Before you have a baby, you hear all sorts of advice from friends, family and complete strangers. People love to offer up their insights on what your life will be like after the little one arrives. Three and a half weeks in, I've found some of their advice to be really helpful, while some of their predictions were way off.

What we heard: "Enjoy your sleep now, because you won't be getting any after the baby comes!"
The truth? I sleep about the same amount now as I did for the entire third trimester, so I don't feel as zombiefied as people made me believe I'd be. For the last three months I was pregnant I'd wake up at 3:00 a.m. every day to make one of my 29357206 daily bathroom trips, but then I'd lay there, tossing and turning until it was time to get up. I got used to operating on reduced sleep every day. Eli typically wakes up twice during the night to eat, which takes about 45 minutes each time, so it's not all that different.

What we heard: "You won't be able to  ___________________ (insert name of activity/outing/personal hygiene here) for a while so get it in before the baby's born!" 
The truth? We've been out to restaurants three times with Eli and he's been zero trouble. We've taken him shopping, avoiding crowded malls and heading to smaller stores instead so he has minimal people coughing and sneezing and shoving around him. Peter and I have both left the house to do our own things and get a break from the baby while the other stays home with Eli. (FYI - it's not called "babysitting" if it's your kid. I hate when women say their husband "babysat" their child so they could go out!) Having a newborn by no means makes you housebound for months. He's actually pretty portable. We also get out for a walk every day for about an hour. The fresh air and exercise is great for both of us. I've had a shower every day, I've worn makeup every day, I've gotten out of my pyjamas every day. Maybe it's just to put on a t-shirt and a pair of leggings but it counts!

What we heard: "Sleep when the baby sleeps!" 
The truth? This is amazing advice and I would repeat it to any new mom. I try to have a nap every day when Eli is asleep and it makes me feel a hundred times better. Even if I can't fall asleep I'll lie down and rest, read, or listen to music and it's so nice to have that little refresher every afternoon.

What we heard: "Let your house get dirty - it doesn't matter." 
The truth? This is kind of true. Things tend to get put off more, but we try hard not to let the house get messy. it's definitely harder to clean when I'm home alone with Eli. When he goes to sleep, I'll give myself a set amount of time each day - half an hour or 45 minutes - and do what I can in that time frame. It's enough time to unload the dishwasher, put laundry in and Swiffer or dust a few rooms; basically to do damage control so things look presentable enough, which is the goal. This isn't the time for a white-glove test, but if everything looks relatively neat and tidy I'm happy. There are times when you just can't clean, and that's OK. Last week Eli had a growth spurt and wanted to eat constantly. When he wasn't eating, he was being fussy or getting his diaper changed. I was frustrated because I wasn't getting anything done and had to try to remember that looking after the baby is my "job" right now and takes priority over everything else.

What we heard: "You won't eat a homecooked meal for a while so fill up your freezer before the baby's born and collect all the takeout menus you can!" 
The truth? Our eating habits haven't changed at all. Eli goes in his swing and we make dinner and eat it together, and I have my breakfast and lunch while he naps or hangs out nearby. I was freaked out because I didn't follow the pregnancy books' advice to cook and freeze a month's worth of casseroles and soups, but we haven't starved to death just yet. That said, we did get some meals and snacks from family and friends which were a huge help. The saddest meal I've had since he was born was eating cereal for lunch one day, which, if you know me, is not actually that sad at all. I love me some cereal any time of day. Other quick, easy and fairly nutritious meals we've been eating are things like frozen veggie pizzas, soups, stirfry, chicken breasts or tilapia fillets, and sandwiches toasted in the panini press.

Overall having a newborn has been easier in a lot of ways than I was expecting. Eli takes a lot of time and is a lot of work but the first two weeks were the hardest, for sure. Now we're getting better at deciphering his fussy spells, knowing how he likes to be cuddled and anticipating what he needs before he gets completely pissed off. We're a lot quicker at things like getting him changed and dressed and getting out the door with him. The first time we tried to take him somewhere it took us about an hour and a half to leave the house - we're a lot more efficient now. I'm also fine with feeding him in the car and changing him just about anywhere.

We're still noob parents for sure, but one of the best pieces of advice we got is "it gets easier". So far, that seems to be the truth!

I used to get excited about things like Caribbean vacations, ponies, long weekends jam packed with parties, and Coach bags.

These days, two of the things I'm most excited for I'm also the most embarrassed about, and yet I'm posting about them on the Internet. Because I'm JUST. SO. EXCITED!

