Here is a list (in no particular order) of the things I plan to do once the baby comes…
1 Do our wedding album
2 Stitch the rip on the leather couch we now own after my father salvaged it from a friend who was throwing it away.
3 Print off and file the photos from our road trip across America last year.
4 Bake. And yes, I recognise this must be a ‘nesting instinct,’ given that I spent seven years in New York existing on scrambled eggs, tinned tuna and cereal. But I quite fancy myself enjoying a delicious breakfast of fresh baked bread dressed with honey straight from the bee keeper accompanied by a steaming cup of decaf tea.
5 Apply to do my phD in creative writing (a perfect compliment to my employ-ably useless degree in Musical Theatre).
6 Train for the 2010 marathon after this year’s abandoned attempt.
7 Finish the play I’m writing.
8 Throw myself into Christmas celebrations, (making goodies and decorations, hosting parties and sipping eggnog), as it is my first one home since 2001.
9 Find us a new place to live.
10 Fix my great grandmother’s costume jewelry and wear it out to fancy balls and galas.
Right now I can hear all you parents snorting with laughter and rolling your eyes at my wide-eyed baby naivety. And I know you’re right, I’ll be so busy I won’t know which end of my baby is up, but I am really still labouring under this misassumption that surely one activity (ie the baby) has to be less time consuming than the fourteen thousand I’m currently juggling. AND, after six weeks it’s rumoured the hormones stabilise, so maybe I’ll get my mind back which means I won’t forget everything I say and do right in the middle of saying and doing it, and will be able to multi-task with my usual deftness and agility. Watch me bake lasagna from scratch while breastfeeding my newborn!!
I realise these ambitions are high, and while I’ve been advised by many friends to lower my expectations, I figure, once a dreamer, always a dreamer. Doesn’t seem any crazier than when I moved to New York to pursue a career in musical theatre. Now there’s crazy for you. Zipped up tightly in a bag filled with passion and idealism!
But for now, having had toast for breakfast and eggs for lunch, I’ll settle for tuna in front of the news for dinner and accomplishing just one of the tasks I promised myself I’d finish today. Baby steps right? Pardon the pun.
that's a great list! Dream high, dare to dream....
ReplyDeleteand 3 months post-bub we would love to get a progress report
I have no doubt that you, being addicted to overcommitment, will try to accomplish many tasks when the peanut is finally here. Just don't beat yourself up when you only accomplish a portion of those on time.
ReplyDeleteYou can do some baking before peanut gets here and you can even do a boiled fruitcake soon, ready for Christmas....
If you get a sleeper you'll be able to do all that and more. Christopher was basically asleep for the first 5 months of his life and I powered through things like creating photo albums, afterall you'll be spending a whole lot more time at home.
ReplyDeleteBUT if you don't get a sleeping baby your reasonable To Do List for each day will probably just read...
1)Brush teeth
And some days getting that done will be a major achievement. Worth it though (both the teeth brushing effort and the baby!)
Ladies...give me some hope!I know, I know, once I know, I'll really know, but until then i'll probably continue with my daydreams - I was even considering learning Spanish as Gregory is fluent in it and I thought we should teach it to the peanut...
ReplyDeleteNaomi, my advice when planning what to do when peanut arrives .... dont plan ... enjoy every precious moment ... and when you do have a moment to spare ... sleep!!!!!
ReplyDelete