Today has been a very emotional day for me.  I woke up at 3:45 am, and for three hours I thought I was in labor.  The false contractions subsided shortly after sunrise, leaving me feeling extremely tired and totally overwhelmed for the rest of the day.  During those dark restless hours I went through my “to-do” list, and I realized that I have so much to do before Baby #3 makes his or her grand entrance.

So, today I got to work checking off to-dos.  The beautiful co-sleeper from Arm’s Reach arrived, but it was too heavy for me to bring upstairs so Chris will assemble it tomorrow.  I washed the floors, mailed packages, took care of some bills, brought Mack to swimming lessons, wandered the neighborhood with the kids so we could enjoy some time together in the warm sunshine.  In the next few days I hope to wash the car seat and swing covers, find a little shelf to hold the baby clothes, clean out the refrigerator…the list seems never-ending!

Perhaps the most satisfying part of the day was when Evie and I sorted and washed the newborn clothes.  As we were going through the box I told Evie about life when she was small and new.  She loved hearing about how cute she was and how many snuggles she received.  As I folded the laundered clothes tonight, I couldn’t help but marvel at how big my little kids are.  Did they really once fit in these teeny-tiny onesies?!  Where has the time gone? Where is the time going? And how can I be sure to savor every second of the life I have now?  I just want to be as present as possible despite the precious change in our path.

As I organized the little clothes into piles, I couldn’t help but imagine who this next little person will be.  He or she will grow out of the newborn outfits much too fast, and just as I did with Evie and Mack, I’ll feel emotional about how quickly this little person is growing and changing.  I feel so grateful to have another little baby on the way who will wear these clothes, and I am so glad Evie and Mack will have a sibling.  Life is beautiful.