Week 27, Day 4 (Room for baby)

I've been severely panicking about just where we're going to stash this kid, once he arrives.

Our house is under renovation; started just before bubs was discovered, and not likely to be finished before he's school-age if the unscheduled hold-ups are anything to go by. Then there's the small matter of the office taking up about a third of what's habitable. If we hadn't been defrauded by that bitch at 64A Amyes Rd, Hornby (did I say that??? Good thing I did not say that her name is Marcia Robins-Harris, eh! Also very restrained of me not to mention that TWICE now the Police have "lost the fraud complaint file" ... no wonder this woman is free to do as she pleases, the cops are too scared of her old man to enforce the law ... that, or they're too busy revenue-gathering with speeding tickets ... bitter, ME? Nahhhh...) the new exterior office would have been built by now, thus easing our congestion.

So yeah, I've been a bit worried. But we had a brain wave the other night which has given us a very happy reprieve.

The 'old lounge' had been basically swallowed up by the office et al. By clever rethinking of the space and moving some non-essentials out to the sheds (filing cabinets, book cases, client storage), it cleared out most of the room (except for one filing cabinet & The Wobble's bed). Now we have room for a scotch chest for the baby's clothes, his changing table, high chair and other essentials. Once we buy him that set of drawers, I can have *my* drawers back and thus get to put that neat stack of folded clothing away tidily. I won't know myself (grins).

We'll also put the bedroom TV into storage, thus creating room for a cot in our bedroom. There's nothing for it but for bubs to share our room until he's a bit bigger (ie able to sit up and wonder "what's that game my parents are playing???"). At least there's a door to our bedroom, so when I put him down for naps he can have some peace and quiet.

It took most of the weekend to reorganise the space, but it was worth it. Wayne is still making the odd noise about starting on the office and/or renovations sometime this year, but I hope I've convinced him not to. My priority now lies with getting our ducks in a row, ie:

1. Be all set up for baby, ie buy cot, car seat, stroller/buggy, baby breathing monitor, etc
2. Maybe get a weekend away at some point to acknowledge that not for many years will it be "just the two of us"
3. Get a nice little slush fund happening in the bank so that if I feel I really can't work for the month after baby arrives, I'm not forced into it by necessity. Ditto husband.
4. Relax... and breathe. Just say No to stress and pressure.
5. Fix all those little housekeeping 'uh-oh' areas, in preparation for the family and friend invasion post-baby. You know what I mean.. the skirting boards, the oven, the fridge.. things you just know are going to be spotted and reported on (or accidentally mentioned) by those who claim to love you. I'm copping enough grief as it is about not evicting my animals, without fueling that fire, LOL! Besides, it would just be my luck to have a caesar, then be too embarrassed to accept that six-week entitlement of free housecleaning paid for by the Govt. Why IS it that we only allow a cleaner in after we've cleaned??
6. See plan #4 again, burst out laughing, but aim for it anyway!

Btw, sorry for that slippage of snarl about that woman. For the most part I don't think about it because it's futile. Whenever poor old Wayne brings it up I tend to snap "Yeah I know. Nothing we can do. Shut up already." That's not fair, eh. He should be allowed to have a growl about it, but the thing is, I have to shut him down before my anger is allowed free rein. It would not take much for the two of us to work ourselves into a big old outrage, and what good does that do? Especially for the baby.

If I'm really mad about something, I have a tendency to act (and not often in ways considered sensible). We'd both feel less victimised if the Police would do their job, but we feel like we're pushing shit uphill with a pointed stick.

As Wayne rightly says, "Take a can of beans off a supermarket shelf and try to walk off with it without paying, THEN see how far you get. Why is stealing a $1 can of beans more likely to get you a legal prosecution than $2000 worth of plants and labour?"

How do you argue with that?