What's in YOUR freezer?

An unofficial baby countdown has begun around here. My sister is officially full term, due in just under three weeks. I am on the downhill slope, due in 9 weeks. The next nine weeks will fly by no doubt, so I am starting to think I should make a list of all the things that really need to get done, as well as all the things that I really want to get done but realistically won't accomplish. I know myself, and that's how it goes folks. Babies don't really need much, but moms of new babies seem to need an awful lot. That is, we need a lot of help, a lot of preplanning, a lot of grace for unwashed floors (to say the least), a lot of sleep, a lot of bottled sanity. No, it's not really that bad, but I am starting to mentally prepare myself for the first few months with another little one. Sigh.

Truthfully, it's not the housework or the exhaustion, or attending to the baby that has me worried. It's the other two little girls. They have been largely difficult to be around for the last few weeks, which I hope is attributed to our chaotic summer schedule and constant diet of junk food and no sleep. I hope it's that, and not a complete personality shift to whininesss, hyper-sensitivity, bossiness (the eldest), and pickiness (the youngest). Call me crazy (it's OK, because I probably am certifiable), but I think I'm puting Hope in potty-training boot camp on Monday too. So, we can add bathroom stressed to the list of adjectives describing Hope, and wearied to the adjectives describing mom.

Are you wondering what in the world all of this has to do with freezers??? In a Spirit inspired move of generosity, my mom and her sister (Aunt Mary) offered to make my sister and I some meals to put in the freezer for after the babies come. I thought it was a brilliant idea, so the girls and I sallied up to my parent's house one day last week to help with the preparations. For the record, that was the happiest, least demanding day the girls had last week... thank goodness! Anyway, my Aunt led the charge in the kitchen, with my mom, sister, and I helping for a good 8 hours. When we fell into bed that night, the freezer was jam-packed with:

3 loaves of squash bread - 2 loaves of cranberry bread - 2-3 dozen carrot muffins - 2 macaroni & cheese casseroles - 2 chicken parmigiana casseroles - 2 stuffed shells casseroles - 2 bags of BBQ shredded beef - 2 pots of black bean soup - 2 gallons of cabbage-beef soup

Add that to my previously started stash of two Mexican meatloaves and two chicken-spinach-rice casseroles, and I'm feeling very good about what's in my freezer. If I spend an afternoon making bar cookies or other desserts, I should be basically prepared to bring "a dish" to some unforeseen gathering or opportunity for hospitality. I think I'll still try to freeze some homemade waffles and muffin tin quiches to help out with breakfasts, but honestly, the bulk of my pre-baby cooking is done. Yay!

Now, if there is a Fairy Godmother out there who can do some pre-baby child training and housework for me, that would be great. I imagine it neatly packaged and waiting for me in the hall closet, ready to pull out in a moment of exhaustion, desperation, or general meltdown... any takers?!? :)