By this time next week, little lady Reese will be here. That’s less than a week away and I couldn’t be more excited. As pumped as I am to meet her, I’m not ashamed to say that I am equally excited to not be pregnant anymore. This shizz does not suit me and I honestly have no idea how some people can say they enjoy being pregnant (seriously, what is it? someone needs to explain it to me because now that I’ve done this twice I’m even more confused about how people enjoy this).

Despite wishing, hoping and praying for her to come early, I’ve come to the realization that it’s just not going to happen for me and that I just need to come to terms that May 22nd will be the day. I hadn’t totally come to terms with that a couple weeks ago though so I wishfully packed up my hospital bag – thinking that I’d be able to grab it and go in no time. That was a mistake because now whenever I walk into the baby’s room, I see that bag staring back at me… watching, judging.

Because I’m crazy, I had to hide it behind the crib so that I didn’t have to look at it every time I walked into the room. Because I’m practical, I’ve got it stocked up with lots of goodies and essentials for a few days away from home (I’ll be in the hospital a day or so longer because of having a scheduled c-section). Since this is my second time, I’ve edited down some things and added in a few other essentials that I didn’t realize I needed the first time around.

One thing I recommend every mom-to-be pack in her bag: A Brand, Spanking New Pair of Super Soft PJ’s or Loungewear and a Robe. Seriously, pick out a pair that you will be so excited to slip into post-baby. It’s something fun to pick out for yourself while you’re doing the waiting game and it will be like a sweet, sweet present to yourself when you slip them on.

Here’s what else I’ve got packed up in my hospital bag:

Don’t forget…

* The Boppy. Bring it with you and you’ll be very, very happy you did.

* Newborn Basics. I think a lot of moms think their baby will be big enough to fit into 0-3 month gear from the start but a lot of the time your little one will be swimming in that size when they’re born. Head to Target (or over here for a great 7-piece set) and grab a pack of newborn onesies and a couple sleepers. You don’t need many but a handful will get you through those first couple weeks.

* Swaddling Blankets. The hospital supplies these but you’ll want to bring a couple from home. If you have a dog, use one and then send a family member home with it afterwards to get your pup introduced to the new baby’s smell. I got this adorable set of Aden & Anais ones from my pal Nikki. They are crazy soft, sweet but not too girly and extra long (since it can take a little bit to get the hang of swaddling so the extra length can help).

* Zippered PJ’s. If there is one thing I can recommend, it’s zippered pj’s. With Drew, we got tons of really cute snap ones and in the middle of the night – they were maddening. There is nothing worse than being totally sleep deprived and trying to line up the snaps on pj’s. Buy the ones that zip. Even if they are not as cute. Trust me, at 3 am it won’t matter.

* Pacifier Buddy. This is another great basic that I received as a gift and now I give at every baby shower I go to. These Bunnies By the Bay pacifier buddies come in a bunch of different animals, are seriously the softest thing ever and most importantly, keep you from losing about a million pacifiers. We had at least three, maybe four of these, with Drew and I’ve already stock piled two or three for Reese.

* Belly Band. When I bough this originally, it was for purely vain reasons. I wanted it to help me get back to my old self quicker. But after using it after my first c-section, it was crazy helpful in providing back support and overall support. It’s definitely worth the investment and I’ve had a few friends use them as well and say it was really, really helpful for those first couple weeks. I started using mine almost immediately after surgery and it made my recovery a lot easier.

* Acne Skin Care Kit. I don’t wish the kind of acne I get while pregnant on my worst enemy. It is MISERABLE. I’ve never had serious skin issues so when I first experienced it with Drew, it came as a big shock. This time around it wasn’t as shocking but just as embarrassing. The total madness of hormones kept almost everything I’ve tried from clearing it up and the medicine I took to clear it up after Drew is not to be used when pregnant so I’ve been shit out of luck. I’ve already called in my prescription and ordered this kit to help clear things up ASAP.

* iPad + Headphones. We just started watching House of Cards (so so so obsessed) and I know I’ll be sneaking in a few episodes during downtime and in between visitors. I’ll pack some headphones so I don’t wake up a sleeping baby (or a sleeping dad).

… pack it all up in a roomy tote like this Lo & Sons one and then start your official countdown.