BRRRR! & need ideas

[Kay/NC]

Thank goodness for Mike's decision to put in the wood boiler three years ago.  It has turned off colder - in the 30s here this morning, as I contemplate going out to train and pick up a few groceries, drop off a package at UPS. 

I know this is warm to some of you, but it is chilly for us, for now, with all of the true winter clothing still in storage.  It seemed as though fall has shifted from eighty to thirty in a matter of overnight...literally.  We may be that warm again this coming week....

Pneumonia weather, as the old folks say...uh-oh!  Now I am one of the old ones saying it....

Daughter has made it a week of the minimum of two on total bed rest.  Doctor says she may buy the baby another week in the oven, if she continues to take it totally easy.  Hard for her to do. 

I've tried to do the light housework and some laundry daily, as needed, so she won't be tempted to get up and do too much.  I am sure she's  letting the dogs in and out, and sticking stuff in het oven or microwave to heat up, but I have tried to keep her supplied with some special requests for food she's craved, controlling the salt I put in it, to avoid boosting her BP.  So far so good.  

One thing I have tried to do is provide her with some tasks that she can do from her perch on the sofa.  Printed out shower pics for her baby book, and had all her notecards ready for her to do the thank you notes.  Got her to set down all the instructions for her pet/horse sitter in writing.  Quite a bit to do, with eight dogs and three dozen horses....

Raided the dollar store the other day, for some minor art supplies she wanted, and grabbed some recipe cards.  Suggested that she coud research some foods she likes on the Internet, while she's sitting still, and copy them down.  (Their printer is not in the house, so this will occupy her mind, too.) 

Couple of smallish jigsaw puzzles, the instructional DVDs for some of their baby equipment...anything to help her pass the time, so she won't be tempted to get up and pad around the house. too much.  I dont'; want ot pile her down, but I try to keep a couple of sedentary things by her spot, so she can distract herself. 

She's not a needleworker or crossworder, but I am tempted to try a book of SUDOKU or something like that.  May visit that rack in the store today.  She's got all the standard baby books.  Maybe I should carry her a DVD I bought on infant massage, and another one on postpartum exercises for mother and baby.  I was holding onto them for later, but they might be entertaining...what do you think?

Any good ideas for keeping her still?  I know some of your daughters, or you yourselves, have had to stay put during a pregnancy.  I visit when her husband is at work, but his work schedule is screwy night right now, so I try to avoid his sleep hours in the daylight, when I can.  Her baby sister came down last night, to spend the day with her today....I know that will lift her spirits. 

I am hoping for a minimum of another two weeks of managing this situation, so the baby gets the best start possible.  I have asked her to make a list each day of the things she wants me to do when I come over, and she's been good about that. 

TIA for any suggstions for ways for her to pass the time calmly.  Thank goodness, they had already gotten the nursery ready, and the bags are packed and in the family car, along with the infant carrier. 

[Papa Wheelie]

My wife was put on bed rest with a month to go with our first twins. Came home from work one day and she was in bed crying. When I asked what was wrong she said she couldn't see the big maple in the yard for her belly.

Books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, just things to occupy her mind. Company well help too. 

[Kay/NC]

Spoiler

She's read piles of baby books and magazines.  Stopped in with plates from a local church fundraiser, plus a pie and quart of stew today. Her sister was there visiting and had made a really good chicken casserole for their meals today.  

 I think I am supposed to shampoo her carpets, rejuvenate the hardwood floors, and wash curtains in a couple of rooms next week. 

This kid had better knock his mom out for a nap soon...she's killin' me with her nesting urges!

[Sundae1964]

What about a paint by number...they have some now adays that are way cool and very tiny spaces, it could take her a while to finish and could be a little challenging???

S.

[Kay/NC]

ThAt's a good idea...i' ll have to look while i am in town this week.

It just occurred toe to share my Nintendo DS with her..we have a handful of games that could be very entertaining. She got a new cell phone when they went tithe doctor last week, and since it is a very different one, I think that has given her a bit of something to do. I need to get an old Bluetooth up there, to see if we can mate them.

[soilbabe]

Why not record a dairy in her own voice of her thoughts and feeling these last few weeks before her life changes forever. Years from now she might treasure listening to it or sharing it with her own grown up child.

[manureseller]

If she's a reader and hasn't had any of books you can try the AQHA Legends series.  It's about the different Quarter Horses' history.  Pretty interesting to read especially for a horse person.  A lot of good info. on the old bloodlines that created the newer lines we have today.

[Kay/NC]

That is the odd thing, being kine...sHe is NOT a real reader. Has worn out her baby magazines and books. I have a couple of DVDs, one on infant massage and the other on mom& baby exercise, which I offered her today.
She says she would play Nintendo DS and Tetris, too, so those are going up there later today or tomorrow. I got her through the doctor this morning...which took nearly two hours wait...and then we had an early lunch and she wanted to get her hair trimmed, while I shopped a short list for her.

That timed out just right, and then we did the bank for her and dropped off money to the mom of one of her riding students,; for fundraisers. I did the hardwood floors when we got home, and Mike and I dropped protein tubs and big bales for three pastures full of horses.

Will be taking her old Lab to the vet tonight at seven, and hopefully be home by nine or so...it's an hour away.Promised to get her
carpets done and the curtains all washed and re- hung, since she said SIL will take them down tonight, probably tomorrow.

She goes back to the doctor Thursday at ten...somewhere in there, I will be doing my usual stuff, and moving the kitchen things as
much as possible into the back room.

Her BP was lower today than it's been since the episode that triggered the bed rest order. I finally met her OB, and he says that anytime the baby comes now, he would be considered term, if not yet full term...but, we have gotten her put of the worst danger zone for him. So, WHEW!

I was really happy when he told me that if all of his patients were as compliant as she has been, he would have a lot easier job.
With the things suggested here, plus a few tricks I still have up my sleeve, I think we may get her through a bit longer without having her go stir- crazy.

[MN cowgirl]

So happy to hear of your soon to be grandbaby.   Do you have all your photos in albums?  If not, maybe she could do it for you..She would have fun going through the pictures.