It's official, the holiday season has arrived! I LOVE this time of year. Normally it would mean more social events, fun new holiday clothes, buying gifts for the many people in my life and just extra cheer all the way around. This year I'm trying to define what the holiday season will look like for my little family. I've never been a wife, mommy to a toddler and 6 months pregnant all over the holiday's. I'm not gonna lie I'm tired! I sleep a good full night going to bed early and then we have a day home {like today} where we read books and just relax and I'm still tired! Growing baby girl #2 has been harder physically then it was the first time. Lot's of people tell me "welcome to 2nd pregnancy".
I want to be that fun Mom over the holiday's that has all our fun traditions and fun foods that make my kids look forward to this time of year as much as I did growing up! Ava and I put Christmas lights up on our balcony railing today and she loved it. I have to remind myself that the small things are SO not small things in her eyes. I can't wait till it gets dark tonight and we can turn them on for her to be amazed by! I'm trying to have a little bit of that wonder and awe that she has for daily life. I need some inspiration though! It's hard to get excited about all the yummy food when I am daily {not really...but it seems like it} packing on the pounds without any help! I'm having a hard time getting motivated to have a Christmas tree when I know it will ALWAYS be a battle to keep it standing and together due to the help of my adorable toddler!
What are your favorite holiday traditions? What do your kids look forward to every year? Give this Momma some inspiration! Happy Thanksgiving week!!
Have you read "The ADVENTure of Christmas" by Lisa Whelchel? That may help give you some great and simple ideas :)
ReplyDeleteI have an advent tree that I made that we use as a countdown and there's a small toy or candy in it each day. As she gets older I will replace some of the things with bible verses from the Christmas story. Here's our advent tree: http://kgradias.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
Hang in there...I know it's hard. I am 34 wks and feeling like I'm about to literally pop and I'm so sore and tired!!!
We're doing a Jesse tree this year with printed ornaments.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/11/our-jesse-tree-a-focused-advent-celebration.html
http://www.eriercd.org/pdf/jessetree_4up.pdf
Also, Lesley's family makes a birthday cake for Jesus and think that is SWEET!
We bake cookies on Christmas Adam (the day before Christmas Eve), and we take them to the fire fighters working that day... if we don't eat them all first.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Christmas Adam.....
ReplyDeleteAlso, you might download the Thanksgiving and Christmas chapter of this book.
http://www.desiringgod.org/Store/Books/ByTopic/All/377_Treasuring_God_in_Our_Traditions/
You're so right that those seemingly small things aren't small at all to a little one. We have a basket of Christmas books/videos/puppets that only comes out at Christmastime. We decorate a small kid tree in the gameroom. We have a hands-on nativity set that we encourage the kids to play with. We always do a Christmas countdown - in recent years it focuses on service. We plan fun but simple outings - Main Street in Grapevine on the weekends is so fun and free (games with Santa on stilts, carriage rides, popcorn) or snowy storytime at Great Wolf Lodge (also free). One year when the older kids were little, we had a doll wrapped in swaddling clothes, placed under the tree, to help them remember that we're celebrating the baby Jesus.
ReplyDeleteJust pick a few easy things that will be fun but not exhausting. Ava will love whatever you choose!