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Despite being rushed, Bee was gleeful this morning, because 3 of her 5 toys sold on eBay last night for $36.98 - far better than she could ever do at a garage sale. After fees she made $30.31, which is more than enough to buy a ballerina outfit for her American Girl. Her big item, Butterfly Island, didn't sell on Buy It Now, so it's been relisted as an auction with a low starting bid, if anyone is interested in My Little Pony stuff for Christmas. (Bee's Auctions)
I'm alarmed this morning because something bad is brewing in my chest. I've miraculously escaped respiratory illness so far, which is unusual for me, but today it feels like I'm going to get sick. But I can't! I still have so much to do to get ready for the baby. Today I need to change bedding and clean bathrooms - two chores I've let slide lately - and also get through a huge pile of papers that is building up on the kitchen counter. I finished Christmas shopping over the weekend, and got all the presents wrapped and under the tree, and yesterday I made Christmas cookies with the girls, but I find that I get worn out so easily now. How am I going to do it all?
Friends, how did you cope with housework during your last weeks of pregnancy? I'm not independently wealthy, so unfortunately a maid is out of the question. However, because we're having a home birth, part of our responsibility is to make sure the house is clean (particularly bathrooms, kitchen, and bedroom) and uncluttered. I fear I will never catch up.
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19 comments:
Have you tried garlic? It's supposed to be good at helping you fight infections.
I can't help you with housework - my husband did all of ours from when I was five weeks pregnant.
Ask for help. I know it goes against what us moms usually do ,but if a friend of yours needed help with something and asked you for help, wouldn't you help if you could? If I lived near you I would love to help you catch up and relax and get ready for your new blessing. I'm sure there is someone in your church that would help.
My husband did almost all of my housework from the time I was about 2 months. I had a really hard pregnancy with my asthma acting up. He was wonderful to keep the house up to my standards. I didnt even ask he just did it, he was up every night til after midnight but he wouldnt let me lift a finger other than to take care of our 3 yr old. Then he would get up with our 3 yr old in the am to let me have a few extra minutes of sleep. Then he would go to work 8-5. He is amazing.
God bless
Besides asking for help, you could announce through your church's grapevine that you would like to hire someone to help out for cheap. There might be an older teenager or mother who would like to make a little extra for Christmas, but who would accept less than a "professional". (Assuming you can afford minimum wage or thereabouts.)
Congrats on Bee selling some of her toys.
Sorry you're feeling ill. I understand what your saying about cleaning the house. My DH had to do the housework the last 2 months because I was so miserable.
Hang in there, just a little longer :-) I'll say a prayer for you.
Accept any help anyone offers you. If anyone says, "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help" take them up on it! They could help you clean, make a meal for your family, take Cakes for an afternoon....
Focus the energy you have on the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and forget all but the essentials in the other rooms. I would spend 5-15 min a day and really focus on working in one of those rooms. Monday-kitchen, Tuesday-bathroom, Wednesday-bedroom, Thursday-kitchen, Friday-bathroom, Saturday-bedroom, Sunday-take a break.
Ok Heather, I think it's time to send for reinforcements. Call some girlfriends, make them lists of things to do, make them lunch, then sit around and rest and chat. I'm tellin' ya. We Christians don't utilize each other nearly enough. Some of us are just itching for serving opportunities, so think of some women who would really just LOVE to come and help you out. They are out there, I promise.
In the meantime...take it easy girl!
Take a deep breath, you still have several more weeks to go. We're in the 'any day now' stage and I feel the pressure to keep things perfect so everything is ready for my MIL to come take care of the kids while we're gone, but ultimately, regardless of what the house looks like, the baby will be born and the kids will survive. Do the best you can and ask yourself what will really matter in another 6 months...will you even remember if the floors had been mopped when you went into labor?
Heather -
Pick up your phone (I know you hate to talk on the phone) and call some friends for help!!! I know there have been church friends asking what they could do to help!
I have 3 kiddos and while I wasn't keen on the idea of someone else cleaning my toilets, I didn't mind other things. I had friends volunteer to take my older two kids out for playdates (to the library, out to McD's, over to their house to play). I'd also ask them to run minor errands for me (drop something at the post office, pick up a gallon of milk). I've even had friends help me fold laundry while we had a cup of tea!
If DJ makes an early appearance, which could happen, you will want some things planned during the school break to entertain Bee & Cakes.
And let your husband help! Men needs things spelled out so tell him that it would be great if he could give the toilet bowls a swish and wipe out the tub on a certain day of the week.
