On the Agenda

There are so many things I've been looking forward to in the New Year -- we're making significant progress on some of our long-standing projects (we'll finally have more than just a bed frame for our master bedroom!), and we have grand plans for simplifying and organizing our house. We've not really invested time or money into improving our household systems in the past few years, but we've added both square footage and children to our home. While we probably have some surplus that can be culled, we also have "keepers" that just don't have permanent homes -- which means that there always seems to be a mess to tidy. "Everything in its place" doesn't work when everything doesn't have a place, you know?

But there is one event this year that I'm looking forward to even more than the improvements we hope to make -- in fact, I'm "working" on it as I write this: 

I'll be done with the first trimester soon, Lord willing! While my symptoms are mild-as-usual (light-but-persistent nausea, fatigue, major baby-brain), I'm looking forward to feeling a little bit more like myself in a week or two. Though with Rosa the nausea lingered until 20 weeks, so if this little one is a girl I may have a few more weeks to go!

This will be our first baby born in Virginia, and I'm looking forward to using the midwifery center at a local hospital (assuming the pregnancy remains low-risk). While my past three "regular" hospital births were all quite satisfactory, it will be nice to be in an environment that matches my preferences more closely. My biggest gripe with my previous hospital was the 48 hour post-birth stay -- always longer, because it took them ages to discharge us! -- and the initial nursery visit. We were allowed about an hour to bond before they whisked the baby away, usually for at least an hour (and once as long as two hours!) to bathe, weigh, examine, etc. I loved my OB and had no better alternatives at the time, but in-room care and a shorter stay are both big advantages in my book.

And, of course, a new baby is an excuse to spend some quality time with my sewing machine and knitting needles! Though with a July due date, I won't get the chance to knit newborn sizes. But first I need to do a bit of sewing for myself, because apparently my body thinks that, this being its 4th pregnancy, it should look pregnant RIGHT NOW. I mean, why wait, right? *wink*

I crave your prayers -- not only for a healthy pregnancy and baby, but also for peace for me regardless of the outcome.  

In the meantime, I have some body-building to do!