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Lisbet
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 4:45am | IP Logged
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I really don't want to sound whiney here!  But I'm having a hard time keeping cheerful when I so badly want to begin my nesting. There are so many things I'd like to have done before this little one arrives in 7 weeks but I feel very held up beacuse of the holidays.
My homevisit is on Jan. 6th, and I usually have everything neatly in order by then. (that is when the midwives visit and check over birth supplies and such...)
I know there are a few of you due any time now, and then more due a few weeks before me - how are you handling the nesting in this busy season?
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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missionfamily
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 9:28am | IP Logged
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Lisa--Perhaps list making and a timeline will help soothe your nerves while you wait? And are there some smaller tasks you could take on that aren't effected by Christmas...bathroom deep cleans...cleaning out the fridge...making a good grocery list and meal plan that others can help with after the baby...washing baby clothes and newborn diapers and putting them away...or focus on your room and get it ready for right after baby.
I know time is a problem during the holidays too, but maybe just setting aside 20-3o minutes to nest will soothe you. Nesting definitely soothes my nerves in the end of pregnancy and I get a little snippy if I'm held up...my family is usually happy to leave me alone for a few minutes  .
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Colleen
dh Greg
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 9:38am | IP Logged
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Lisa, I know just what you mean. I am so glad my due date isn't until the end of January so that I still have about a month after Christmas to really go into nesting mode. (Of course, the baby could very easily come early, but I *refuse* to acknowledge that possibility at this point! )
The way I have coped with this is really to not think too much about my baby-related to-do list. Easier said than done! But I made a nice long list of all the things we need to do before she gets here and tucked it into another folder to look at after my Advent/Christmas to-do list is completed. My husband keeps asking me what he can do to help out before the baby arrives, and I just keep saying, "NO! If you want something to do, check a task off the Christmas to-do's. When they're all completed, we'll look at the other list." (Of course, I say it much more nicely than that. ) Seriously, having that division is the only thing keeping me sane right now. Just having the list gives me the security of knowing that I'm not going to forget everything once the time comes that I can start preparing, and not letting myself look at it (too often!) forces me to put all of it on the back burner for now.
It has definitely helped that I am so busy baking and sewing and wrapping and planning and all. Some of my nesting energies have been redirected there. It's not the same, but at least I feel like I've accomplished a lot at the end of the day, baby-related or not.
At 35 weeks right now, I am a little concerned that baby could make her appearance sooner than expected. But I do have the bare minimum, absolute essentials in order. There is so much left to be done, but I figure that with the nesting energy and motivation I have right now, I'll be able to complete it all that first week after Christmas. Right?
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Celeste
Joyous Lessons
Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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Martha
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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Well I'm due just a couple days before christmas, so I'm well laid in my nest already.
I handed all the christmas stuff onto dh. we discussed gifts, he bought them. he wanted some decorations up, just tree, nativity, advent wreath. so he and the kids put them up. (it looks very authenticly child driven ) to be fair, I really don't like christmas. I know that's terrible, but there you have it. I HATE all the cold, the extened family arguments, the bad memeories, the shopping (that's the worst!), and so forth. Dh loves it all, so he was in heaven at my proclamation.
If it makes anyone feel better, I go NUTS for easter. 
I made a list (come on you KNEW I'd have a list! )of home stuff I wanted done and couldn't really do myself without making dh spaz out. (like climb a ladder to clean ceiling fans and cobwebs off the moulding.) and dh did that too b/c he knows how determined a nester I can be.
And I have a shreadsheet on the wall of which kids do which chores on what days. A life saver. All I have to do in the morning is give the all call to do chores before breakfast and floors, bathrooms, beds, dishwasher is emptied, dryer is emptied and clothes put away in about 30 minutes. Before bed every night I switch out laundry and make sure the dishwasher is running.
It might help to know that I've had just excruciating braxton hicks since week 30 with this pregnancy. So, I've been on alert for well over a month already. No one can believe I'm still pregnant. This little girl is being so stubborn it's just ridiculous. 
