Maternity leave projects - wistful thinking - anyone else?

[HolyHandGrenadeOfAntioch]

DC#3 is due end of March. You'd think I'd know better than to have so many grand ideas for maternity leave.

So far on the list:

• write chartership application to relevant professional body
• repaint all the gloss paint woodwork in the house (skirting boards, etc)
• sort out large pile of old family photos, scan in and label faces, upload to family tree.
• replant three flower beds
• make new cushion covers for dining chairs
• get fit (hahahaha! Had that plan for about 15 years now!)

I had similar plans for DC1. In reality I watched seasons 1 and 2 of Heroes and thoroughly enjoyed it. For DC2 I didn't even make it that far, catching an episode of Homes under the Hammer while DC1 napped was the best I could do (when the nap was dropped when DC2 was 3 months old I couldn't even do that anymore!).

My excuse is that DC1 will be at school and DC2 at preschool every morning, so I'll have atleast 2.5 hours a day with "only" the baby and so much free time... ignoring housework, resting, and actually looking after the baby...

Anyone else got any projects planned, or is it just me that's this deluded?!

I like your positivity, and as long as the projects aren't essentials that would cause inconvenience if they didn't get completed, then what's the harm! Sometimes you need goals to aim for, otherwise you'll end up never getting out of bed.

I'm due DC#1 end of March and I've got a pretty long list too. I plan to sit a language exam in June when baby is 3 months, but if I didn't have that goal I wouldn't be studying now, I'd just be waiting 'until baby is older'. If I don't do it, never mind.

Good for you!

I was thinking in the time between going off and the baby coming, when i'll technically be at a loose end, i'd try and bake something new every day. I kind of solo great british bake off, if you will.

However, given its currently half 4 and im awake, im thinking that by the time i go off, i might just want to catch up on my sleep! Three weeks to go and counting!

That's a very good point about annual leave before baby arrives, I'm off from 36 weeks so hopefully plenty of time to work through the list! (apart from possibly painting the skirting, which bump may get in the way of!)

I love the bake-off idea. I'm planning to lots of slow cookering, to make the after school hours easier with dinner.

Also like the language idea - reminded me to have a look at what MOOCS are going to be running on Coursera.

This is the last DC for us, so my last maternity leave - feels like the last holiday I'll have before retirement in 30 years! Really looking forward to it, bizarrely, even the sleep deprivation.

Haha no my plan is to enjoy my last child free days by sleeping. This is the only plan I have so far. I usually have a huge list of things but feel that carrying the baby is enough for then. Maybe some little jobs like washing all the baby's clothes and linen?

I have to write two essays for a course in 2 years into by April and May. Ds is currently 2 weeks old. I fear when I'll be able to do the work. Wish I'd at least started them before he arrived but I was too busy sleeping and stressing :(

• I'm 2 years...

Finish writing and editing my novel. Only got another 30% to write! This is complete wishful thinking.
I also want to get fitter and lose weight, but I doubt it'll happen. I have a feeling that seen as this will be DC1, I am more likely to spend most of my time trying not to screw up.

With DS, I managed to do some knitting, and did a cross stitch for a friends' DS' birthday (when DS was 7mo).
This time, I know it is futile to think I can achieve anything project-y - if by any chance I have the remotest window while DS is at nursery and DC2 is asleep, and my brain is functioning, I will be keeping up with work!

I have told DH that I can't paint gloss whilst pregnant please don't let him find out otherwise

I am planning to finish work at 36 weeks (due to annual leave) which will coincide with the start of Wimbledon. So I plan to sit on the sofa for two weeks eating strawberries

Otherwise I plan to keep the baby alive, go out every day (!) even if to the shop at the end of the road and not resort to ready meals every day.

My plan for maternity leave (for this year really) is:

to maintain a blog
to take more pictures.

I'm also going to knit all the squares from the knit and stitch magazine I started collecting when I was pregnant with DD as I have a whole bloody ottoman style box full of the wool for it >.< Though How I'll actually manage that with DD running round I'm not sure...

fleur I have also said that the fumes from the gloss paint are bad for the baby, I detest glossing, though I expect it'll still be there for me to do this time next year!

I go on mat leave for #2 on Thursday, am 36+4 today. I will definitely be making a toiletry bag for myself. And clearing out a bit of DD's room, building a chest of drawers and reorganising her clothes and room.

Or maybe I'll sleep.

I'll probably sleep.

DS is 10 yrs old and I still have projects I started, when pg, I haven't finished.
I think projects that you can dip in and out of are probably do-able but ebf in the first 6 mnths has no routine. I really thought I would have so much spare time and having run a full time business bc I just assumed I would be bored. Instead it was an all consuming but a fantastic time and I loved being a SAHM. I was ready to go back to work after 6mnths though.

Fleurchamp excellent timing there
DS turned up early at the end of April (was due end of June), so by the time he was out of hospital, it was time for Wimbledon and then the Olympics. Great summer

I have delusions of sorting out the garden whilst DC naps al fresco...if I get even half of it done I will be happy