Bee is old enough to work the washer & dryer now. You can sort the clothes and tape basic instructions on the lid of the washer (Colors: cold. Whites: hot. How much soap to pour in). She can knock on Daddy's office door to have him transfer the wash to the dryer. She can scoop the dry clothes into the basket and slide it to the bottom of the stairs for daddy to carry up later.
Bee is also old enough to run the vaccuum. She could run the vaccuum through the living room after she gets dressed for school.
All the little helps add up to BIG help!
Look around and find things that others can do and then ask them to do it and tell them when to do it! Don't be afraid to reach out!!!
-Joanna
I totally agree with the ladies who said ASK FOR HELP or TAKE FRIENDS UP ON THEIR OFFER TO HELP! I used to be a very zealous do it myself-er, never allowing anyone to help me for fear I might come across as not 100% perfect and in control of my life or some asinine thing like that. Since then, I had a friend give me something real to think about....
When we won't allow someone to help us, we ROB THEM OF THE BLESSING FROM GOD that they would get by helping a sister in Christ.
Really made me think.
Now I accept help, although it is still hard, but getting easier.
Oh no! You entered the dreaded death house on Saturday -- the employer that gives its employees demerits for calling in sick...so they come to work sick to keep their jobs. Way to WM.
I only have one child so I just slept the last month of pregnancy. Sure you wanna heat that, lol! Anyway, just do the bare minimum. Have the girls do little things and your husband is great. Im sure he can help you out some. Totally off topic, ever had a problem with either of the girls and presents under the tree when they were younger? Thinking I should wait to put the gifts under the tree.
Sorry you are so busy and overwhelmed. I guess the only advice is to stop looking at the whole moutain of work, and just hack away at a little piece here and there. And get Bee to help! Her role is probably going to expand after the baby comes anyway - this way she'll have ownership of some of the preparations before the baby arrives. Just my $.02 - Happy Holidays!
I would say... lots and lots and lots of vitamin c (both in fruit and in chewable tablet form), plus anything else your midwife suggests. Yes, garlic is excellent and if you can handle it, crush a clove and put it in a teaspoon with a drizzle of honey and have it straight! Or crush into some orange juice to drink straight. Do that as often as possible.
And with the housework, I find in pregnancy energy waxes and wanes. Try to listen to your body. When tired, rest. When you get that bit of energy come through, work hard! you can get a lot done quickly when feeling "up", and try not to think about it when your feeling down. :) All will be well my friend. :) Concentrate on keeping the area of the house you are using for the birth super-clean, and the rest- well, basically tidy and clean. Your little one is going to be basically stuck on you for the first days and weeks anyway, he won't be wandering the whole house - so if you and your bed (and his, if he has one) are clean, all is well!
Much love and prayers,
Saminda xo
I haven't visited your blog for a while but I felt that I should check in on you today. You look radiant! Have a blessed and wonderful holiday season.
Definitely accept help from good friends. If they haven't offered, ask. I can tell from your blog that you are a giving person, I am sure there are those who would be willing to give back to get you through your rough spot. Small group, church, Sunday school class if you are part of one. I know our church in Ohio had a group of older ladies that were on call to help younger moms out when needed. I pray all of it gets done and that you stay well.
Make sure you take rests when your body tells you too. When I was pregnant with the twins my MIL came & cleaned my house a couple of times, which was wonderful.
Hope you get everything done, but more importantly take care of yourself & DJ!
I scooted around on the floor a lot to pick up. I had a trash bag and a laundry basket and I scooted from place to place so I didn't have to sit down.
I took a lot of breaks.
Heather, don't be so hard on yourself.
Do what you can and let the rest go.
Don't be afraid to ask for help either. Surely there are many people who would love to help you scrub your bathtub or swish your toilet clean.
Enlist Bee and Cakes in the cleaning. Hand Cakes a dust rag and point her towards the tv. Bee is old enough to clean the sink in the bathroom or sweep the floor.
Get Hubby to do the heavy lifting too.
Take care of yourself and tiny DJ.
Can I just say how wonderful it is that your long shot pregnancy with one lone 7 year old frozen egg has progressed like this! Wow. Now that is a blessing. Can't wait to see him.
Isn't that what friends are for? Have a couple help watch kids or help you clean. You're not supposed to do it all by yourself! Mom's are human too! Good luck with the Baby!!
Stoke up on extra vitamin C!
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