What can you do for me?

Before I know it Eleanor will be here.  Yay! She is here! While the house is prepared to bring a baby home to, I can only imagine that the first few days and weeks will be pretty hectic.  I am told time and again to make sure to make Eleanor is the priority in those first few weeks, and to let go of household duties.  Everyone says "Sleep when the baby sleeps."  Yet, despite this great advice, so many moms tend to try to fit in too much: cleaning, cooking, working, etc. 

I really don't think it will be hard for me to give up household responsibilities for two reasons.  1.  I don't love doing them and 2.  Alex is so, so helpful around the house.  I also won't have a problem sleeping when Eleanor sleeps simply because I just can't wait to lay on my stomach again!

Of course this is how I feel today, but once now that she's here I know everything will change.  My intentions today might be more difficult to stick to later.  So to help me out, I have decided not to be shy about our needs after Eleanor arrives.  If you are my friend and live nearby and are wondering how you can help in the days after Eleanor's birth, I have compiled this post just for you.  Forgive me for being so forward.

1.  Visit Us

More than anything else, we really want you to come visit us.  We are so excited that we don't have to stay in a hospital for days after the birth.  We will be home 4-6 hours after!  We will announce when Eleanor is born (of course) and I just ask you to give us that first night (which is already over!) to ourselves.  But then please, please come see us!  We will be happy to entertain friends so you can meet Eleanor and check in on us.  Just don't be offended if we hog her and only let you hold her for a little bit. You may also want to call or text just to make sure we are not napping, but otherwise we are happy to have you.

2.  Pray For Us

We know that being new parents is going to be a trying experience.  Please include us in your daily prayers, but also offer to pray for us while you are here visiting.  We would love for you to come over and pray over Eleanor too!

3.  Food

*edited to add: we have a meal sign up sheet if you are interested (password 1234 if you need it)

We would be the most grateful friends you have ever known if you bring us a meal after the baby comes.  I know we may seem pretty difficult to feed, being vegan and all, but I assure you it is actually really easy to cook vegan, and we are not picky eaters at all!  So to help you out here are a few ideas...and don't forget this blog has a whole index of vegan recipes under the Food tab. 

• a big pot of vegetable soup or veggie chili
• roasted veggies and mushrooms with brown rice
• pasta and red sauce
• veggie sub sandwiches
• giant salads
• baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes

If in doubt about bringing a meal, you could always just swing by the store for us and pick up a few food items that will make it easier for Alex to whip up dinner, or grab us some take out on your way over:

• fruit (grapes, bananas, apples, pears)
• almond milk
• brown rice
• tofu
• frozen veggies
• mushrooms
• cans of vegetable soup
• bread
• Joel's Tofu or Veggie sushi, miso soup, veggie pad thai
• Harris Teeter grilled veggie subs
• Rice fun (any tofu dish)
• Salsarita's veggie burritos
• Panera vegetable or black bean soup and veggie sandwiches without cheese

Of course we are always accepting desserts too!

4.  Laundry

We plan to cloth diaper straight from the beginning.  This means at least a load of laundry every single day.  Don't worry, you don't have to deal with the dirty dipes, they will go straight in a bag, and the bag and diapers will all go in the wash together and I probably would never ask you to do that for me anyway.  But while you are here, and the clean diapers are all spread on the nursery floor, you could definitely offer to help me assemble them or fold laundry while we are visiting together. 


That's all.  There's no way I would ask you to do dishes (that's what dishwashers are for) or mop the floors (that's why we have a swiffer) but if you really want to help us out, just remember food is the way to our hearts!  And despite having a new baby in the house, I don't think our social nature will change, so please, please come and see us.