What's on YOUR list?

I've started making lists...for nesting purposes. And just for keeping all my thoughts straight for the next couple months. I have a serious case of preggers brain, and if I don't write it down, it will likely be forgotten in approximately 15 seconds. So I opened up a notebook that I keep on my dresser and just start listing things. It's a to-do list of epic proportions - it even includes my fantasy wish list of what I'd do if I had a day to pamper myself! Of course that's in addition to the mundane like cleaning out closets and buying various newborn necessities, not to mention my own personal CVS shopping list like "nail clippers" and "shaving cream" (even though there aren't many parts of me left that I am able to shave...).

Here's the problem - I'm great at making lists, and terrible at crossing things off. I think I just like the exercise of writing things down. It helps me feel organized and energizes me to get to work. But I always seem to put off getting things done, or deciding they don't need to be done at all. I am determined to turn over a new leaf, and not go down that road this time...what would Dos think if s/he came home to an untidy house or saw its mommy for the first time without unwaxed eyebrows?

Last weekend, we tackled the biggest item of all - the Closet of Shame. In fact, the very name is why I'm not posting a "before" picture, but here's the result:

Sampler of things still left to do:

• Clean out the garage - we have not best utilized our space, and right now it looks like a stroller warehouse.
• Clean out the file cabinet - it's time to join the 21st century and go paperless over at the Silverstein house. I will be bringing large bags of old (ancient) credit card statements to the office on a daily basis to shred.
• Start reorganizing and prepping Ivy's room in anticipation of her new roommate - included as a sub-list item here is what to do about the big girl bed. We have a great twin size trundle bed that we're planning to use, but need to find someone handy to refinish and paint it. And then we have to figure out exactly when to do the transfer. Ivy loves her crib, and I don't want her to feel like she's being kicked out when Dos arrives. But I do want her to have time to get used to the new bed so when it comes time for Dos to take over the crib she won't freak out, even though that won't be until s/he is about 3-4 months old.
• See RAMONA AND BEEZUS...alone. With popcorn and gummy bears. Alone. (See fantasy wish list for Day of Pampering)

The nearly two months I have left seems like more than ample time to accomplish all this, right?

Also, in the spirit of nesting and weeding out crap, while simultaneously making lists of things I need, it's hard to not want to get suckered into buying all new things for this baby! We purposefully got as much gender neutral stuff with Ivy so it could be reused, regardless of the next one's sex. And for major stuff, I'm totally fine with keeping the same carseat (red) and basic onesies (white, yellow, green). Besides, not only does it save us a lot of money, but it's more green - no need to wastefully purchase new items, with all of their excess plastic and cardboard packing material, when recycling old ones are much more friendly to the environment. And I love me some good hand-me-downs! But then I see things like this:

and I go "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! I NEED A NEW DIAPER BAG!!! WITH BLUE FOR A BOY OR PINK FOR A GIRL!!!" Even though of course the diaper bag I have is in fine condition and matches the carseat and stroller (black and red), and really gives me NO reason to get a new one. This is the problem with cleaning stuff out - you get all excited by the extra room, and it's tempting to not fill it up! And lord knows the money I am tempted to spend on things like custom-colored diaper bags and whatnot would be better spent on necessities...like diapers or day care or college. Time to step away from the Internet.