Preparing for baby no.3: Starting to Panic!

I've found that with each pregnancy, time seems to move faster and faster.I'm 20 weeks pregnant this week. It's been 15 weeks since I found out I was expecting baby number 3 and I can hardly tell where the time has gone. If the last 15 weeks can move so fast, it stands to reason that the next 15 can too. There are plenty of things coming up in the next few months to help the time fly by faster as well. For instance, Halloween, my birthday, Christmas, New Year, mine and Mr. M's first wedding anniversary AND Valentine's Day all pop up before my due date, along with various other family birthdays and the prospect of a last minute holiday thrown in there too.

Realising all this has left me feeling a little bit panicked. With Mr. M being away with work, I'm also doing his share of the parenting too. Let me tell you, wrangling two small people single-handedly is a full-time job in itself! With so much going on, when am I ever going to have time to prepare for this baby?! I'm already 20 weeks; what if the baby comes early? What if the SPD I'm suffering rather badly with at the moment leaves me housebound and on crutches like last time? What if I get so caught up in whatever else is going on that I forget to buy something as essential as a car seat and I only realise when I want to take my newborn home?! Granted, that last worry is unlikely to happen, but still!

I've decided to put my organised hat on and MAKE A LIST. Or rather, several lists. I have lists for general baby must-buys, then more in depth lists with possible items, where they're from and how much they cost. I have a list for my hospital bag and one for baby's hospital bag even though I won't be packing them for another 10 weeks or so. I've even made a list of baby items I've seen recommended on YouTube or parenting blogs, just to see if any of them are worth me purchasing. All this may seem a little over excessive but to me, it's all completely necessary!

I am a worrier and an overthinker so all this is done in an effort to keep myself from stressing out too much. And check back, because I'll be posting more details about some of my efforts to prepare for this baby in future posts, along with hauls and other baby related stuff.

N x

My Favourite Time of Day

As I close the door, and try and shut the safety gate without making too much noise, I allow myself a sigh. I feel my shoulders relax, I didn't even know they were tensed, and I smile a little smile. I can hear the faint sound of 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' playing through the door and I stop for a minute and listen.

It's 7 o'clock in the evening and in that moment, there is peace.

The moment is fleeting. Reality soon snaps back into focus and I run through my to-do list for the evening. I have to nurse Arri, tidy Shosha's toys away, do the dishes, get Shosha's bag ready for crèche the next day, make Geth's lunch for the next day, feed the cat, do laundry/wash nappies, nurse Arri again, and at some point hopefully get some sleep.

So much to do, but for those few moments just after Shosha has gone to bed, I can just enjoy being. It's my time to reflect and be thankful for the family that I have. My loving, kind, wonderful partner. My incredible, smart, beautiful children. 

Even when I'm worn out, when myself and Geth are bickering, when Shosha is testing my patience and when Arri is being extra demanding, taking that time allows me to truly appreciate them all. This short lull in my hectic day allows me to refuel. 

Because Heaven knows, with a to-do list like mine, I need it!