Thing #1: The Weekend with No Plans

This coming weekend, I have no plans (see what I did there, with the foreshadowing from the line above?) Correction: I have plans, and they revolve around things like cleaning the house, organizing the nursery closet, planting some new flowers in my flower boxes, getting an oil change, maybe doing a craft, making some lasagna, watching TV, walking the dog...basically, leaving the house as little as possible and not doing anything remotely exciting.

I don't know if this is considered "nesting". I call it "getting my shit together". Whatever it is, is it sad that I'm looking forward to doing it? Please don't feel compelled to answer.

Thing #2: The Home Organization Binder


A few weeks ago, this post inspired me to check out the Just Mommies Home Organization Plan (yeah, I know, the name "Just Mommies" is gag worthy and if the word "mommy" was taken out of circulation rightthissecond it would still be eons too late). But trust me: This plan is awesome. It assigns you daily, weekly, and monthly tasks to keep your home clean and organized, and there are regular catch-up days in case you do let some of your tasks slide. Right now, we operate on a let-it-go-until-we-can't-stand-it cleaning schedule, where there are dog fur tumbleweeds rolling across the floor and we've both been going commando for a week because there's no clean underwear left. This plan has you completing a few items every day, so your house is in a constant state of niceness, and nothing gets out of hand.

Some people can just keep their houses spotless with apparently zero effort. I am not one of those people. I enjoy cleaning, but I need a checklist to keep me on task and to help me keep track of what's done and what's left to do - to-do lists are a huge part of my job and now, I guess, my personal life. Hold me.

So I'm taking it one step further and started putting together a home organization binder. I KNOW, RIGHT? WHO AM I. This binder will keep track of my cleaning schedules, menu planning for the coming weeks, grocery lists, monthly calendars with important dates that are coming up (car inspections and maintenance, birthdays, anniversaries, appointments), Christmas shopping/card lists, mailing addresses, etc.

And for the past several months we've already gotten into the habit of saving all our receipts, bills, bank statements, and so on, all organized into folders with labels like House, Baby, Cars, Bank, and so on.

The thought of having an organized and clean house, never sending a late birthday card again, and not having to scrounge around for dinner ingredients at 7:00 PM and then saying "F it" and getting Swiss Chalet delivered makes me bounce up and down in my chair and clap my hands with uncharacteristic housewifey glee.

I don't know if this is just a temporary phase, a desperate attempt to get my ass in gear before the baby arrives and everything goes to hell in a handbasket, or if the unimaginable Best Thing Ever has happened and I am actually becoming Martha Stewart without the prison record. Only time will tell.

How do you stay organized at home? Do you have a 'system' for staying on top of things - what works for you? 

Spring is here...ish. It says spring on the calendar. It's raining today, not snowing. The temperature's above zero. I guess that qualifies as spring.

Every time the seasons change I get excited to overhaul everything. Throw everything out and start fresh. Break bad habits, make good ones. Buy a new wardrobe. Start doing everything differently, all at once.

I have a few specific goals for spring:

1. Garden
We moved into our house in July last year and in between the painting, unpacking, decorating, and whatnot we didn't pay any attention to what's already planted in our flower beds. This year we have the chance to plant new stuff and get them looking the way we want. I'm so excited to have space to grow things...flowers and things to eat! My plans are to plant a lilac bush, hydrangeas, and some other flowers I don't know the names of yet; to yank out the old wooden fencing around the flowerbeds and replace it with some nicer edging; to grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and green beans.

2. Clean
I already talked a little bit about my spring cleaning plans. I can't wait to open all the windows wide, put on some tunes and work away, ending with a house that smells lemony fresh and has a lot less clutter in it. I always feel better after throwing away things I don't need anymore. Old clothes, old magazines, old bills, old salad dressings, you name it.

3. Decorate
We've started doing little things around the house to make it look springier. We have a new centrepiece in the dining room to replace the old, heavy candlesticks with red berries that screamed winter. We've got new bright green placemats to brighten up the room a bit and a vase of yellow daffodils in the kitchen. Next up: my home office. I want to make it a place that's comfortable and girly but also conducive to actually working since I'll be spending a lot more time there over the next few months. Right now when I work from home I usually end up sprawled on the couch or hunched over the kitchen table - bad!

4. Shop!
I haven't bought any new clothes, shoes, or accessories since Boxing Week sales, which is pretty much a record for me. I haven't had any trouble finding things to wear every day but at the same time I'm kind of tired of the same boots, tights, and dark, neutral colours every day. I'm excited to get some new things to freshen up my wardrobe pretty soon. Here are some of the things I'll be keeping an eye open for - namely some girlie tops, nude heels, perfect flats, a cross-body bag, skinny cargos and easy-to-wear dresses:



There are other goals I have for spring - keep getting to the gym, do not make myself sick on Easter candy, train Rory to do a new trick, etc. - but these are the biggies.