the Ezzo thing in churches) and I'm enjoying teaching it, but I need to train this couple to take over for me so I can go into hiding at any time. My girls in my class are due within weeks of me, we're all May mamas, and we've really bonded, so I plan to teach until I absolutely can't... but I want this couple ready to take over if I need to take time off. Plus I think I'll let them take over that prenatal parenting class and start a Mama-Baby Playgroup/support group.

HM.... really everything on my list could be done after the baby arrives... except training someone to take my place teaching classes.... so I guess I better focus on that first (even though picking out tile would be more fun LOL)...