Thursday, July 17, 2008

For the Love of Lists

I'm not a huge list person, although I find that my thoughts are much more organized when I have lists to refer to. My problem is that I get a little too "list happy." I'll have my "to-buy" lists (one for each store), my "to-do" lists (usually a separate one for each category - cleaning, MOPS, projects, return phone calls, etc.), my "honey-do" lists (c'mon Gary, I rarely give you those!), "grocery lists" (separate from to-buy lists), etc.

By the end, I have so many lists that I feel overwhelmed, and well, ironically, listless.

I crack myself up.

So the other day, I made what I guess is my nesting list. (For those not "in the know," in the last few weeks of pregnancy, you go into nesting mode where you just have this urge to clean and organize and just get ready. It's this instinct and phenomenon that most women experience and which their husbands wish they'd experience more often.)

I've checked off one thing from the list: I washed out our milk coolers. Because you know, that's CRITICAL.

Now that that's done, I can move onto the other important things on my list like cleaning out the window tracks, organizing the pencil drawer, sorting my recipe file, and plucking my eyebrows. Seriously. Those are all on the list. Because you KNOW I can't bring home a baby unless those are done.

My mom asked me if packing my suitcase for the hospital was on the list. It wasn't, until she added it.

And lest you think this whole nesting thing is a joke, I want you to know that I washed every window on our main floor - inside and out! - the day I went into labor with Addie. It HAD to be done. But this time, one look at my irrational and totally unrealistic list, and I'm automatically tired. I'll be lucky if I have the energy to open the windows the day I go into labor with this one.

But at least I'll have clean milk coolers.

Anyway, Emma loves making lists too, except usually I can't read her lists. The other day she asked if she could write out my grocery list which I gladly dictated from the comfy couch. I figured she was writing strings of nonsensical letters, but I was wrong. I proudly present to you her illustrated grocery list:


Here is it, decoded, for those who can't follow her artistic renderings.


I love how she slipped in a picture of herself in there with a balloon. That was not on my list, but I guess when you're the one writing the list you can do that.

I'm wrapping this up now so that I can go draw a picture of me smiling and a pint of Ben & Jerry's on my list. Afterall, I'M the one writing it.

19 comments:

  1. From a genuine list lover and maker, that is one fine list Miss Emma created. Too cute!

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  2. I have learned as I get older, that if I don't put it on a list, it usually does not get done. I can't remember anything anymore!

    L.O.V.E. Emma's list! That is a pretty creative little girl you have there. I hope my Emmaline is as imaginative and creative as yours :-)

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  3. I love her list! That is so cute...esp. the balloon/smiling thing. I like the strawberry, too.

    I totally believe in nesting. The week before Des was born I dusted & cleaned every surface of our house, including every baseboard and the tops of every doorframe. I finally finished and told myself, "Now I can relax for AT LEAST another week or two before he comes" (I'd just made 37 wks.) The next night, my water broke. *sigh* I didn't get to relax at all. And I haven't dusted since then, either! Good thing I got it done then!
    Good luck with your list! Haha!

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  4. The week before Audrey was born I was up on a ladder washing windows too...

    Love Emma's list!

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  5. I can relate about the lists. I love crossing things off, as long as I don't misplace the list by the time I finish the task.

    My mother-in-law writes her grocery list in a really cool way. On one sheet of paper she writes the different items on different sections of the paper so that all the items are grouped by where the items are located in the store. For example, all the fruit and veggies are listed together, all the the dairy together, etc.

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  6. Too cute. Every woman needs to know how to make a list.

    On a side note...what program did you use to "decode" her note? Just curious.

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  7. I need to clean our milk cooler, clearly I cannot bring this baby home until I do...I have added it to my list. Which includes things like clean the blinds (my favorite nesting thing).

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  8. Okay,...I'm going to show my ignorance here...what is a milk cooler....here in Canada I know the dairy farmers have these huge milk coolers that they put the feshly pumped milk into,...but I hardly think you mean that....would you please enlighten this Canadian?

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  9. Natalie makes lists like that. Only when she draws herself on the list, she's usually holding candy and cupcakes, not balloons.

    (P.S. I'm also milk cooler ignorant. Enlighten us, Yoga!)

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  10. I love to make lists, very rarely do I actually do them!
    Emma is awfully precious.

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  11. So glad to know that it's not just me! I have separate store lists, "to buy" lists, Costco lists, and lists of things to do before "x" date arrives. I just *had* to buy red cardstock when I was in labor with Brandon ('cause we all have so much time to scrapbook right after giving birth), and cleaned all the closet doors before Caitlin was born! Sometimes I think I'm just nuts. Nice to know that I'm not alone! :)

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  12. Ha! This cracks me up... I too have banned myself from list making. For me, a simple grocery list quickly becomes an Excel spreadsheet, complete with grocery department, aisle, and perishability (so I know if I should get it at the beginning of the trip or the end).

    I eventually chose to limit myself to a single post-it, and enforce strict punishment if I exceed my limit. :)

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  13. Stop by today (Monday). I've got something for you ;)

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  14. This cracks me up! I so get it...isn't that scary?!

    From a fellow list maker!

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  15. Love this!! I sooooooo relate!!

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  16. That list is adorable! How many more weeks until your due date??

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  17. This has got to be one of the cutest things ever... Children are such a joy... Go get that Ben & Jerry's! And by the way... my milk cooler needs cleaning too, thanks for the reminder!

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  18. Angie, I was on my hands & knees cleaning my kitchen floor WHILE in labor AND with a broken hand.

    Nesting is nothing to mess around with!

    :)
    Brecken

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  19. I read this a while back but am just now getting to comment. I LOVE her list! So cute. I particularly love the strawberry and her SMILING because she got a BALLOON. Smart girl! (did she get to smile??)

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