Since the new year started, I have slowly been entering into panic mode. I am due on March 16. That’s exactly two months from now, which is NOT a long time. And the reality is that I could pop at any time!!!
I’m not ready!
There were three “big” things I wanted to do before the baby came.
- Buy a house.
- Buy a new car.
- Go on vacation.
Guess how many I did. That’s right, none.
1. Buy a house or move
I resigned myself awhile back to the fact that we wouldn’t be able to buy a house before the baby came. I have a few loose ends in NY that I need to tie up before I put money into a house down here. Hopefully we’ll buy something towards the end of the year. We considered moving to a new apartment or renting a house (our current apartment is big but it’s kind of old and dingy), but decided that it didn’t make sense to move now if we’re planning to buy a house soon. Especially since we’re already in a three-bedroom apartment.
2. Buy a new car
Do I really need a new car? I’ve been wrestling with this question since long before I was pregnant. I’m currently driving an old car that occasionally has problems but gets me where I need to go…which at this point is hardly anywhere! I go to the gym, grocery shopping, Costco, and that’s about it. I think I drive that car maybe 5 miles a day…if I even leave the house! (Which I often don’t!) Once the baby is born I’m sure I’ll be using the car even less…so what’s the point in getting a new car and having to pay a car note and higher insurance? (Answer: there is no point.)
3. Go on vacation
Sigh…this was a tough one. I REALLY wanted to go somewhere before the baby was born, but I couldn’t decide where. I don’t have a passport with my new last name, which limited our options. A beach vacation seemed like a waste of money – after all, it was in the 70s in New Orleans up until Christmas (and yesterday)! I ruled out any type of sightseeing trip – I get tired pretty easily these days, and walking can be a chore. No point in going somewhere and being miserable. And the fact that I can’t drink really puts a damper on ANY vacation I think about. Lay by the beach and drink margaritas? Nope, can’t do that. Sightseeing during the day and then have dinner and drinks? Can’t do that either.
If only money wasn’t a consideration! But it is, and I just couldn’t justify us spending $2,000 on a vacation (or $20k on a car, or $200k+ on a house!) when there’s still so much to do and buy before the baby gets here. Not to mention all the crap we’ll have to buy when the baby arrives. Did you know that a baby goes through 12 diapers A DAY?!? Dafuq!!
So yeah, I’ve had to put my “dreams” aside for now so I can focus on things we need to do in the next few weeks, including:
- Set up a nursery
- Clean our bedroom from top to bottom
- Buy new bedroom furniture and a bassinet
- Order a breast pump
- Sign up for a tour of the hospital
- Pack a “go bag” for when I go into labor
- Decide on my birth plan
- Take cute pictures of my bump
- Decide if I want to do a 3D ultrasound
- Send thank you cards for my NY shower
- Edit those f*cking wedding photos and make albums for our families
- Come up with a post-baby diet
- File income taxes
There’s so much to do! It’s kind of overwhelming, but this shit HAS to get done. It’s not all baby related, obviously, but once the baby comes I don’t want to have to stress over stupid things like taxes and wedding photos. So I need to get them done beforehand. And the sooner the better!
Lipstick Kitchen - Healthy Food that Tastes Delicious! 
I FEEL YOU! We talked about the house and the car too, but I finally paid off my car and we have $13k left on Jon’s loan so why?! And we don’t really have enough for a down payment on a house, so whatever. We have nothing else done. Nothing. Except an infant car seat! I did order a breast pump though and I hope it’s being sent? It was a really complicated process going through a seller who worked with my insurance. And I do know how many diapers a baby goes through which is exactly why we’re cloth diapering! I’m too green to want to throw that much away, you save TONS on cloth diapers and then can resell them for almost what you bought them for, and they last for all your kids. So, that’s what we’re doing. Hopefully I don’t hate it. I need to do taxes too 😦 UGH!! Which would be easy but Jon was a 1099 employee for like, 2 stupid months and I have no idea how to file 1099 taxes! I hope your baby doesn’t come till it’s due! I was hoping for mine to come at 37 weeks till a peds nurse I work with (and a prior NICU nurse) said white baby boys never do well if they’re born early at all! She said they always would stay on vents the longest and never be ready to be born! So now I guess I want him to stay in there!