Although a few weeks ago, my doctor informed me that I'd counted a whole extra week than I had gained, I think I am almost at 37 weeks now. I'm not getting to any of the typical nesting stuff (oh, I suppose I could clean the house, but I'm talking about the fun stuff like pulling out the baby clothes and decorating a nursery that I won't really use much). I don't know where the baby clothes are and the upstairs isn't finished enough to set up a nursery. A while back I made up list of things I need to do, so let's check in and see what's been done, it will make my non-nesting self feel better.

• Figure out a short list of names for boys and girls (this was easier when I hadn't already used all my favorites) My mom sent a list of her suggestions, which helps me get started, but I still haven't done much list-making on my own.
• Decide whether I'll let my husband keep St. John on the list this time around. He can keep it on the list. I could put Hezekiah on the list, but it doesn't mean I'll use it.
• Figure out who is going to be watching the children when I go to the hospital to have the baby. I've lined up a few neighbors to come over if we have to rush to the hospital and a lady from church volunteered to spend the night.
• If it won't be someone coming to our house (it will probably be my SIL about an hour from here), I must pack suitcases for the kids so they can have clothes and brush their teeth. The lady from church will be coming to us, so I don't need to pack for the kidlets.
• Pack a suitcase for the hospital. Not done. Since I don't seem to go early, I think I'm just dawdling because I can.
• Buy snacks for my husband to eat in the hospital so he won't be cranky. I got him some trail mix and some sunflower seeds.
• Turn in grades for the kids and close out our homeschooling year. Grades are due on Monday. I've had the papers sitting around for a week. I have no excuse not to have done this one.
• Measure backseat of the minivan and figure out if we can fit three carseats back there. Done! There aren't a lot of choices for skinny carseats out there, but we found one brand that works.
• If we can't -- panic, cry and worry about the fact bigger automobiles, like money, don't grow on trees. We found ones that work, though some tears ensued at the thought of spending that much money on new carseats when we already have nice ones. My parents bought two of them for us though. Thanks Mom and Dad!
• Cook and bake more stuff for the freezer, so that we'll have something to eat after this child arrives. Getting there. I've trying to make one freezable thing each week. Right now I have a meatloaf, a pot pie, Chinese dumplings, vegetable soup and a couple of frozen pizzas that were on sale. I plan to put the kids to work making pesto this weekend.
• Wish I had more recipes that froze well. I need to try the Mulligatawny soup recommended by Dr. Weevil.
• Encourage my husband (and my father while he is here visiting) to finish up some necessary projects upstairs so that the big kids will not all be sleeping in the family room and the 19 month old can move out of my closet before the new little one arrives. Partly done. My father had to go home eventually, but before he left, he and Justin built the railing around the upper landing and stairs. Justin started working on attic access doors in the kneewalls and plans to continue that this weekend, I think.
• Try to find my infant carseat. It was hiding in plain sight.
• Figure out whether the infant carseat has outlived its shelf-life, since it is coming up on six years old. It will have to do.
• Do about a million other things that haven't even crossed my mind yet. Other things that need doing still haven't crossed my mind (or what's left of it.)

I suppose a few things do cross the mind -- I probably should find at least enough baby clothes so that the kidlet can come home from the hospital in something other than a diaper and I should probably get out the port-a-crib with the bassinet attachment. But the latter can definitely wait until the wee bairn arrives, if necessary. What else does one do to get ready for a baby? I've forgotten.