It also might help to know that dh works from home and has been under a LOT of stress due to the knowledge that he will very likely be laid off in January and is trying to find a job before that happens. Doing things around the house and putting all his joy in this new baby is very theraputic for him. Otherwise, I imagine he'd just roll his eyes and laugh at my nesting antics.
ETA: okay I read this after posting and apparently I could have simplified it all down to:
make dh and the kids do it while you drink hot cocoa and take a nap. I know I did more than supervise, but it sure doesn't sound liek it reading my post.
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 11:26am | IP Logged
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I will be honest and say that I didn't even know there was a phenomenon called "nesting" until I saw it for the first time on the CCM list! We just kinda wing it every time. Right now I have baby clothes washed but not put away -- and we have an ever-ready supply of Pampers since Dad works there. But I just placed an order today for the cloth dipes (thank you Lord for Nissa :) ) -- and the baby can come any day now.
Right now I'm using Toodledo to help keep me organized. I try to work about 15 minutes on my feet then 15 minutes put my feet up, and just crash and nap when I need to. I don't have Christmas cards done this year, I've done two kinds of fruitcake, some vinegars, and my daughter has done aprons, but other than that most of our giftees will be receiving gifts AFTER Christmas and most probably after baby. Thankfully I know they love us too much to really expect more than that.
I've simplified our homeschooling drastically and just focusing on prayer mostly. When I went to confession two weeks ago and expressed my frustrations, Father insisted that my penance be LOWERED EXPECTATIONS -- of myself and everybody else. I'm trying
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mom to five
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Dawnie
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I'm not due until the beginning of March, but I've found out this Christmas season how important setting priorities and being realistic about my time limitation is.
My sister had her 1st baby last Thursday. The delivery was very rough on her and the baby and the baby ended up in the NICU for 5 days. Meanwhile, she's trying to recover from the birth and learn how to breastfeed a baby who is hooked up to an IV and all kinds of wires. So, I went up to the hospital to help her as much as I could--it really took 4 hands to handle those first feedings! The time I spent away from home meant that a lot of my Christmas crafts and homemade gifts didn't get done. It also meant that I got wayyy behind on chores and laundry. I can see that I need to train my children to help out more and be more clear with dh about the things I need him to help with.
In the meantime, though, I made a list of all the things that HAD to be done before Christmas. Then, I divided up the tasks among the days that were left, trying to be realistic about what I could really do in one day. I presented the plan to dh last night so we could make sure things get done together. Today is family portrait day and we wrote out a simple schedule last night for the day. I had to let go of a lot of crafty things I was wanting to do with the kids, but I think that's okay. Our holiday preparations got "interrupted" by a new cousin, and I think the time I spent helping my sister with him probably pleased the Lord more than any decorating, shopping, or crafting I could have done at home.
I've been thinking a lot about what *really* prepares my heart for Christmas this year...and I think it boils down to prayer and seeing Jesus in those around me.
Gotta go!
Dawn
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 1:21pm | IP Logged
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I was due December 8th. Baby was way early after 6 weeks of bedrest (during which my children threw all existing feathers out of the nest and scattered them every where)...So, I'm trying to retro-nest in the middle of Advent. Doesn't work at all.
I give up.
I'll nest in January
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 1:23pm | IP Logged
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What's Toodledo?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Lisbet
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Thanks everyone. I'm still all of this over. I know baby will not care if the floors are clean and if meals are preped - and no one will starve. Elizabeth, I have been thinking about you and dear Sarah often.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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stefoodie
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Toodledo
I learned about it from one of the Marys -- sorry, Mary G and Mary M, can't remember which one of you... it also goes very well with GTD principles, except of course, GTD wasn't written exactly for pregnant homeschooling women, but it still helps...
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stef
mom to five
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MaryM
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| Posted: Dec 17 2008 at 1:58pm | IP Logged
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stefoodie wrote:
Toodledo
I learned about it from one of the Marys -- sorry, Mary G and Mary M, can't remember which one of you... |
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It must be Mary G. ... 'cuz I'm not organized .
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Our Domestic Church
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Nesting Question
