Soon to be listless?

Glory be, the end is near.

Work has finally slowed down, my Saint Joe class meets for the last time tomorrow, and this list feels much more managable. It's been two weeks since I last posted an update, and though I think I should have more to show for my lengthy hiatus, I'm still proud of myself for being able to wrap up a couple of the biggies.

Project Freka: Prenatal Edition

• Write thank-you cards for shower gifts
• Purchase life insurance
• Create will-like document to secure guardianship and general well-being of Frema-Useless Clutter offspring
• Start Roth IRA for Luke (because if we don't now, we never will)
• Complete application for private student loan consolidation (who wouldn't mind saving thirty bucks a month? Not me, that's for damn sure!)

I'm cheating just a little bit, crossing this one off, but all I have to do is fax some supporting documentation to Sallie Mae's main office, so I'm marking this puppy DONE. After playing phone tag for almost an hour with the automated Fembot on Saturday, I finally reached a real, live person who walked me through the pre-approval process (again), and today I received an e-mail confirming my status. I've already signed the application electronically, so once I fax the paperwork, I'll finally be on my way to saving that blasted thirty bucks a month. This was a huge pain in the ass, but it's oh, so worth it to owe that much less to Sallie Mae.

• Wipe down bedroom blinds (ours, baby's)
• Clean car (wash exterior, disinfect/vaccuum interior)
• Fill out engagement book (because really, enough with the procrastinating already)
• Order wedding pictures from photographer (for reasoning, see above)
• Print recent family photos and sort them into albums, seeing as eight weeks from now I'll be mostly preoccupied with somebody else's eating, sleeping, and pooping habits
• Renew domain registration and TypePad account
• Burn TLF soundtrack for Audrey out of gratitude for her mad summarizing skillz (I totally intended to create a kick-ass play list for the sequel, but...well...I didn't)
• Organize baby's room/assemble baby gear

There's a few reasons this item is still considered active; while all of the initial baby essentials (bassinet, crib, changing table) are ready to go, we still have the baby swing, play yard, and stroller to deal with. Plus, I'd like to replace the fabric on the rocking chair my mom and dad gave me a few years ago because the fifteen-years-old pink-and-green pattern is totally freaking me out. We have the fabric; we just need the time. And the motivation. I hope both will come into play this weekend; otherwise, I just might succumb to a two-day sob fest over missing my sister's post-wedding wedding shower on Sunday.

• Research nursing bras/camis
• Prepare and freeze several meals for easy reheating during baby's first few weeks
• Explore cheap birth announcement ideas
• Purchase and wrap Christmas presents

Done. Done done done done DONE. Every present purchased, every present wrapped while feasting on back-to-back episodes of Murder, She Wrote. I snagged the first season more than two years ago and still have yet to make it through all three discs, but I'm OK with that. Jessica Fletcher's wiley antics deserve to be savored.

• Find a pediatrician

Also done. Over the last two weeks, Luke and I interviewed four pediatricians and have decided to go with doc number three. It feels good to know we made a conscious effort to find the best physician for our baby--someone who'll look out for her best interests and respect our wishes the best he can.

• Install, inspect car seat
• Pack hospital bags

There are a few things not this list that really should've been added--contacting the church where we plan to have Freka baptised, buying and addressing Christmas cards so all that's left is to stuff them with birth announcements--but rather then overwhelm myself, I'm just going to keep chipping away at what's here until every single item's been dealt with. At this point, though, I'm most concerned with drafting our will and inspecting the car seat bases currently strapped into our back seats. Everything else can be dealt with postpartum.

Holy shit, we're having a baby.

One little story before I sign off: I was interviewing a new hire this afternoon, and we chatted a bit about my upcoming maternity leave and Luke's stay-at-home dad plans. The employee was an older man, so it threw me off when, at the end of our conversation, he said, "So, I guess that means you'll be bottle feeding?"

"No," I replied, but then I stopped, not knowing how to finish my thought. I couldn't bring myself use the word "breast" around a man I'd just met twenty minutes ago, no matter how innocent the context. "Well, since I'm going back to work, we'll eventually be using a bottle to feed her, but..." And my voice trailed off, hoping he'd get the point.

So, to answer TasterSpoon's question from yesterday, the mix of busy bodies ranges from repeat offenders to those who haven't even received their first paycheck yet. Lucky me.

Comments

[Emily]

I'm no prude, but I doubt I could have said "breast" to that man either. Regardless of its context.

Congrats on all the work you've gotten done! You're SO CLOSE.

[Jana]

I didn't feel like signing in over at your Parents blog, so I'll say it here. When I interviewed the pediatrician we picked, she also gave us a copy of that book AND.....a STROLLER. A GOOD UMBRELLA STROLLER THAT I HAVE USED LOTS ALREADY! But, no, that didn't persuade me one bit!

[Patriot]

Wow - it looks like you're insanely busy! Just came by your blog and saying hi!

[Molly]

What an odd question for an interviewee older man to ask you!! Who in the hell does that?? Yow.

I swear if I lived close I would attempt your rocker in a heartbeat. You're doing great with your list, though! Do you think you'll be able to take on the picture projects?

[Isabel]

HOLY SHIT...you're having a baby!

(Dude, I HATED having to mention anything to do with breast milk with my male coworkers. And crap, I can't believe that guy asked you. Creepy.)

[Kelly]

I felt weird about saying "breast" to people, too. Now I just say "I'm nursing." To me it is just a phrase I like better, especially with strangers! :)

[ambitiousmrs]

I went back to where I used to work a few months after my baby was born and the very first person I saw when I walked in the door was my former boss - a ridiculously proper and stern man. Within 2 minutes he wanted to know if she was breastfeeding. I couldn't have been any more uncomfortable! Gah! When I said yes I proceeded to get lecture about how breastfeeding is the best blah blah. I agree but I SO didn't wan to have the conversation with him!

Congrats on the progress on your list. If you don't get around to freezing yourself some meals I highly recommend going out a stocking up on those frozen dinner in a bag type items. They might sound kind of gross now but I can almost guarantee that in the first few weeks that will seem delicious simply because it required no effort to make!

[Liana]

OY. Do the inappropriate comments/questions from strangers never end?? And yeah, that's extra squicky coming from a man. Sheesh.

CONGRATS on getting so so much done! I'm especially impressed by the Christmas presents. You GO, Frema! Woo! :)

[daddy d]

Lists are good to make and do. I may do more of that work some time.

[Rachel]

I am envious of your ability to get soooo much completed. Especially since you are so far along and I know you've got to be tired.