♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #107
As the holidays begin rolling in, what do you do to prepare your house,
yourself and your family for the hectic days ahead?
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Just that question fills me with dread. My anxiety is pricking. You see, this year is the first year I’ll have a little one during the holidays. Many of you parents will know exactly what I’m thinking. Of course it’s exciting to share these events with a new set of eyes and ears, but there’s a lot to prepare for with an infant. And, it’s all new for me, on top of everything else. That makes for some uncomfortable bouts of anxiety.
In years past, I got by with a shower, getting dressed, and then a leisurely ride to my mother’s house with Miss Shagbottom in tow. This year, I will have to do all the above and get an infant ready for a long day and possibly overnights. I’ll need to bring all my gear with me, so I can feed her (because she’s breast fed) or store milk. I’ve learned to make due with wearing whatever I’m in if it gets spit up on. I still draw the line at poop, so what do you do if you’re out and the baby has a blow out. Do I pack a bag for myself, or risk wearing whatever skee-yakie thrown at me?
So this year, prep includes packing a bag for the little one, getting her presentable, and doing the same for myself. At least Miss Shagbottom is still pretty low maintenance. She jumps in the car with a chew toy.
Having Halloween under my belt, I know I shouldn’t be too concerned. I was able to decorate the front window and entryway fabulously in about two hours, and take it down in the same amount of time. Right now, my window sports a gathering of pumpkins to mark the fall and Thanksgiving. Christmas time, I will have help. I’m lucky enough to have a friend that I share the house with. It makes not only the bills more affordable, but splits the work that needs to be done to keep the place up. I’m blessed to have the help, and my daughter gets to enjoy her auntie’s company.
Though I am confident the decorating will go well, I’m uncertain about baking. But, you know what? It will all work out in the end. Spending time with my little girl and Miss Shagbottom are the main priorities of my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Let’s check out what the other authors have to say about their holidays…
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I remember dealing with the kids when they were tiny. For tiny humans they come with a lot of stuff! Hang in there, you’ll get by.
And it’s going to go so fast. I don’t want to wish it away. I’m soaking it all up.
Definitely plan for an infant to make a mess of your clothes at the worst possible time. Bring something to change into and you might not need it.
What’s really cool – both of our kids were born in the week before Christmas. It would have been better if they’d been born earlier in the year, but there’s a long history of women in my family giving birth on Christmas Day, so …. Both of our kids loved the lights and all the reflections. They were just fascinated. We had a friend who would keep her Christmas lights up half the winter, so when they were a little older (three or four months), we discovered that they were highly entertained by the lights. And, that is so fun to watch as a parent!
I’m really looking forward to this Christmas with her. Watching her fascination with the world is so healing, and so exciting.