Carseat in the car, check!
Cradle set up and ready to go, check!
Clothes washed and folded, check!
Ok, so, maybe one out of four of those things on the
to-do list is complete. By this time (38 weeks) with my first child, I had packed and repacked my bags several times, reorganized the changing table drawers more than once and gone over my to-do list several times to make sure I was ready.
I was done with work, resting, enjoying time with friends and tackling some long overdue projects (such as finishing my
wedding album from 4 years before). This time around, I am not
quite that organized, but I am not quite as anxious either. I am also a little more realistic. I know that no matter how organized the dresser drawers are now (which they aren't), they won't stay that way for long. Keeping things organized becomes a pretty low priority when you are up half the night with a newborn. Add to the mix, a toddler, who is in for a huge change, and I am guessing I will be lucky if I am able to keep up with the laundry!
In some ways taking care of an infant the second time around will
be easier, because we know what we are doing (if we remember, that is). The tough part will be juggling a toddler with even less
sleep than we get right now. But, I know that we, as so many parents have before us, will make it through, with support, patience and take out!