Nesting

I recently got off of bed rest after a brush with preterm contractions, and I must admit, I've been moving kind of slowly ever since.  I went from spending my days in my PJs watching Judge Mathis to resuming my normal routine of working full-time and taking care of the house.  A few things might have slipped through the cracks in the process.  I might have ordered from a takeout menu or two.  Ripley, our dog, might have a somewhat unpleasant odor.  And worst of all, I was not even inspired to post my first blog for Patch!

On Saturday, my husband are I took our niece and nephew to the mall for some shopping. After only a few short hours, I can now proudly say that my butt has graced every single bench (and a few window displays) in Towson Town Center.  It's amazing how a once active person gets winded after standing for more than five minutes.

But that was Saturday. Sunday was a different story. Sunday was a day when legends are made.  Sunday, nesting kicked in.

Nesting: A sudden burst of energy which can occur one to three months before labor. This phenomenon is typically characterized by the obsessive need to clean or organize and is usually brought on by the sudden realization that you're running out of time before your baby arrives.

On Sunday, I had the kind of day that neat freaks and those with obsessive compulsive disorder dream about. Random things have been Swifted, Windexed, Cometed and Lysol Wiped all around my house. Ripley has shampooed, perfumed and sheened to the point that he is ready for his Best in Show debut. There are various piles throughout my house representing items for giveaway, recycling, Craigslist, Ebay, yard sales, returns, etc.

And then there's the nursery.  I think I visited Home Depot at least seven times yesterday.  Gary, who works in the paint department at the Randallstown Home Depot, was my reluctant accomplice in selecting the perfect colors to grace our nursery walls.  These are very important decisions and cannot be taken lightly. So what if I bought thirteen 8 oz. paint samples before I decided on a color. At $2.98 per sample, my husband argues that I could have purchased at least two gallons of paint. Good thing he didn't notice the other 10 samples I have hidden in the basement.  I mean really, who knew there were so many shades of purple?  I really can't tell you the difference between Meadow Flower and Lantana, but trust me, there is one,  it's huge and it will impact the future happiness and success of my daughter.

But that was Sunday.  And today, Tuesday, I'm utterly exhausted.  And those piles referred to earlier in this blog will stay right where they are for the foreseeable future.

With my doctors knowing that they will induce labor as early as 37 weeks, my husband and I have approximately 12 weeks to prepare for our daughter's arrival. I can only reminisce about my glory day and pray that I'll get a few more of these “nesting bursts” before the baby is born.  I don't know if I'll be so lucky, but I can honestly say with utter and complete confidence, with careful planning and preparation, we still won't be ready.

Until next time, I'm 37 & Pregnant....