So, not everything on the list got done.  Big shock.  But we did have Crock Pot Beans for the Super Bowl.  Doc was trying to think of a holiday that would justify having beans – I just suggested that we have them for the Super Bowl each year.  Not that I don’t make them more often than that, mind you.  Any time there’s a BBQ/potluck, especially in the spring and summer – and Tad’s birthday – there are usually beans to be had.

Rupert had his first taste of them, too – and then he couldn’t get enough of them.  I think now is the time when I formally issue an apology to Friend – her house is probably going to be very musical over the next day or so.

Anyway, the list.  Or lists, as it were.  My “get ready for Rerun” list is about half complete – Tad’s room is a continual disaster, but that’s because he insists on having almost every book he owns within easy reach.  But as I’ve said, many things ARE ready for Rerun… except a name.  Why is that so hard??  (He will be keeping Rerun as a blog name – I’ve gotten used to it and I think it’s cute.)

Ane’s Valentines are mostly finished – on the advice of her teacher, we’re taking some time to write out the names of her classmates on them.  This way, no one gets overly discouraged at the 25 names to write, plus writing your own name an equal number of times.  And Ane’s real name is much longer than her blog name, as she continually reminds me every time that she has to write thank-you notes.  Tad’s have not yet been purchased – it slipped my mind at Fred Meyer on Saturday, but I’ll be able to find something in the next couple of days.

I’m switching out my dishes TODAY.  I needed the serving dishes in the Winterberry pattern for serving food for the Super Bowl.  But almost everything is washed and ready to be put away – except the butter dish.  I’ll have to do that one last minute.

And I did three loads of laundry on Saturday.  Tad went through a pair of jeans every single day last week.  Good thing he owns plenty of jeans (some short, some long, some hand-me-down) right now.  And everyone has clean sheets on their bed at the moment.  Tad even has a new pillowcase – courtesy of Grandma – on his bed: shark flannel.  Grandma actually found shark flannel at a fabric store and bought some to make a pillowcase for Tad.  It hasn’t left his bed ever since he got it.

This is especially fitting in light of what Tad said during singing time at Sunday School yesterday – my mother said that someone suggested they sing “Fishers of Men,” at which point Tad said, “I’ll catch a shark!”

Back to the lists.  I need to make a list of things to order from Stampin’ Up – must start thinking about baby announcements.  There should be a list of things to take to the hospital – I’ve already started packing some clothes for both me and Rerun in a duffel bag.  I need to write up the kids’ schedules for a typical school day, just in case someone needs to take that over and I’m not available to give instructions.

And maybe a list of baby names… just in case.

Things to do this weekend:

- Make Valentines with Ane – we have a specific project in mind
- Buy Valentines for Tad and have him sign his name to them
- Make Crock Pot Beans for Super Bowl… and maybe have other snacks on hand, too
- Clean up house for company for the Super Bowl… but it’s only Doc and the boys, so really, all we have to do is make sure Rupert doesn’t chew up anything he shouldn’t
- Buy Tad more vitamins… again… This is a follow-up from his naturopath appointment, which I will be blogging about later (and thank God for chewable and gummy vitamins)
- Continue to clean up Tad’s room/my room in preparation for Rerun
- Get more sleep at night, because there will probably be no sleeping in on Saturday for me… the Webmaster is going to the Men’s Breakfast at church, which means Mommy will be cooking on Saturday morning
- Switch out the dishes (sob)… it’s February, so it is time to put away my Winterberry dishes until next December (I only get to use them in December and January) and bring my Delicious pattern back out
- Laundry, because it never ends

I think that’s more than enough to be going on, don’t you?  And the Super Bowl is going to be relaxing for me this year, since I don’t care which team wins.  I think I’ll mostly be watching for the ads.  Maybe I’ll get some sewing done or some cards made.

My days are spent making lists – both mental and written – and checking them twice, and then getting stuff done.  Because last time I checked, there’s going to be a newborn showing up in six weeks or so.

So long as I keep plodding (waddling?) on, I make progress.  If nothing else, Rerun already has clean laundry, diapers to wear (hurray for cloth!), plenty of baby wipes, A&D ointment, Baby Bee buttermilk soap, and receiving blankets to start with.  A place to sleep is just a phone call away (the basinette is at Great-Grandma’s house), and the infant car seat is in the garage – and within easy reach, since baby Beth just used it at Thanksgiving.

And Rerun just got his very first baby gift in the mail from Juliet!  (A real thank-you note will be on its way to you shortly.)

But still, I think I need every moment of the next six weeks to prepare for his arrival… though I’m feeling rather awkward and large, and I know Rerun is getting bigger and stronger.  On Monday, I was in the kitchen working on dinner when Rerun gave me a swift kick or punch to the kidneys.  I yelped in pain and literally doubled over to catch my breath.

Ane was at my side in a flash.  “Is it time???” she shrieked excitedly.

“No,” I gasped.  “He just kicked me hard, that’s all.”

She was visibly disappointed.

Methinks that someone is more than ready for her baby brother to show up.  NOW.

… to the toddler potty!

Trust me, I won’t miss it at all.

Tad will miss the convenience of it, but the Webmaster and I are looking forward to having a little space back in the bathroom.  And Tad is perfectly capable of standing up and being a “man”… and “aiming issues” were taking out pairs of underwear while sitting.

I’m kind of tired of swapping out wet underwear in the middle of the day.

The Webmaster washed out the whole contraption, so I think we will send it back, with our profound thanks, to whence it came… Friend and Doc’s house.

After all, Rupert will need it someday.  Much sooner than Rerun will, anyway.