What's Been going on: Prego update and 2013 Resolutions!

This blog post is a real smattering of themes all rolled into one, so forgive the randomness of it... I just want to check these little things off my list all at once!

The Husband and I have been pretty busy this past month, I feel like we are constantly trying to catch up on sleep after our Christmas spent in Alaska and subsequent plane rides with a no-sleep toddler (future blog post to follow), which is laughable considering how we will have a newborn in April, and then sleep will really be up in the air!  But yesterday, we hit the ground running on the productivity front. And I must say our enthusiasm for staying on top of the daily domestic tasks, while finding time for the bigger projects- is all the result of reading a few organizing tips from this Apartment Therapy Article: How to be your own Professional organizer, top ten tips from the pros.  My three favorites from the list are:

Set a timer and see how much you can get done in 10 mins.

and

Play Cards: Write household tasks on an index card and draw one each day! (IE: finish organizing bathroom cabinets, etc)

and

Set Goals: Write goals on index cards and then arrange them in order of importance. Then write deadlines at the top of each card and then schedule a time to complete them by. This is great for those more looming and bigger projects!

Apartment Therapy has a big list of organizing articles, so enjoy jumping down the rabbit hole! Plus sign up for their 2013 organizing cure!

(the 24 week bump taken 2 weeks ago while in Alaska)

And this brings me to my pregnancy (currently 6.5 months along). Part of the inspiration behind our newfound zest for organizing stems from the pregnancy nesting that is kicking in. There is a big desire to get some major home projects crossed off the list before the baby's arrival. And secondly, by developing good habits now, IE: staying on top of the dishes, these good habits will feel second nature when we have another little one to care for. Plus it sets a good example for our daughter. And overall staying organized will give us a sense of relaxation and peace of mind that is sure to carry over into other areas. We are also beginning to write a bucket list of fun activities to do with our daughter before my April due date. Just a few adventures to take her on that seem more tangible with a family of 3 than a family of 4 with a newborn... although I know we will adapt and will continue to seek out fun trips for our family.

The list so far:  Please Touch Museum, Camden Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo, and the Franklin Institute.  I think she will probably get the most out of the Zoo or Aquarium at this point. And I think the Aquarium might be our first choice since it's indoors! So that makes approaching the list that much easier.

As far as the pregnancy goes- just the other day I hit that- oh crap it's becoming more uncomfortable to put my shoes on, and sit for long stretches at a time- phase. I wake more often in the night, no thanks to our dog who snores louder than most humans. And the baby's movement is very frequent, often making my belly literally jump around. I still have an odd hunch that it might be a boy, but would honestly be happy either way (it would be nice to have one of each, but also nice to have a sister for our daughter plus we already have girl clothes! score huge on saving money!)

Other than that, this month I'm excited to write my notecards with specific goals and projects to tackle. And I'll report back on Apartment Therapy's January Organizing Cure. There are still a lot of bigger unknowns in our life at this point- Where will Cam get into school...? and then the domino affect from that, so it's nice to just slow down and focus on what I can accomplish in the present.  

Let me know if you have any particular exciting resolutions you are looking forward to this year?

Plus stay tuned for future blog posts: Alaska/Christmas recap, Tips for traveling with a Toddler