Besides preparing baby clothes and packing the bags, stocking the kitchen was something I wanted to do before this baby joins us.
Before my midwife appointment earlier this month, I took the opportunity to go to Costco, Winco and Wal-Mart and really stock up on some essentials. I also made sure our Amazon order was placed. Now I have enough food in the house to feel comfortable skipping the main February shopping trip if necessary (though if baby hasn’t arrived by early February, I’ll definitely keep the shopping trip on my calendar!) Besides food, we also stocked up on toiletry essentials. Running out of toilet paper right after delivery just doesn’t sound fun!
I also picked up some items for quick eating that we don’t normally buy like prepared yogurt and frozen pizza. Those will help on days when there just isn’t energy for much else!
So what does my kitchen look like following a big shopping trip? It’s a mess! There’s a few pathways to walk, and bags everywhere. Want to see?
Once we got everything put away, it was much nicer. Full shelves and plenty of room to walk!
With all the supplies I bought, I also worked on putting some freezer meals away. Thankfully our church family (and also my mom) is wonderful at bringing meals after birth. So I’m hoping that some of these meals will be useful in the days after that, when survival mode is still swinging and we’re adjusting to life as a family of 9.
I made some burritos on homemade tortillas, tamales and beef stew. I also froze components of meals, which will be really useful. Several pounds of hamburger/vension burger were browned up and frozen in meal sized containers. I also have cooked a couple of chickens (and the turkey we butchered!) and have cooked meat in freezer bags ready to grab and go. Rolls and bread were also made in bulk and frozen.
Cocoa mix was made in bulk, and I feel pretty good about the state of the kitchen.
I also had Jayme come up with a breakfast, lunch and dinner that she wanted to be responsible for. She found her recipes, made a list and ensured that we purchased everything needed. Now I have three meals all ready for her to cook on crazy days.
With Bryan working in Spokane, he can easily swing into a store on the way home if needed, but he shouldn’t have to do a huge shopping trip now.
So the clothes are sorted, the car seat arrived, the bags are packed, and the kitchen is stocked. I’m feeling pretty ready for baby–whenever (s)/he decides to arrive.