The Halls Have Been Decked

Holy smokes! Christmas is just around the corner! We've been so busy around here, it feels like December is just flying by. I'd love it if December were 60 days long so that we could enjoy the season for twice as long. There are just too many holiday movies to watch and cookies to eat (not that I've had one second to bake any) for one little month.

I started decorating for Christmas the minute Thanksgiving was over. And we picked out a perfect tree for Z's first Christmas that weekend.

I've been keeping it simple with our holiday decor, partly because I'm kind of tired of some of my stuff, partly because we live in a thimble and too much clutter makes me crazay, and parlty because a curious little tuna I know is getting into everything.

And you know I couldn't resist putting up a little Christmas in the nursery.  It's a tradition in my family for the kids to have a little Christmas tree in their rooms. Each year you get a new ornament, and make some too, to add to it so that by the time you have your first tree as a grown up, you've got a nice collection of special ornaments. Our tree is lousy with ornaments from my childhood, which brings back so many memories each year when we decorate. I love carrying on that tradition with Z!

I couldn't wait to set up a little tree in Z's room at the first chance I got! She already has two ornaments to kick off her collection. The red and silver stars are a set from Target that we got to match the red on the big tree in the living room. I made a festive banner out of glittery scrapbook paper and baker's twine, and made a print for the dresser. With just a little more free time (bwahahahaaaa! free time!!! funny stuff!), Z's crib would probably be decked out in some kind of wash bunting or tinsel garland.

After much deliberation, we picked up the cutest stocking on sale at Pottery Barn Kids. We loved the Baby's First stockings, but wanted one that she could enjoy through the years. I think we found the perfect one! Since we bought it in-store, and not online, we couldn't get her name embroidered, so I made black felt letters to match our other stockings. Maybe someday I'll meet some fabulously talented person who can embroider all of our stockings, but for now, the felt DIY works.

Well, that's how things are lookin' around here. I'm hoping to score big at some post-Christmas sales. A holiday-themed pillow or two, or an advent calendar for next year. The next task on the agenda: some serious baking...if my little helper will let me!

20 Weeks...Halfway There!

How far along? 20 weeks…the halfway point!

Total weight gain: 13-14 lbs…the numbers on the scale are a little scary, but all for a good reason.

How big is baby? About the length of a banana…about 6.5 inches long and somewhere around 10 oz.  

Maternity clothes? Gap Maternity t-shirts and non-maternity sweatpants are kind of my jam these days.

Stretch marks? None yet.

Sleep? Sleep is hit or miss. Some nights are good, some are really restless. I think I need a new body pillow. The one I have is bigger than I am (and that’s saying something).

Best moment this week? Ordering the crib and finally ordering the glider for the nursery. It took for-ever to decide on which chair to get and was a MAJOR splurge, but totally worth it. Now I can move on to obsessing about something else…like whether or not we should paint the nursery, and where we should register and what for.   

How are you feeling? Pretty good, most of the time, but I'm still dealing with this weird indigestion issue.

Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach.

Movement? Not too much. Can’t wait to feel her warm up those dancing legs! (Though I will probably regret saying that in a few months)

Food cravings? Other than a wicked candy craving (hello Halloween candy!!) I haven’t had much in the way of cravings. The Hubs, on the other hand, has had a major chicken wing craving this week.  Does it count as a sympathy symptom if I don’t even like chicken wings? Haha!

Aversions? A trip to Publix can be a bit of a nasal assault, between the cinnamon brooms all over the produce department, the stinky fish department, and whatever it is that lady is cooking for customers to sample. The Hubs sometimes takes over the shopping duties (he’s a saint!).

Anything make you queasy or sick? See above!

Gender prediction? IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We think we have a first name picked out, but you suckers will just have to wait until the big day to find out! :oP

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Pretty good most of the time.

Looking forward to: Feeling Baby Tuna moving around, and finishing clearing out the nursery.   

Baby Tuna's first stuffed animal! So soft and cuddly! 

I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely fall weather…and by everyone, I mean everyone that DOES NOT live in Florida. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite nice down here. Feels great to not be bitch-slapped in the face with 1,000% humidity. But, let’s be honest, it feels more like late spring. I feel a bit weird ordering a pumpkin spice latte when it’s still 87 degrees outside, not that it will stop me! (But only once a week so the Baby Tuna doesn’t get all cracked out on caffeine.)

That being said, October 1^st marks the start of the holiday season: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! My most favorite 3 months of the year! I love decorating the house and have loved buying holiday outfits for my friends’ kids through the years. This season, it has been so hard passing on all of the super cute Halloween baby outfits out there…orange and purple striped tights under a black tutu? Yes please! I so look forward to all of the fashion possibilities this time next year as we dress up the Baby Tuna. Until then, I will have to settle for decorating my TV (cuz we don’t have a mantel)…

and nibbling on candy corn, and of course, my weekly pumpkin spice latte. :0)