What do you wish you'd done with DC1 before DC2 arrived? I have two weeks!

[somethinganything]

Maternity leave has now officially begun and I have just under 2 precious weeks alone with DD. Feel under pressure to have as much 'quality time' with her as possible but equally feel completely unprepared for the new baby and want to get on top of house stuff. Am also pretty knackered so want to plan my time carefully.

Is there anything you did - from activities, to taking video footage to baking - that was either v useful or v special and you're glad you did before your second child came along? Or equally is there anything you didn't do but wish you had done? e.g. get more rest, do more finger painting etc...

Thanks, ladies

what i did do - run around like a blue arsed fly, getting everything ready and like you wanting to do everything possible with my first.

What I wished I'd done and what I'll do if there is ever a third BabyGazelle is ask for loads of help from parents and IL's and rest as much as possible, I totally underestimated how knackered I would be looking after a newborn and a 23 month old.

Don't feel guilty or under pressure to do anything - concentrate on you as much as possible. Maybe DD could 'help' you get ready for the new baby - folding clothes, getting the baby stuff ready? HTH and enjoy your new baby

depends on how old your dd is..

Not something I wanted to do before ds arrived (19 months between them) BUT similar I guess....before dd started school I had mum and dd time buy getting our nails done.

I have my nails done anyway BUT I involved dd by arranging for the salon to "paint" dd's nails at the same time. Only a transparent colour but she loved the time togther being pampered . Wanted to get our hair done as well but ran out of time...

hth x

Before my 3rd arrived I went food shopping and boughts loads of breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks and stocked up on nappies etc so when I wasn't busy with her I could spend my time with the other 2. I also made sure I spent a few periods of time with them each day - after breakfast, lunchtime, before tea - giving them my whole attention (in hope these times would remain while dd slept) so they didn't get too jealous. Did this when ds2 imminent too.
Otherwise pub and cinema in evenings babysitter permitting!

Thanks everyone - v. helpful!

DD is 25 months so she can kind of 'help' with getting the house sorted. Sort of feel I owe her my undivided attention at all times at the momenet but maybe I need to relax about that a bit.

MadameGazelle think I will do as you say and try to enlist some help.

Tried to imprint on my brain how small she really was. When ds arrived she suddenly seemed enormous and so grown up. Which she really wasn't and I regret that I sort of missed a part of her babyhood in that respect. At 2.5 she wasn't really old enough to appreciate doing stuff but we did have some fun lazy days where we just went at her pace doing what she wanted. Once I had a newborn as well that was a lot trickier.

That's a good point snickers she does seem so 'grown-up' at the moment, have to be careful not to expect too much from her.