Staying Busy

Patience has never been one of my strongest attributes, and it's being particularly challenged right now. I told James the other day that the closer I get to the end of my pregnancy, the slower time seems to be flowing. I was having a particularly hard day when I posted this:

At a prenatal appointment the other day, my midwife and I were discussing my upcoming labor. Her suggestions for dealing with early labor were a combination of rest and keeping busy. She encouraged me to make a list of things that never get done around the house that I could do during labor--"Make the list extensive," she said, saying to include things like washing the baseboards.

I realized that this was the answer not only to my labor, but to the next couple of weeks altogether.

I've started keeping a list of things I want to accomplish, large and small. And in my spare time, I turn to the list and pick something. So far today, for instance, James and I reinstalled the back seats into my newly-repaired car (we'd taken them out for our trip to Colorado) and then installed the base of Baby J's carseat. I then went shopping, to find a scrapbook for baby things (I'm tired of having my fridge cluttered with ultrasound pictures, baby shower cards, etc.) which will also mean an ongoing project for the evenings. Then I went to Lowe's to pick up some garden tools, so I can start working in the yard. (Mostly clean up. The amount of leaves that got trapped in our yard over the winter is somewhat ludicrous.)

The list goes on. I feel so much more optimistic about making it through the next couple of weeks armed with so many to-do's. It helps me stay focused on other things besides the overhanging questions of when the baby is going to come!