Tomorrow I will be 32 weeks prego. That means approximately 8 weeks till baby! Here is an updated to do list with a couple new things, lines through the completed items, and notes added to some of others that are in progress. Right now we are getting over sickness and most of these things are the least of my worries. Still nice to see that in the midst of what often feels like chaos, things are slowly getting done.

To do:

1) Organize master bedroom-move chairs, dust in places I can’t reach, change bedding to my favorites, go through drawers again and make each of them work for me, get the totes to the garage when full of outgrown kid clothes…

2) Organize master bath-do a deep clean of tile and bath, organize stuff on counters, in drawers and cupboards and get rid of anything we don’t need.

3) Organize small bedroom and large closet- get all scrapbooking and office stuff into the closet, organize the entire closet and get rid of stuff we don’t need, organize all non-Christmas holiday stuff, and make the room look how I want it to (mostly done) !

4) Go through upstairs hallway closet- purge, organize and maximize the space.

5) Make laundry room cuter and clean the floors

6) Organize kids bathroom-take out anything that does not belong, decide what to store in the cupboards, and deep cleaning (since our kids aren’t potty trained we don’t use this bathroom often at this point).

7) Finish my crafting space and make the large storage/inspiration board

8 ) Finish organizing toys (Pretty much done, just a few more finishing touches)

9) Organize the garage (partially done)

10) Finish putting stuff on Craigslist (did some, need to do more)

11) Donate to UGM

12) Take things to consignment store-multiple trips involved (I think they only look at a few things at a time)…we have been putting this off for too long. Use credit to buy clothes in next size up for kids and things for baby.

13) Print pictures and put them in frames

14) Set up an art station for the kids

15) Start and finish the twins baby books….HA, Just kidding!!!!

16) Create a working paper organization system for for the misc. things that stack up (partially done)

17) Get car maintainence done

18) Go through book shelf

19) Potty train kids (little man is doing pretty well all on his own initiative)

20) Take a family vacation (Went to Disneyland)

21)  Decide what to do about room arrangements and who will share when the baby moves out of our room and prepare accordingly (sort of dreading putting my “separate sleepers” in a room together).

22) Take family pictures

Baby related tasks

1) Go through baby clothes-organize, wash, make a list of any little things we need (this baby will be born in June and my twins were early Feb babies).

2) Put gear back together

3) Figure how in the world to configure the car seats in the van and get them all checked by the tech.

4) Put little baby stuff into the diaper bag

5) Purchase-Small cloth diapers, used glider, used papasan swing, My Breast Friend nursing pillow,

6) Make- Burp rags and baby hats out of re-purposed clothes,

7) Read a couple books Read 8 so far

8 ) Decide between a repeat c-section or to try for a vbac VBAC it is! (at Providence St. Vincent in Portland)

9) Go on a couple “dates” with the kids individually

10) Stock up on a couple baby related products (use coupons and watch sales)- wipes, booty cream, wash, and little diapers (we might largely use disposable for the newborn size so I don’t have to buy tiny cloth that will be grown out of quickly)

11) Sew baby girls blanket and swaddling blanket with Anna Maria Horner fabric.

12) Pick out a name! Update-Getting closer.

13) Write out our “Birth Plan” (Never thought I would be one of “those” people, but I feel that it is especially important in our situation to have a plan and be brave enough to communicate it clearly (and not worry what others think).

14) Find a “take home outfit.”  Why is this so hard?

Other things we have done lately

Moved the kids out of high chairs and cleaned them up

Got the kids a little kids table on Craigslist

Got them a cute storage rack for their books

Got twin beds, frames, and bedding for both kids and got them set up in their room. We will wait to transition them till they seem more ready.

Stats:

3o weeks and 5 days pregnant

About 66 days till due date

Up 13.5 pounds

Baby girl’s heartbeat has usually been in the mid 140′s

Belly measuring on track

-Love the double take strangers do to see if you are in fact pregnant.

