10 Things to do While Waiting for Baby

So this waiting for Eloise stuff is absolutely for the birds!  Thank goodness my sister is back from camp and I can walk with her in the mornings and hang out with her and the kids later in the day.  When she left for a week I did not realize just how much we talked and hung out these days.  I am trying to keep busy, trying to make sure all of my ducks are in a row, trying to be a graceful and patient pregnant lady who smiles and pats her belly with wise words of how God will bring Eloise into the world when He is ready.  I believe that with my whole heart, but I am not so graceful, patient or wise.

My sis told me this morning that her mom-in-law found a list on pinterest of 10 things to do while you wait to have your baby.  I searched for it but could not find it, so I decided to make my own.  Some of these are taken from my "What to Expect" weekly e-mails, and some are straight out of my own head.

1.  Pack your hospital bag, or make a list of things you want to go in it so when labor starts you don't have to do a lot of thinking.

2.  Wash and clean your car.  You never know, this could help bring a baby along.  I'm also adding dog washing to this one.

3.  Challenge all of your Facebook friends to Words with Friends (my game of choice these days is Scramble with Friends and my apologies to those who have to play it on a regular basis... at least I'm horrible at it so you get to win).

4.  Finish up all thank-you cards.  I'm still working on this one, but I am almost there.  And really, I've enjoyed writing these as it reminds me that I am loved and so is Eloise!  I often find myself smiling as I write.

5.  Get out of the house!  I find this helps really break up my days (and this is where fun dates with my sis come into play).  Run errands, go for a walk, go for a swim, meet a friend for lunch, go to the movies with your husband - all great things to keep you busy and keep you from thinking about the little one's arrival (or lack there of).

6. Clean out and re-stock the fridge.  Throw out old, out of date foods and stock your fridge with your staples and your favorites.

7.  Do the household chores you'll appreciate being done when the little one arrives.  For me, this means staying on top of vacuuming, dusting, and clothes washing.  I don't want a big basket of dirty clothes and I don't want dirty floors and things when we come home with Eloise.  So as long as she isn't here yet, I'm trying to keep up with these so that when she does show up, we get to come home to a clean house.

8.  Read a good book.  This has been a lifesaver for me.  As I mentioned a while back, I went to the library and brought home an entire stack of books to keep my mind off of the endless waiting... and it has worked!  If you love to read, visit your library or borrow a stack from a friend.  Losing yourself in a good story is great!

9.  Scrapbook prep.  I'm not a big scrapbooker, but I do want Eloise to know what it was like when we waited for her and when she showed up.  I want her to see how excited we were and all we did to welcome her into this world.  I've begun a scrapbook and also some scrapbook prep so that when she arrives I know what memories to jot down, what pictures I want to capture, and any memorabilia I want to keep.

10.  Organize!  Take the time to tackle that closet or cabinet that's been driving you crazy.  I've been working on this and I can't describe how good it makes me feel.  With the onslaught of baby stuff, I am been thrilled to clean out and get rid of all kinds of things I don't need.  I also enjoy everything looking neat and orderly, along with having room for my baby things. 

What am I leaving out?  Do you have any good ideas for keeping busy while you wait?  Share them!