Checklists

I'm a person who likes to make checklists . . . I don't always do the things on my checklists, but I am constantly making them. I make a checklist when I pack, when I go shopping, when I am running errands. I keep checklists for work activities, and calls I need to make and appointments I need to schedule. I keep checklists of gifts I want to buy for people, and cake ideas I have. I make checklists for working through problems, or dealing with our contractor, and pretty much for anything that I can track or analyze with a list.

So . . . ever since our ultrasound appointment last week, I've been making lists of all the things we need to do before this baby comes, such as:

• Buy a glider
• Finish registering (and pick a bedding set!)
• Arrange for a pediatrician
• Meet with the OB to discuss birth options in case a midwife delivery is not an option
• Schedule day care tour
• Get contractor to finish renovations
• Finish packing and prepare to move
• Pack bag for hospital
• Get information for pain management doctors, just in case
• Buy a "coming home" outfit for the baby
• Get car seats and get them installed
• Pick up bassinet (or pack 'n play) to have something for the baby to sleep in
• Buy gift for my niece's bat mitzvah
  

As you can imagine, many of these items have sublists . . . I have started a list of items I need to pack in the hospital bag, and a list of things that still need to be done on our home renovations, and a list for packing to move, etc.

Well, I am happy to report that today I accomplished several things on my lists! We called and arranged for a pediatrician for the baby. We are planning to call and schedule a tour of the office, but we did speak to the doctor on the phone, and at a minimum, we are all set there. We have an appointment scheduled this week to meet with the OB (and I hope that is the only time I have to see the OB!). We are going to go over the "what if" scenarios . . . what if I have to have a c-section, how can we deal with my needle phobia and anesthesia? What if I start contracting at 36 weeks, but do not progress into labor - what are my options there if the midwives won't induce that early? (Can you tell I have a list of questions for the OB, too?)

On Friday, we did finish registering and we ordered the glider for the baby's bedroom. We have to arrange a time to pick up the bassinet and the car seats from our friends, but hopefully as of this weekend, we will have a house to put the things in! Now - if only we could actually agree on a bedding set . . . . but I digress.

I just really hope that whenever this baby comes, I can have a vaginal birth. I know lots of people think c-sections are no big deal, and if I have to do that, I will. I'm just so awful with needles that I'm fairly certain they will have to completely knock me out if I have a c-section, and I'll completely miss his birth, and I just don't want that. . . . it isn't on my list.