-Smiling right back at the strangers who smile when looking at the kiddos and my belly.

-Still have not settled in on a name for baby girl.

-Decided to try for VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Met with a Dr. in Portland who delivers at St. Vincents where they are “allowed” to do VBAC’s.  But, the hospital has a very high rate of cesareans (which he says is due to their high level NICU).  Striving for a “natural” child birth and hoping I am supported in that. It might be an uphill battle. I would love to give birth at a birth center, but still appreciate being at a hospital because of the (low) risk of rupture that comes with a VBAC.

-Found out at my first appointment with the OB in Portland that my stomach muscles are in fact separated from my pregnancy with the twinners. Wonder why my Dr. here in Salem never mentioned that before.

-Do not have gestational diabetes. Always nice to know.

-Baby girl is quite active. Especially after a good dessert and always at bedtime.

-Pretty sure she has assumed a position that is now sending me to the bathroom every 22 minutes.

-Little man recommended “Louie” as a good baby name. I think we will keep looking.

-Planning to register with no intentions of actually using it except for the 10% off coupon you get after the baby is born.

-Slowly getting things checked off my “Big To Do List”

-Wondering if my “decaf” coffee was really decaf. Sorry baby. Blame Starbucks.

P.S. If you take a Carmel Macchiato and add more ice and a little chocolate ice cream in the blender it tastes really good.

-Read almost all of 6 “natural” childbirth etc. books in one week by carrying them around the house. Kiddos call them my “baby books”.

- Trying to do some of the “Bradley” and yoga exercises from my books.

-Had to keep from chuckling when the intake nurse asked if I was exercising. Wondered if going up the stairs 87 times a day, doing 122 baby gate hurdles, and 200 toddler lifts counted as my main form.

-Baby found my ribs. Pretty sure the twins did not even manage that.

-Tons of baby hiccups.

-She is quite particular about her space. Does not like counters, tight fitting pants, bowls of cereal, resting arms, toddler elbows, or anything else that encroaches upon her space. Will kick back at anything that offends her.

-Need to take more belly pictures. Must be in sweats and pj’s too much lately.

-Laughing every time I find one of the littles walking around with a very rounded back trying to stick their belly out.  Pretty sure they are making fun of me. Caught little man doing it with focus again before bed last night while watching his shadow. Also found little lady happily going about her business with a wadded up item of clothing shoved under her shirt for quite some time.

-Trying to teach the kids that babies only have milk (to prevent them from sharing food). Little man says “just milk” and little lady told me “Not dinner!” Ok, I promise.

Diapers.com offers deals pretty frequently. Most have not peaked my interest enough to make a purchase. They often involve rebates and I prefer deals that have a little more instant gratification.  This deal was good enough for me to take advantage of.

Here is how it breaks down:

You can get 40% off clothes and shoes using code SPRING40 (through 4/11) when you make a disposable diaper purchase (even one Luvs jumbo pack counts). This is good on regular AND sale prices.

You can also get $10 off your purchase or $49 or more with your first Diapers.com purchase with code KGXR1966

You also get free shipping with an order of $49 or more

The great part is that the $49 dollar deals seem to be before discounts. My total was $36.88 and it worked perfect.

I took advantage of this deal because 40% off of good shoe brands is great!  Often when there are great markdowns on shoes like See Kai Run they only have the tiny sizes left.  They also have brands like Stride Rite, Crocs, Robeez, etc.

Check out the sites “ecoupons” for diaper coupons that you only have to click on to have them applied.

Use the codes in this order:

KGXR1966, then SPRING40

So, for $36.99 I got

One pair of girls See Kai Run shoes that were $40.00

One pair of boys See Kai Run shoes that were on clearance for $24.00

One pack of 50 ct. Pampers Baby Dry newborn diapers reg $9.99 and used a “ecoupon” for $1.50 off. (Not an incredible price for diapers, but totally worth it for the 40% off it scored me!)