Nesting To Do List

I am, by no means, a perfectionist. I don't always have to have my house perfectly clean 24/7. Some of you, especially my mother, know I am not good at having the dishes done. I am not a stickler about keeping a clean room, but it doesn't get that bad, really it doesn't. I promise. It is usually just clothes that need to be put in the hamper or water bottles that need to be recycled (that has been the big thing lately).

Although I may not be the tidiest person, if you get me started cleaning, it takes a lot to get me to stop. I usually stop when it is all done or the last load of laundry is in the dryer. That doesn't happen so much now with the uncomfortable phase I am in. Doing dishes is extremely awkward for me now. It has just gotten worse as the time as passed and my belly has gotten bigger. The counter top hits me at the biggest part of my belly or just below it. I used to just get right up to the counter so I wouldn't have to bend forward as much when doing the dishes. Now I need to back away or it hurts my stomach, making me even farther than what it was before I started showing. With me being so far away from the counter top/sink I have to bend down and forward more. It creates back pain and I am done with dishes after about three minutes (including getting water in the sink, which takes longer because of the water heater and getting the perfect temperature). Let's be real, I never will ever live in a house that doesn't have a dishwasher after we leave this place. I wont stand for it. The easier my life can be when it comes to dishes, the better.

This has been hard for me, especially lately. I have been in nesting mode for over a month. It comes and goes. Well, after yesterday (I had contractions and was going to get checked at the hospital... thankfully they stopped... she can't come yet. Gotta get through Chad's project on Saturday!!) I have been in nesting mode and I can't stand it. 

Nesting has been so hard for me to handle lately. I want to do something to clean my house but I can't go long with out feeling sick or uncomfortable. I feel worn out after doing something so mundane, like folding a load of laundry. Well, be proud of me because I folded 4 today! YAHOO! 

Even though I am not the tidiest person in the world who has to have everything in place at all times, I hate when it isn't clean when people come over. I have a hard time asking someone to help me with the dishes (even Chad). I don't know if it is a pride thing or what but I got feeling really embarrassed last night. As Chad and I were sitting in bed talking before turning the lights of getting some shut eye, I expressed how much I needed to do before the baby came. Chad said I really didn't need to. I just needed to take it easy for the rest of the week. I understand that, really I do. With Chad needing to finish his project (it is a crucial thing for his class... 40% of his Poly Sci grade) I knew that what he was saying was true. I needed to lay low. But then the embarrassment just set in.

I explained that I would feel so embarrassed if I were to go into labor with our house looking like this just to have someone come into our home and cleaned it all up. It isn't so horrible (I have seen worse in my life time from other families that I know) and I would be grateful for the help before bringing our baby home, but I would feel so disappointed in myself. I guess it is a bit of a proud moment for me. Actually, just so you can understand that I actually do think like this.... 

As I was grabbing our phone chargers for our hospital bags and what not, just incase I actually did go into labor, I started tidying up our room. Yeah... I was that aware of it. 

I have always been very independent and asking for help is hard for me. Even when someone says, and truly means it, "If you need anything, please let me know." I just want to do it all. I want to almost prove to myself that I can do it on my own, even when I know I can't. After telling this to Chad I told him I would need his help. The baby's room is done. There isn't anything else I can really do other than just re-fold clothes or vacuum again, ect. Everything is done for now. There isn't much more I can do until she is actually here. But my nesting isn't just confined to her room. It calls out to the whole house. So I made a mental list of what I was going to try and get done today. 

Thursday:

• Make bed
• Fold the fleece blankets on the floor and store in the back room
• Put the ice pack back in the freezer
• Clean up the water bottles and take them out to our recycling can
• Make sure all clothes in our room get put in the hamper then sorted so laundry can be done
• Do all the laundry

Now what actually got done?

• Make bed
• Fold the fleece blankets on the floor and store in the back room
• Put the ice pack back in the freezer
• Clean up the water bottles and take them out to our recycling can
• Make sure all clothes in our room get put in the hamper then sorted so laundry can be done
• Do all the laundry (Close! I did 4-5 loads... yeah it sounds like a ton but we have a tiny washer/dryer so they are small loads. I have two left. All but two pairs of my garments are clean, the one I wore earlier today as I was cleaning, and the ones I am wearing now after showering.)
• Clean toilet (I would like to scrub the toilet once more because the ring is still a bit visible... It had been a while since it was lsat done.) 
• Wipe down bathroom vanity
• Sweep bathroom floor

I would say that was a successful day. And I sat on my butt for a great chunk of it while I folded clothes.

Although I got all that done today, I still have much I need/want to do before she arrives. I want to go to the hospital with a relatively clean and put together home...

According to room:

Our Bedroom:

Actually put those blankets away

Vacuum

Dust (want)

Hallway:

Sweep

Mop (want)

Storage Room: 

Actually put those big empty boxes somewhere in the back room (want)

Put the bins full of stuff back in order (want)

Sweep (want)

Laundry Room:

Finish last two loads of laundry

Sweep (want)

Take out the trash - the empty detergent boxes/bottles (need/want)

Pantry:

Sweep (want)

Bathroom:

Mop (want)

Scrub the shower from ceiling to tile grout (need, but can't... will probably beg Chad to do this again. He did the bottom of the shower for me a two weeks ago)

Kitchen:

Sweep

Mop (want, but need to. most likely the first want on the list to get done)

Dishes

Wipe down all surfaces

Clean refrigerator out (want)

Living Room:

Tidy up everything

Vacuum

Go through shoes in basket and put away ones we don't wear this season (want, but probably will end up doing)

Dust (need/want)

Obviously I won't get to everything on this list but I really would like some key things done... mostly the living room and kitchen. Besides, I can multi task while doing the laundry and somethings can be done in just minutes. Sweeping isn't hard and I can do it all in one big swoop. 

However, I don't want to push myself to hard. I don't want to make Kathrynne come any sooner than she needs to by keeping myself busy like this. Also, I can't really do much anyways before I get so worn out. I have to take a lot of longer breaks in between jobs and tasks. I just need to do hold out until late afternoon on Saturday.