A New Word for "Nesting"

It's after 11 pm here and I've just finished steam-cleaning my living room carpet.

Why? Because I'm "nesting." Ugh.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with that term, it's defined by Pregnancy Weekly as "an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world."

In my eyes, however, it's more like "a list of chores I do because I'm expecting company for like two weeks solid and my carpet, among other things, looks like ass."

Chalk it up to late (late, late) pregnancy crankiness, but the mere sound of the word "nesting" irritates me. You wanna know why? Because when I picture a pregnant woman nesting, I picture a clean, glowing, adorably-dressed lady with an equally adorable "bump," in a spotless, well-appointed nursery, folding teeny-tiny pajamas with a dreamy smile on her face. Nesting. It's such a froofy word.

(And yes, I realize that you probably won't find "froofy" in the dictionary.)

Here's what MY version of nesting looks like: frizzy, matted-with-sweat hair. Huge awkward stomach hanging over the waistband of the only pair of pants I can still comfortably wear. The stench of B.O. (my own ... gross) and bleach and various cleaners. Lots of colorful language (okay, the F-bomb) as I scrub things, spill things, and try-but-fail to reach into crevices I've never cleaned before. Huffing and puffing like a 450-pound man trying to run a marathon. Yelling at my kids to "stay out of here, I've just cleaned!" Finding half-eaten pieces of string cheese in strange places.

There's nothing cute about any of that.

I need to invent a new word for "nesting."




Comments

  1. Tearing? As in, "going on a tear?" NOT teer as in those wet thing running down the face. But tear as in tare as in going nuts.

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  2. The word conjures up images of skipping around with a feather duster, and placing vases of flowers around the house. The reality is actually what you have described to a tee.

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  3. your version of defining "nesting" sounds more appropriate! there's nothing cute about that! I agree!
    Happy Thursday!

    *visiting from SITS

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  4. That means you're going into labor SOON, right???? :)

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  5. I pulled down all of my blinds and washed them all before each child was born. They've never been washed at any other time.

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  6. Wow...labor is just around the corner. And I applaud anyone who steam cleans while pregnant!

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  7. I agree - Nesting just sounds so sweet. I mean sure as a first time mommy to be I did the nursery thing, but I've also been stuck between the toilet and the tub trying to clean and couldn't get back up. A sweaty pregnant lady is never pretty, especially when she smells like Soft Scrub.

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  8. I agree with the "froofy" assessment. And i ahve never personally suffered from this type of cleaning frenzy (being somewhat averse to cleaning at all, much less when unable to bend over), but after going into labor at 5am I decided that while it was too early to wake up my husband it was an appropriate time to organize all of our digital photos - barely made it to the hospital. duh. here's hoping it's over soon!

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  9. I hate the word nesting too.

    I can't recall if I even nested with my kids. I just remember I was on the couch towards the end and I was shouting for food.

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  10. I nested by plumping up 15 pillows and sitting on my arse!

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  11. The word verification for the last comment was udders...I swear to you!

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  12. You know what there is the opposite of nesting that some women get and that is exhaustion. I had that, never nested. And if I was you, I would take that road.

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  13. I always imagine a woman collecting twigs and sticks and piling them in the corner in preperation...

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  14. Well I am glad your carpet is clean, now take a rest when you can cause you will be very busy soon!! Good luck!!

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  15. Nesting made me feel like a bird---always hated the word!

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  16. Frantic frazzling sounds more like it!! Watching your twitters--healthy baby wishes coming your way...

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