Final Countdown: FOUR

Monday is usually my grocery shopping day.  But since I did zero meal planning or shop-listing last night it didn't happen.  Whatever.  We're low on fruit but we've got stuff for some basic meals, and I decided a few weeks ago Monday is always spaghetti night - helps things move along quickly so we can have Family Home Evening on time (not that we actually did tonight.)

So today after dropping Hazel at preschool Ginger and I ran other errands - bank, Target, car wash, library.  I warned the girls we were only returning books and videos, not checking any out this week.  Then while they were looking through books I found a cookbook I had to have so I ended up breaking my own rule.  Nice.

We picked up Hazel and went to McDonald's for lunch.  I just feel the need to do everything once more before becoming home bound, or at least having to worry about things like diapers and nursing while I'm out.  Came home and put Ginger down for a nap, not that she actually slept.  Sorted the Target loot, fielded emails, worked on blog posts.  Spent at least 20 minutes going through junkmail, clicking on the "unsubscribe" links in the possibly vain attempt at decreasing my inbox volume since I won't be checking it as much in the next weeks.

Laid down for about a half hour, talked to my Mom on the phone about the plan for Friday, then got up and took the girls out for haircuts.  As usual, they did a butcher chop job on Hazel but it always grows out, and Ginger's is fine.  Came home and made three loaves of zucchini bread (two regular, one chocolate) with the squash going bad on my counter.  Made a pot of spaghetti and started the overwhelming pile of two days of dishes.  Got dinner on the table only to realize to everyone's horror we are OUT of Parmesan cheese.  Much crying that I have no patience for.  Hobbled through dinner, Ed came home and handled the girls while he ate, then put them to bed - an hour late, as has been the trend this week - while I finished the dishes.

My brother-in-law is coming to stay with us.  This is OK.  We like him, he is low maintence and even helpful, and he'll be working most of the time.  But that did mean we had to spend some time tonight transforming the spare room from baby-stuff-explosion to proper guest room.  It actually led to further cleaning of the surrounding rooms and even a bathroom got cleaned so overall it was a productive evening.  And in sorting some of the baby stuff we realized our Diaper Dekor, which has been sitting unused since August, still stinks after being scrubbed with Pine Sol and soaked in bleach.  I guess we'll be making an 11th-hour capital purchase.  I haven't done this kind of research in five years; anyone got a favorite diaper pail?

Sleep has been totally unpredictable lately.  I told you about the home reno show keeping me up one night.  I did not mention watching "American Gangster" a few nights before that.  Ahem, I won't be doing that again.  But about two weeks ago I put together a preggo-sleep-cocktail that seems to do it for me:

one hot shower + one 24-hour Claritin + my "Restful Rain" white noise CD + not drinking water within 3 hours of bedtime = a passable night's sleep 

I don't always make it happen, but I do what I can.  Tonight I'll be adding an antacid to the equation, thanks to my big spaghetti dinner.  One more day down.