In the Waiting
Preparation, Patience, & Babies
We are officially in count-down to baby mode over here (especially because I have finished up commitments filling in at my old job and witnessed two beautiful births as a doula).
I’m starting to dream more about who baby is and am so excited to meet him or her. I have a lot of questions and thoughts about the transition from one kid to two but I’m trying to breath and take it day by day
Nesting Party
A few weekends ago, with the help of my mom and one of my closest friends, I threw a nesting party for myself.
You may ask, What is a nesting party? A nesting party is when you gather friends and family to help you prepare for a new baby. I first saw this idea after the birth of my daughter and I tucked it away as what I wanted to do when I had another baby. It felt way more practical and useful to me than having another baby shower or a sprinkle for the following three reasons: 1. We have almost everything we need (especially since I have a lot of gender neutral items and my daughter is still young). 2. I have not had a lot of energy to both parent a toddler and keep up with the house and so I knew there were some tasks I could use help with. 3. My husband is now self-employed and will not have a lot of time off like he did following our daughter’s birth and I cannot do everything.
There is no right or wrong way to hold a nesting party, the biggest thing is that you just have to be willing to be vulnerable and allow help. Here is what I did.
Pick a date and a time frame, and send out invites. I did 10am-2pm and ran it like an open house (which I noted on the invitations). I said that people could come as much or little as it worked for them. I sent invitations to close friends and family from different circles of life (where I grew up, church friends, mom friends).
Plan refreshments. My mom, close friend, and I kept it simple. We did lunchmeat pinwheels, a charcuterie board, veggies, buffalo chicken dip, a bite-sized dessert tray, and these delicious Strawberry Lime Spritzers.
Make a list of tasks to accomplish. I used blank index cards and lettered out various tasks I wanted to get done. I tried to focus on different areas because then people had a variety of things to pick from based on their talents and enjoyment, plus I just needed some things to get done.
Cleaning: deep cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming the stairs and hallway, cleaning out my car, wiping the outside of cupboards, a refrigerator and microwave wipe down.
Organizing: Organizing the newborn clothes by size into the cubbies, assembling toy boxes for the toddler when I’m breastfeeding, folding laundry, helping me carry stuff upstairs to bedrooms or downstairs to basement.
Food Prep: I picked three freezer meal recipes and bought all the ingredients for them. I also wanted chicken grilled and bacon cooked so that I could freeze to grab for quick meals.
Hang the tasks somewhere visible. I put all the task cards on a bulletin board I have and hung it up on my wall (replacing a picture) for easy visibility. You could also hang a ribbon like a clothesline and pin them to it or something else!
During the party, as people came, they selected what they wanted to work on. Some people worked in the nursery, a lot in the kitchen/living room, and some in our guest room. We laughed and joked and worked.
Being a mom and a birth doula, I value postpartum preparation and allowing community in during this vulnerable time. It was SUCH a blessing to spend time with women close to me, have so many tasks done at the end of the day, and invite people into this sacred time! I 10/10 recommend a nesting party for yourself and/or expecting friends!
Mommy Pampering Day
I also took a day to be pampered. Jael stayed at a friend’s house and I spent time getting a prenatal massage (I’m just mad I waited until 39 weeks pregnant to get one!), fingernails and toes done at the spa, and I took time to sit in a local café uninterrupted where I wrote, meditated on scriptures I want to use for the birth, and prayed. It was a much needed day - physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
I’ve learned so much in my twenties about how to identify what I need, how to advocate and ask to get it, and how to allot time for what I need. I don’t always get it right but the awareness and willingness to speak up about it has done wonders!
The Good List
I am obsessed with this reading of a poem by Becky Helmsley called “Like a Girl”
I finished reading Morgan Harper Nichol’s “You Are Only Just Beginning” and the artwork and poems were divine.
We took a day to run over to the beach a few hours away and visit friends. It was essentially a mini babymoon, but it was just what we needed to shake up routine a little bit!
Fresh-picked strawberries. We went to a local farm this week and picked some (quite awkward at 40 weeks pregnant!). Lots of strawberry shortcake has been consumed in our home recently! It’s my favorite summer dessert and my aunt has a great and easy homemade recipe!
Deep breathing. My toddler is definitely feeling the impending change coming and we have had a lot of big emotions in our household. I’m working on deep breathing and pausing as I navigate boundary setting and compassion for all the things we are feeling.
Here’s to praying the next time I write, it’s a baby update. We are doing all the dancing, curb-walking, praying, and waiting over here!
Whether you are preparing, waiting, or laboring for something, I pray that you have peace, wisdom, and discernment for the journey you are on. Keep your focus both on the big picture, but also on all the little moments that make up life. Grace, grace, grace as we adjust, grow, and change in this season!
This is amazing!! What a gift.
Nesting party sounds amazing! I attended a couple blessing ways for mothers which I love for the emphasis on the mom and preparing to give birth.