Comparing Pregnancies & My Before-the-Baby List

I got on my blog this morning to read what was going on when I was 27 weeks pregnant with Caleb (tomorrow I'll be 27 weeks pregnant with baby girl). All of the information I wanted to read about was not there! This is the week we were diagnosed with cholestasis last time (the whole liver-on-strike issue), but for some reason I didn't blog at all about the itching. I want to compare! I'm itching still now, and it's been a little worse the last two days, but I think it's nothing compared to last time. I guess I didn't want to complain on the blog ... this is why I need a baby book!





I also don't remember my belly feeling this heavy. It's like my stomach is tired of carrying around the baby. Anybody? Did you feel that way going into trimester 3?




So, I have a Before the Baby list, which is like a bucket list, but with things I want to do before the baby comes instead of before I die. If I die any time soon, then these are kind of irrelevant. :)



(1) Make a crib bed skirt. Yes, by sewing it myself. No, I have no idea what I'm doing on a sewing machine. Though I did hem some curtains and make a pillow cover out of an old pair of jeans this week, so I'm getting braver. No, the curtain hem is not even, but who is going to notice with it way down there near the floor?



(2) Make a baby book / scrap book for Caleb. I have a ton of stuff to put in a book, I just don't have a book. Maybe I'll do it in Hawaii.




(3) Survive Hawaii. I know, I know, TOUGH LIFE everybody says. But seriously. We leave next Wednesday for Midland, where we're going to ease Caleb into staying with Rick's cousins (who are AH-mazing by the way). Then I am going to leave my baby for 10 days. 10 consecutive days. I'm breaking out in hives just thinking about it. I've been away from him for 24 hours once in his life, and that's it. I am a nervous wreck. Several of my friends have given me some wonderful advice and encouragement, which is why I'm only wreck and not a disaster today - there has been improvement. But I still wake up at night filled with anxiety and trying to work out all the details in my brain. Until I wake up enough to realize I'm anxious, which the Bible says specifically NOT to be, and then I pray about it, and I sleep for a few more hours.



I am so excited about Hawaii. I am so terrified about how Caleb is going to handle us being gone. But ... I have prayed fervently that the Lord will stop us from going if we are not supposed to go or if it is dangerous for us or Caleb. Now I just have to trust Him that He will take care of our little boy. And of Rick while he's surfing because really, there are SHARKS in there!!!!







(4) Toddler proof Caleb's room. It's close, but we need to anchor a dresser to the wall and things like that. He doesn't spend much time in there right now, but he will later, so this is important.







(5) Finishing redoing the bathroom was #5, but it has been postponed. I starting having some Braxton Hicks last week, a little closer together than the doctor was excited about, so I have to limit physical activity just a little bit. So #5 has become ... paint my toe nails. Done last night! YES! 1 of 8 done!



(6) IT'S SNOW CONE SEASON!!! Gotta get at least one before the baby comes! Maybe a coconut to celebrate Hawaii!




(7) Do some things with Caleb that will be hard to do with a newborn. So far we've gone to the museum and made homemade play dough (which was a huge hit).








(8) Appear in some pictures with my son. I DO exist in this family - I just have no photographic proof. We got one last night (we were not really prepared for the pic, but we've got to start somewhere!)









Allright, it's in writing! Back to drinking my gallon of water for the day ...