Preparing for Anna

We've been busy around here preparing for Anna's arrival! My to-do lists have been long and I am feeling pretty good about the items I check off each week. Eric has had to do most of the labor, thanks, honey :) Things on my list have included:

1) Baby book/journal: I have a lot of it complete that can be completed prior to her arrival. I will order pictures soon to add to the album and to her first photo album. I started journaling to her once I found out I was pregnant...I will keep that up monthly after she is born and then yearly (just like I did for Eli!)
2) Stocking up on essentials such as wipes, diapers, nursing essentials, batteries for swing, vibrate chair, mobile, etc.
3) Eli's special toys: I bought a few toys and put into a duffle bag to bring out during those times I need him to be preoccupied with something "new".
4) Eli's gift from Anna: Anna bought Eli a special gift for him to open in the hospital when they meet for the first time! Can't wait to see what it is ;)
5) Sanitizing items such as breast pump supplies, pacifiers, bottles & nose aspirators
6) Putting together Eli's "plan" for when we go to the hospital. My mom will come be with him whether we go day or night so that will be great. He is very comfortable with her since she has cared for him multiple times a week since he was 1 year old!
7) Just had her car seat installed today! We always go to the car seat safety checks held by "Safe Kids"...makes me feel good they are professionally installed :)
8) Put together my birth plan (as I talked about in another post)
9) Put up pack-in-play bassinet beside my bed
10) Cleaning my car
11) Cleaning the house
12) Yard work: I planted flowers in my pots last weekend and Eric is working on the yard such as mowing, spraying weed killer, & trimming of bushes

Still on my list include items like packing my hospital bag (I will start to pack my hospital bag in the next few days and add to it as the days/weeks go on) and other items that are more ongoing. It's amazing what hormones do to your desire to organize, organize, organize!!

Also in preparation, I have asked my talented friends to make some items for me (or they surprised with as gifts!). Below you will see the handmade items for Miss Anna:

"Lil Sis" onesie, hair accessory organizer with clips, sleeper with "A", & "Anna" banner for her room:

Nursing cover, 2 wraps, and a sling:

And of course, helping Mr. Eli to be as prepared as possible has been our BIGGEST priority. He knows his sister by name & loves to shower her with hugs & kisses. Now don't get me wrong, he also has a tendency to HIT my belly, but we are working on that. We have been reading books about new siblings/babies, too, which he has been enjoying. He also loves to be in Anna's room and turn on her mobile or "lullabye baby" as he calls it. We talk about all the "stuff" in her room and how she will sleep in mommy & daddy's room for awhile and just "play" in her room. He likes to play with her toys (which used to be his toys), too. We talk about how mommy & daddy will have to go to the hospital when she decides to come out of my tummy & that he will get to meet her at the hospital, too. His face lights up when we talk about that. He has started to say "Anna come out now?", "I want Anna", etc. so he is getting geared up, too. In addition, I purposefully put up the swing, brought out the vibrate chair, installed her car seat, etc. early enough so he can get used to these items being around. He tries to swing the swing too hard, and wants to sit in her car seat, but he'll get the idea soon enough :) Below are pics of Eli with the new items we brought out this week:

Putting Mickey in the vibrate chair and giving him a drink of his water:

His favorite part about the swing is all the buttons he can push & turn:

Wearing Mickey in the sling!:

I brought out Eli's "Big Bro" shirt to show him how he will wear it when Anna wears her "Lil Sis" shirt...he thought that was fun!:

So, while I know the transition will be hard, and that there will probably be issues of jealousy and times of trying to stop Eli from bopping Anna in the head with his hammer, I am looking forward to introducing the two of them in just a couple short weeks. I'm sure there will be several posts about our struggles with this transition, but we'll make it! I'm excited that daddy will be taking 2 weeks off from work to help with Eli. Also, family will be in town and he will love all the attention :) Monday is 38 weeks!!