Nesting Journal Entry # 2
These weeks are going by…fast.
Most women say that it drags toward the end, so either I’m not near the end of the pregnancy, or I just don’t perceive it that way. However, I still feel as though there is so much to do, so much on the agenda, and I’m grateful that I do have time. There are many things I want to avoid doing “too soon” as well. (i.e. prep cooking postpartum freezer meals, sterilizing bottles and pump parts, packing my hospital bag). Quite the conundrum that I am sure will work itself out.
There are also all the last minute fears and anxieties about birth and postpartum that creep up. How much will I really have an instinct for or will I be googling more than I expect? Have I done enough homework? How do I really keep people from trying to kiss the baby? How’s breastfeeding going to go? How’s labor going to go? All the questions every woman frets over. However, none of those questions have foreseeable answers and much of it is out of my control. In fact, a decision to give myself permission to not worry is exactly what I need right now. Instead, I’ve been directing my attention into getting ready, settling in, and enjoying the last weeks my husband and I have to ourselves.
In this week’s YouTube video, I shared everything we did differently for our baby shower, and I shared what I have already done off my nesting checklist. I highly encourage you to watch that video, because some of the decisions we made for our shower may surprise you. I won’t rehash them all here, but I did want to give a little more detail on all of the games we played at my shower. You see, my mother is quite creative, and we both love games. If you’re a longterm reader, you may recall the scavenger hunt I had for my 22nd birthday party. She designed the whole hunt, and it was way better than any professional one I had been a part of. Needless to say, she did not hold back with our baby shower games.
Baby Hot Potato: Everyone gets on their feet and makes a circle. You pass a babydoll around the circle---gently! No tossing the baby, and we’re assuming they’re under three months so a pass that supports the neck. If the music stops while you’re holding the baby, you’re out. Last person standing wins.
Ice Breaker Bingo: Everyone receives a bingo card with spaces read things such as, “someone who can play an instrument,” “an eldest sibling,” “someone with a March birthday.” The goal is to get bingo by mingling and finding the people that fit the description.
Family Feud, Category: Babies and Pregnancy: Everyone gets a card with three spaces for each question. Just like family feud, you name the first three things that come to your mind. Once all the questions are read, the emcee announces the top three answers for each question. The person with the most aligning answers wins.
Guess Mom’s Belly Circumference: Each person used a streamer to represent their guess. It was a surprisingly fast process to narrow it down to the winner!
These games were so fun & I hope they provide you with a little inspiration for your next party!
In the second part of my video this week, I talked about what I’ve checked off my nesting checklist. What’s so interesting about “nesting,” is how all-encompassing it is. It’s not just the nitty gritty of getting your baby’s things organized. It’s also about feeling as though your whole home is in order. There is a direct correlation between the spaces we live in and our perspectives. You cannot convince me differently on that. Having a tidier space, gives my mind space to relax and feel “put together.” Those with messy spaces may deny this, but I’d be willing to bet they would feel better if their living space was tidier. The other part of nesting that consumed me was the desire to stay home. I am not a homebody by any means, and I still love being out and about experiencing things…for a limited amount of time. I am way less interested in galavanting all day, a night out, or even anything over a 30 minute drive. I am so grateful my students and I made the switch to virtual ahead of my due date. With the extra time at home, I’ve been able to really make headway on those to-dos.
Can’t wait to share the full list of those to-do’s soon! I’ll meet you back here next week!
With Melody & Grit,
Brady