So much more

Over the weekend, I started my first craft project since buying the house a year and a half ago. With all the wallpaper stripping, floor laying, painting, and re-configuring we did with the renovations, I wasn't ready to add anything to the house that wasn't necessary. It finally feels fun again to be making something.

I'm working on a crewel pillow kit that I picked up ages ago at Purl Soho. I've been adding a leaf or a flower each night before bed, which is heavenly (and at this rate I'll be working on it for months, so get ready for the big reveal in July).

A snow storm is starting to swirl around outside my kitchen window, and we're supposed to be driving out to the Berkshires as soon as Peter's done with school. My fingers are crossed for smooth sailing as we whisk ourselves across the state.

I'm reading Louisa May Alcott's An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving. In the story, the Basset family is facing a snowy New England holiday, too (among other obstacles). I think I've read half of the story for the last three thanksgivings. Will this be the year I actually finish? I hope things end well for them and that they're able to enjoy their brown bread and pies and Indian pudding. 

I hope you get to enjoy all of that, too, and so much more. Happy thanksgiving, my dears! 

P.S. I'm writing this post on my iPad, and while it knows to capitalize the p in iPad, it doesn't think thanksgiving deserves the same treatment!

Holiday pajamas for babies (and other rambles)

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I made the mistake not putting Lizzy in her Halloween pajamas until Halloween actually rolled around. To be fair, I was afraid she might ruin her "costume" before the main event. She's adorable, but messy.

She's going to start wearing holiday pajamas now to avoid that problem :) These are a few favorites I've got my eye on at the moment, but in reality, I'll probably hit up TJMaxx and Once Upon a Child for some cute options...in size 12-18 months because she is still a giantess.

It's way too early, I know, but I am so excited for the holiday season this year. Part of this is because I feel like I've really hit my stride in the last few weeks with working, playing with Lizzy, sleeping (knock on wood over and over and over), and just generally enjoying life together. 

I don't want to make it to sound like things were going badly before by any means. Peter and I have seriously been on cloud nine since Lizzy arrived six months ago. But going back to work was so hard for me (even though Lizzy thrived at daycare from the beginning), and I feel like it's taken this long to wrap my head around it. 

I still have waves of missing her during the week, but she's becoming so much more of a person these days - someone who is such a delight to be around - that I feel like our mornings and evenings and weekends are full of quality, fun time. She totally knows who Peter and I are now, and lights up when she sees us. She plays with toys, eats dinner, loves dancing and being tickling, and plays peek-a-boo. (I'm getting dangerously close to one of those monthly update letters that are only interesting to grandparents. Sorry!)

All this is just to say that I can't wait to decorate the house and show her all the lights and the tree and the songs and, in the evenings, when she's all cleaned up after lounging around in the bath and smells so heavenly, I'm going to zip her up into some holiday themed pajamas. 

And I'm really looking forward to it.