67½ hours

In no more than 67½ hours, we will begin welcoming the 4th child into our family. Today, we finally went and got the carseat, a nice orangey model (BBM was right...the pink ones were just a tad too...P.I.N.K., even for me, and everything else was so boyish). With my $20 off coupon, we were able to get the extended warranty thingy, still spend less than the original cost of the carseat, and ended up with 97 cents left on a gift card!! W00T!! Now I have to admit, we bought a package of size 1 diapers as well (for convenience, since we were already there), and a box of baby wipes, and got those on the gift cards as well. Now I have a bunch of newborn diapers from a diaper cake made by a friend (she's awesome...it's her gift every time someone gets pregnant, and it's a wonderful gift...socks folded up like candles, all sorts of baby notions like thermometers, spoons, a cute little frog thing to test bathwater temps, and diapers, individually rolled & tied with ribbon...it's incredible). I also have a pack of size 2 diapers from the shower as well. We don't think LMJM will be fitting into NB diapers though (if she does, it certainly won't be for long), but I think size 2s would be a bit big. And obviously, I opened the wipes as soon as we got home, simply because now it smells baby fresh in the house!! (I know, I know...a coupla poops from LMJM, and that baby fresh thing will be long gone!).

So...I don't think it's too early to start counting down by hours, even if I don't know a specific time...they said no later than 2pm to start the induction. Of course, it could take hours after the pitocin starts dripping into my IV, but still...the whole process will have begun, and that's half the battle! The Boys are completely excited and overcome with anticipation. I had hoped to order them Big Brother and Bigger Brother t-shirts, but it just wasn't in the cards. Maybe I'll go to Michaels and get something to make them buttons or something...maybe a hat...t-shirts are outgrown anyway. I know they have big brother stuff at the gift shop in the hospital as well...I seem to remember hats there too, but I could be mistaken. Either way, they're just excited as all get out. Aww, and looking online at the hospital gift shop, they don't have clickable links to products or anything, but things can be purchased over the phone if you're not able to visit in person...how cool is that??? I really like this hospital.

So...carseat is installed, clothes and blankets have been washed and put away, bag is packed (complete with extra digital batteries), mommy is sufficiently sleep deprived already and has become accustomed to it...I think we've got everything (really everything this time) needed for LMJM to make her arrival.

So...although I've been doing better at posting more than 3 times a month, I'm going to warn everyone...if I'm not back on for a week or so, you'll know why!!! I'm sure as soon as we're home and semi-settled (hopefully just in time for kick-off of the first game of the season [the Skins vs. the Giants...BBM's team vs. one of my favorites, although not as much anymore now that Tiki's retired]) I'll be long overdue for a sit-down at my trusty computer to catch up on my own blog, plus catch up on my daily blogroll.

So...have a wonderful Labor Day, whatever your plans - be safe, be fun!!

Confessions.

There are some things I'd like to admit to in this post. I know, shocking, isn't it??

I'm guilty of eating Ramen noodles for the past 2 days for lunch, even though one package has enough sodium content to last me for a whole week. My feet/ankles are yelling at me right now.



I'm guilty of falling head over heels for a writer named Grace Livingston Hill, thanks to a newfound blog friend, Anna.



I'm guilty of copying recipes down that I never make, but that sound really really good, and that I'd like to say I've made.



I'm guilty of being SCARED. TO. DEATH. of being induced on Tuesday.



I'm guilty of being angry with Big Boss Man's 99 cent San Pellegrino habit, when really it's no more than my daily YooHoo on days that I work. Although I don't drink 4 a day.



I'm guilty of organized chaos. My desk is horrifying to the stranger's eye, but I can tell you what pile everything's in (uh, usually).



**Disclaimer: this is NOT a shelf in my home**

I'm guilty of loving to take pictures, then never getting them developed.



I'm guilty of eating one of life's most hideous food combinations, apparently: peanut butter bread with raisins on top. And I'm guilty of continuing to eat it even after being told it was one of life's most hideous food combos.



I'm guilty of watching movies (especially ones where the underdog wins in the end), over and over and over (and over, and over) again.



I'm guilty of having SO MANY things I want to do, but never doing them, or being scared to try.



I'm guilty (very guilty sometimes) of using sarcasm a a defense mechanism.




Whew...well I don't know about you, but I feel better. Sort of like how Dory feels better in Finding Nemo when she admits to never having eaten a fish:

I hope you all are having a fantastical Friday. And here's to a wonderful, fun-filled weekend.

And share something you're guilty of.

My last prenatal appointment

Well, it's almost here!! In a little over an hour, I have my last prenatal appointment, ever. Should I take a picture as I go in the door or something? As much as I'm W.A.I.T.I.N.G. for this to be done, I'm sad about it too. Maybe I'll go in today and he'll tell me "Uhm, whoah! You're dilated to 5 centimeters...don't you feel those contractions?!?"

Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Other than that, I've got errands to run today...more of them. Well really, I just need to go to Babies R Us, because I found some old gift cards that I *think* will give us enough to buy the last big thing we need to get...we have one, but it's old and I can't figure it out and it will be safer to get a new one. We were going to buy it tomorrow, but I'll go today with the gift cards and purchase it. I also have some forms to fax off to work, and I have to call disability, because:

Yesterday was my last official day at work!!! W00t w00t!! So that must be done today so my pay won't get screwed up (hopefully). I've heard horror stories, so think good payroll thoughts for me, 'kay?

I also need to call The Boys' school and explain to them what'll be happening next Tuesday, and see if their teachers might have some extra worksheets or something to send home with them that day...to help occupy their time at the hospital. I'm also going to print out some coloring pages or puzzle pages I think, and have those packed with some crayons and colored pencils and plain paper. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated! And thankfully, I'm not worried about snacks, because this hospital *rocks* as far as keeping family members happy goes...seriously...it's like being in a hotel...they are there for no other reason than the patient and their family...it's refreshing, actually.

I think the rest of the stuff is home stuff to do...laundry (but no baby items...those are ALL. DONE), and that includes clothing and sheets, tidying up the living room/hall/kitchen, and vacuuming. This sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Well, first, I don't want LMJM coming home to an untidy house. Second, it'll feel so much better if I get it done now, then the upkeep will be easier once we come home. Third, I'm trying to go into labor here, people!!! But I promise to go easy and not do anything that makes me feel icky. Pinky swear.


*********AUTHOR'S EDIT: I haven't posted about a giveaway in awhile, but my morning blogroll found me staring this one straight in the face over at Around the Quilt Block. What an adorable bag!! Plus there's chocolate...and fabric (which I have a serious lack of). Check it out!

*********AUTHOR'S EDIT #2: Let me pose a question for all you etsyers out there. I found a fantastical book at the library this afternoon with patterns for some kitchen accessories...stuff that's probably way out of my league, since I was recently excited for a straight line; however, I looked through the book and although it says "no portion of the publication can be reproduced or transmitted", it doesn't mention anything about making things off the patterns and selling them. What's protocol on this? What if I make the cutsie-wootsie things, but change something slightly about the pattern? What if I don't change anything, sew it as is, but link to the author/book when trying to sell it? I've got no clue how to proceed.