Winding down and Winding up

I'm hungry again.

Thanksgiving!  It was delicious and abundant and fun and another one for the books.  We had a great time with our friends, who are also expecting.  We sipped sparkling cider and toasted to this being our last Thanksgiving without kids.  Hard to believe that next year we'll each have a new mouth to feed that is way cuter than any mouths we've seen before.  Sitting around and talking pregnancy-shop with Emily was particularly fun.  Comparing symptoms, talking registries, which products are best for each of us and just having someone to relate to in general was great.  I have the What To Expect app on my phone and am part of the "February board" on the forums, so I read through what different women around the world who are due around the same time as me are saying but I've never participated on the boards.  I'm a lurker.  So it was fun to actually have a dialogue!

I love the pace of Thanksgiving weekend too.  I know a lot of people enjoy going shopping on Black Friday but dealing with crowds and getting up early are two of the things I like least so we skip those shenanigans.  The next day we slept in, hung out, had leftovers, went for a long walk on a foggy beach and played board games before heading back home.  I also was showing Emily the stroller I had picked out online and noticed it was marked down by twenty dollars and shipping was only 97 cents, so I went ahead and ordered it.  So I guess I did get a little Black Friday shopping done after all!

The winding down from Thanksgiving lasts about a day though because then it's on to winding up and decorating for Christmas!  I love getting a tree and we had this bad boy donned licketysplit.

Sipped some decaf peppermint mocha while making this
happen. It was divine.

When we were picking out the tree, the guy helping us asked if wanted a few of the lower branches trimmed off.  I said, "Nah, we aren't actually putting gifts under it.  Next year though!"  Then I patted my belly.  Christmases are just going to be fun times a thousand from here on out.

Other key developments from this past holiday weekend:

• I think I gained about two pounds.  I blame the sweet potato casserole.  And pie.  And turkey. And stuffing.  And the human growing inside of me.
• We got a rocker/recliner! Spent most of my day in it yesterday...both rocking and reclining.  I think it'll do the trick.
• We picked up the crib mattress.  Last trip to Babies R Us for awhile...I hope!
• Baby got his first pair of shoes! Two pairs, actually.  Steve and Emily had a generous gift bag waiting for us when we arrived on Thanksgiving full of lots of fun goodies for the baby.
• Baby has been very active.  Especially yesterday and this morning.  His new favorite place to kick me is right under my right ribs.  I feel you, Baby.  I'm glad you're there.

Lots going on this week!  A few more deliveries for the nursery are expected to arrive today, we have our 28 week check up with the doctor, we start our four-week childbirth class at the hospital and I'm sure other fun things will pop up along the way.  It's that time of year when everything seems to be in fast-forward!