The Gameplan

Must be sports on the mind: Doug's watchin' the game with some friends while I man the sick ward.  I can celebrate the Super Bowl for one reason - it brings an end to football season, at least for a few months.  No more Saturday plans spoiled by the need to return home to watch "The Game" which always extends into another and another; no more peaceful Sunday afternoons marred by the blare of talking heads blabbering about a team in which no one has an interest.  Simple Family Time returns.

But I digress.

Tonight I'm writing my own game plan of sorts, nicely broken into quarters.  Sixteen weeks to go until "Mabel" arrives (don't read ANYTHING into this....simply a friends' reference to the little one).  My to-do list grows and, as I explained to someone earlier this week, I've been playing mental pinball as I bounce to and fro among projects.  It's time to categorize and organize, knowing full well all will not be accomplished on time (if at all) & life will go on nonetheless.

Most Important

Start Quilting: while this is not essential to most people, it makes me feel Motherly, a way of warmly welcoming our little one.  And while it took an week longer than I planned, the piecing is complete and ready to make into a Quilt Sandwich.

Choose and Purchase Car Seats: it's a matter of musical chairs when positioning 5 children and their corresponding car seats even in an 8-passenger van.  Whose seat will fit where?  How do we access the back?  Who can keep their seat and who requires a new one (at least baby & Jonathan)?

Select and Order School Materials:  have I ever said I love shopping on the internet?  At the click of a mouse I can purchase everything I need and it arrives at my door, much to the delight of my children who assume any box must be for them.

Stock Baby and Food Items:  the last thing I want to be doing with a newborn is dragging everyone through the store for another package of diapers, cereal, or other assorted non-perishables; now is the time to stock the pantry & closets.

Plant a Garden:  surely even a grossly-pregnant woman can throw a few tomatoes and peppers in the ground.

Choose a Baby Name: I'm completely stumped, and My Rules narrow the choices considerably.  Andrew suggested Junior.

Less Important

Paint:  #1 - Baseboards; #2 - Living Room; #3 - Clubhouse; #4 - Master Bedroom

Fill-in Jonathan's Baby book:  it's pathetic that I don't believe a single word has been written in his book, much less any pictures printed and organized.

Print Family Pictures:  the boys and I looked through our photo albums this morning and according to said record, nothing has occurred since January 2008 (which just happens to coincide with the purchase of our first digital camera).  I must get into a more regular habit of printing and filing pictures.

Make Bunk bed Quilts:  I have an idea brewing in my head for bed coverings for Andrew and Stephen; it would be easy (isn't that always the case) and oh-so-convenient for all parties involved.

Much Less Important

Completely Organize the House: in my dreams I have closets with neatly labeled shelves, beautiful stacks of crisp linens and adorable baskets with nothing tumbling over the side; reality tells me this lasts for a couple of days until life comes creeping back around (just another way to keep me humble).

Everyday I'm more and more aware of the Tyranny of the Urgent, a constant life-state when it comes to life with little ones; there's simply no way to plan when someone will have an accident, cut a leg, need a cup filled or just want to snuggle.  Sure, I would be more than thrilled to have a different color in my living room, but the kids only care that I have spent time with them, whether reading or laughing or simply enjoying one another, and in the scheme of things, that is what matters most.

We were reading Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town the other day and the sentence said, "And what does your Mommy do?"  Stephen grinned and said, "Well, she plays with us."  Oh, that that is how he remembers his childhood.