30 Things to Do Before Baby Comes || An Update

We are officially on the countdown until we meet our little girl! As of today, my due date is in 15 days so she could come at any time. Or she could be stubborn and come late, although we are praying that does not happen! Obviously. I thought I would use today to update a list I started back in November and see how much progress we have made in getting ready to welcome a little one to our world. So...

1. Attend 2nd baby shower and send out thank you notes.

We actually ended up having a third baby shower as Brad's work threw us a shower. I am still working on thank you cards for that one... But, the rest are done and mailed out!

2. Pack hospital bags
(mine, Brad's, McKinley's - probably doing this over Christmas break).

3. Buy, if needed, and install the car seat
(I would love to find a fire department or professional to help us with this).

My car will be McKinley's primary means of transportation so we are safely installed in my car. I took the car seat to the Sheriff's Office and had it installed. We still need to take the extra base for Brad's car and have it installed.

4. Deep clean the house (also, probably completing over Christmas break).

5. Prewash all baby clothes (newborn and some 0-3 months), blankets, and bedding.

6. Contact insurance about a breast pump.

7. Make freezer meals (also, Christmas break).

8. Go on the hospital tour.

9. Attend breastfeeding and baby safety (CPR/Heimlich) classes.

We have not yet gone to a breastfeeding class, so I'm not sure if we will get one in before she comes. But we did take a baby safety class and a natural childbirth class because I am hoping to deliver epidural free (I'm no saint, I just had spinal surgery as a child that makes epidurals dangerous for me, unfortunately because I would've been all about that).

10. Charge camera battery
(after holidays, then don't touch).

11. Stock up on necessities around the house (non-food items).

12. Inform family members of "Baby/Hospital Rules" after going on tour.

13. Take maternity pictures and discuss a newborn shoot with our photographer.

14. Make room for baby things in the kitchen.

15. Get flu and whooping cough vaccines
(Brad & I, plus immediate family that will be around).

16. Schedule a mani, pedi, and eyebrows close to baby's arrival
(probably least important).

17. Preregister at the hospital.

18. Make sure all bills are paid as due date approaches.

January bills are paid. I will need to make sure February bills are paid too as we get closer to due date.

19. Buy "mommy mobile"
(I'm currently driving a 1998 Toyota Camry, time to upgrade).

20. Attend Benefits Leave course through the county.

21. Make so many padsicles.

22. Go on lots of dates with my hubby!

23. Continue writing to our baby in her journal.

Brad got me a journal to write to her for Christmas. I think this is the one I will pack in the hospital bag, not the one I've been using, and use it to record her birth story and first year of life.

24. Make sure the pantry is stocked with non-perishable items.

25. Decide who will be in the room when McKinley is born
(leaning towards only Brad, but, possibly my mom).

26. Organize baby clothes into size.

27. Complete nursery.

We are still waiting on our glider to arrive. I feel like we have been waiting forever! But, otherwise, we are all set to welcome her home!

28. Take chosen baby items to be monogrammed.

29. Use our baby registry completion discounts at Target and Buy Buy Baby to get remaining essentials.

30. Find, order, and assemble nursery glider. Do the same for dresser when it arrives.