BBABL Update

Yesterday I said to Z: "I know we can't wait for Baby P to get here, but I am kinda glad we still have 'til December when he will arrive."
It's one of those things... days are dragging on monotonously, but time is just flying by faster than I can count. And we can't wait for the day we hold our little one in our arms for the first time, but are desperately trying to have everything ready for something we won't ever have enough time to prepare for.
Anyway, I said it because I feel like there are still a ton of things I want to do before he arrives and ties up our 'spare time' for the next 18-ish years. Also, there is still much prep for him, but yesterday I was thinking mostly selfishly: I want to complete some things for me.
And I have a few things on my BBABL (Before Baby Arrives Bucket List) that I have completed. I am quite proud. Here's what it looks like now: (comments in green)

1. Purchase prints of engagement and wedding photos and hang in house. (actually, I got a REALLY good deal on some canvases from THIS website...  highly recommend!
2. Re-paint that chunk of red wall in the kitchen that never got hit after the bathroom remodel.
3. Train dogs to stay off furniture.
4. Create Recipe Book of Z approved meals for easy access.
5. Replace grungy, stinky living room rug. Didn't actually replace it... but cleaned it to a less stinky state, that might be liveable, so I am marking it off for now.
6. Finish upholstering zebra chair.
7. Teach Z to make a few simple meals. Really havn't done a lot of teaching, but he has been takign care of about one meal a week, which has honestly been really nice. He can rock pasta, grilled cheese, tacos, and quesadillas. So thats a good start.
8. Romantic getaway with Z. We leave soon for a romantic evening at a fancy hotel... followed by some road tripping to see fam.
9. Get my keyboard from parent's attic and set up/accessible in my house -- play piano or sing a little bit at least a couple times a week.
10. Tame the paper monster in the office/basement, get a filing system in place for important documents and bills. I got halfway there, I piled it in one place, cleaned out the filing cabinet, made folders and lebels... and now I just need to file.
11. Sort through clothes and shoes and get rid of torn, faded, stained, and too small stuff I don't wear anymore.
12. Do more reading for fun -- I'll give myself a goal of completing at least 2 more novels before Dec. (Don't judge, I am a ridiculously slow reader!) Halfway through Novel #1. Woot. Remember I read slow.
13. Invite friends and family over for dinner... dessert... or even just coffee at our house so I can participate in that oh-so-fulfilling practice of hospitality. Had fam over for dinner, girls night the other night, and plans to have some friend over in the the next couple weeks, I don't know if I should mark this off, becuase it's kind of an ongoing thing... but I like to mark things off, so I am going to.
14. Complete Christmas shopping (it'll have to be done early this year).
15. Memorize Scripture passage (was supposed to be my summer project, opps.) Started...
16. Actually SEND the gifts I made for friends MONTHS ago. Um... yeah. The baby I made gifts for is officially here. I should get on that.

And... I have another one to add to my list:
17. Refinish sewing cabinet. (my parents scored a really cool old sewing cabinet from some friends for $0!!! it's kind grubby and ugly, but I see potential. I am excited to fix her up!)

Sooo... I've got my work cut out for me over the next couple months, but i feel good about the progress I've made on my list. Plus, the Baby room is slowly coming together... which makes me heart happy. :) Check back with me in a few...