Preparing My Nest

Nesting:  the distinctive urge that occurs during pregnancy to clean, tidy, and organize.

Yep, I think that's what I'm doing.  The past week or so I have found myself doing things like cleaning my oven, washing the blinds, looking for things to rearrange, and begging my husband to assemble Amariah's toddler bed (which would free up the crib and the nursery).  At 18 weeks, it might seem a little early to be nesting, I know.  (Right, honey?!)  But knowing that the final weeks and maybe even months of this pregnancy could be pretty uncomfortable for me, I'm kind of glad for this maternal nesting instinct to be kicking in already.

What exactly causes the nesting instinct?  According to this website, "nesting is thought to be caused by both biological and emotional factors."  Biologically speaking, "it is believed that females are programmed to experience this nesting instinct in order to ensure that their offspring will be cared for properly after birth."  Emotionally speaking, as a pregnant woman's hormones begin to settle down during the second trimester, increased energy and excitement can incite her to begin cleaning, organizing, and planning for baby's arrival.

Other things I've been doing to instill a little extra order in our home before the twins arrive include creating a daily "household tasks" list (which helps me to keep the house cleaner and to do it in a shorter amount of time), creating weekly menu plans with corresponding grocery lists which can be repeated on a monthly basis (which will save at least an hour of planning each week), organizing and uploading to Shutterfly 3 1/2 years worth of pictures (look for a link to our completed site within the next couple months!), and diligently continuing with the training and discipline of Abel and Amariah.

Despite the fact that I am feeling the need to prepare for the arrival of our twins, I must say that I am in no way overwhelmed or anxious about the double addition to our family.  Call me naive if you want, those of you who have gone before me--and maybe I'll be doing the same in 20+ weeks!--but I do believe that God will not give us more than we can handle; and I do believe that the blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22)!  I am also certain that no matter how much preparation I make, my nest will never reach the point of complete cleanliness and organization; but it sure is fun and rewarding to make strides towards that end!  (Bear with me, honey.) :-)