My Maternity Leave - Round 2

If I recall my first maternity leave correctly, I was done with everything I needed to do after roughly day 2...and so ready for the baby to arrive. I remember being so bored, so uncomfortable and so crabby. The first week home on this maternity leave has been a different experience - thank goodness.

I am slowly checking things off my "nesting check-list."
Monday, I didn't do much but enjoy not having to go to work.

Tuesday I got down to business. I cleaned (deep cleaned) the kitchen. I scrubbed the sink with a toothbrush and baking soda. I cleaned the stove. I cleaned every nook and cranny of the microwave with a 50/50 mix of blue Dawn and white vinegar (12 oz each) until it sparkled white. I cleaned/disinfected all the counters. It looked glorious. Unfortunately it lasted about 24 hours before it was ready for a good cleaning again. :-\ But the microwave still looks great! :) That night I got started on recipes to freeze. I got 2 muffin recipes done: Chocolate-berry muffins and hot chocolate muffins. Yum!

Wednesday (Yesterday) was grocery shopping. I mean major grocery shopping - with a 2 year-old. My extensive grocery list included ingredients for the freezer meals I had planned, as well as healthy snacks for when baby arrives and typical household groceries. I wasn't sure we were going to make it, but we survived. We went to our local grocery store's 'dollar days' and stocked up on some essentials for a great prices. This grocery store tends to be a little pricey, so what we didn't get a good deal on there, we finished off at Target. $220 and a full trunk of groceries later, we were ready to go home. All in all, it took about 3 hours (including our quick stop to pick up the Diaper Champ I found on Craigslist for $10). We were both spent by the time we got home. Lydia went down for a nap and I rested on the couch for a while before I could muster up the energy to actually unload the groceries. I eventually got it all unloaded and put away. Oddly enough, this process also took about 3 hours ;) I was so ready for a mama break right around the time DH called and said he had to stay late at work. Humph. Back on my feet it was to make dinner (Chicken and rice with broccoli). I was very tired at this point...Lydia, not so much. Luckily DH made it home about 30 min before her bed time and was able to do their typical bedtime routine while I rested for a little while. A short while. Before I decided I needed to make the other 2 batches of muffins I had planned to freeze. Coffeehouse Coffee cake muffins and Apple Oatmeal muffins. Luckily they were soooooo delicious. They were a nice treat before bedtime :)



Today consisted of more freezer meal prep. I made 2 gallon bags full of pot roast ingredient and 2 bags of fajita ingredients to freeze. I also did some laundry. I had a nice little rest while Lydia napped and then it was off to my OB appointment. I had to get my Strep B test...The midwife asked if I wanted to be checked. I hadn't decided before the appointment, but I figured since she was down there anyway, she might as well check me to see where things were at. Much to my delight, I am 1cm dilated! It doesn't mean a whole lot, but it is nice to know that my body has at least thought about working toward getting this baby out! Haha Now, we are off to bible study. I might take it easy tomorrow. Maybe another load of laundry and packing hospital bags for me, Lydia and Adeline? We'll see...