Stress!

Have I mentioned that being pregnant is stressful? Not only are you uncomfortable and dealing with the normal pregnancy-related hormonal changes, but for me, specifically, I had the add-ons of the IVF hormones. I also made the decision (with my doctor) to completely wean myself off of anti-anxiety medication...so basically I am a pregnant, hormone-laced woman with untreated anxiety.

I am currently sitting on my couch in the living room while a contractor is in (what will be) the baby's room fixing the drywall and a leaky window. My dad is currently visiting (staying at a hotel). We had another guest visit (stayed with us) for 3 nights about a month ago. All I can say is that this is STRESSFUL. I have quickly learned that during this time, for the sake of my well-being, I should not host any guests at all. 

We (and by "we," I mean David) finished taking down the picture rail, patching the walls, and re-painting the nursery. However, we then discovered a leaky window which led to some minor mold in the drywall surrounding it. (This was after we had all new carpet installed, which was a whole other stress-inducing experience involving packing and a house in disarray.) The good news is that the mold is not serious, and the contractor is confident that he can remove all of it, reseal the window, and fix all the drywall. I'm hoping the job is finished today!

I can't wait until everything in there is fixed and painted. Next, I will need to tackle all of my "stuff" and make room for the baby. Below is my working To Do List!

My Tentative To Do List:

• New kitchen table/chairs/barstools
• Trade in car for SUV
• Change carpets
• Figure out maternity leave
• Decide on daycare/pre-school
• Take down picture rail in baby room
• Re-paint baby room
• Clean out baby room
• Furnish baby room
• Sign up for birthing classes
• Make/fill a Baby Registry
• Get info about doulas

Our important anatomy scan is scheduled for next week. We are praying for the best news. After that, David and I are planning on taking a little Spring Break/Babymoon to So-Cal. This will be a much needed break!

Nesting!

I've officially entered "nesting" mode. We have 6 months which may seem like a lot of time, but there are so many things that I want to get done before the arrival of the baby and we have a number of out-of-town guests scheduled to come in the next few months (which creates a whole new level of stress).

On 1/19/17, we went to our local 3D U/S place to do a gender determination scan. It was mostly to feel safe before making our official pregnancy announcement, but the tech was able to determine the gender (which we have safely tucked away in a sealed envelope to open later).

I've contacted (and/or visited) ~6 different daycare/pre-school options in town. I knew from watching my friends' experiences with this that I wanted to get a head start, and I'm glad I have. I've found a few options, but am still deciding what works best as far as location, convenience, price, hours, and wait lists. I also finally worked out my birth/bonding FMLA and fall teaching schedule. The plan right now is to take 8 weeks of leave, and teach the 2nd 8 weeks online, which will allow me to stay home with the baby for the entire semester! I'll be working a little from home, but essentially won't have to take the baby to daycare until mid-January (when s/he is nearly 6 months).

Yesterday I went in for my Return OB (ROB) appointment and got to hear the heartbeat on the doppler. Then we drove 2.5 hours to take a look at a new car. I actually hadn't thought about a new vehicle at all during this whole process until David brought it up. He wanted to get a larger, safer, vehicle, with a few other features we've learned we need living in the snowy mountains, like AWD, dual climate control, and roof rails. We originally considered trading in his hatchback for an SUV, but then after talking about it, realized I'd be the one driving the baby around the most, so it'd be better to trade in my sedan. We spent 5 hours at the dealer yesterday (and another 5 hours on on the road), but we walked away with an amazing deal on a Honda CR-V with a handful of extras thrown in. I don't think the car salesman had anticipated what it'd be like negotiating with a pregnant, hungry, former buyer. ;-) I had always told myself I wanted to get a new VW Beetle next, but things can change in a heartbeat!

I have basic plans drawn out for the baby room, including trying to accommodate potential guests, but there are a few things we need to do first including changing out the carpet and repainting the walls. So much to do!

My Tentative To Do List:

• New kitchen table/chairs/barstools
• Trade in car for SUV
• Change carpets
• Figure out maternity leave
• Decide on daycare/pre-school
• Take down picture rail in baby room
• Re-paint baby room
• Furnish baby room