My favorite time of the year.

I love the Christmas season. For me Christmas is about quality family time. I look forward to it every year because my parents, Josh and I take a few days off work and Laura has a few weeks off school so those few days are the ultimate stress-free, just take time for each other, quality family time. Sadly it doesn't happen much more than once a year, so I cherish Christmas for that reason :)

I cannot believe that James will be here next Christmas. Not only will he be here, but he will be 8 months old already! There is nothing like Christmas morning through the eyes of a child ... but more than that, you're own child. I know that he wont quite understand the whole Santa thing and all, but at 8 months we can still get him some cool stuff, where as if he were younger, toys wouldn't really come into the equation until the following year.

The plan is to have Christmas at our apartment next year and have everyone come down (my parents and sister as well as Josh's mom and hopefully his sister too). It will be fun to decorate our own place and plan dinner in our own kitchen. I, myself, have never hosted Christmas or anything more than a BBQ ... so it will be a whole new experience. And I must be honest, it makes me feel quite grown up, not to mention excited  :)

One of the coolest James related things that happened this past weekend was that everyone finally got to feel and SEE him move  :)  One of the days he was very active almost all day long. I have also noticed the sensations are changing. They are no longer just kicks. I can feel him rolling and stretching. So the movements are slower and can sometimes move from end of my stomach to the other. It sometimes also feels like he is poking me. I love it! The only thing I could do without is the nub of a belly button hahaha. Or as Josh calls it, my nubbin ... its not attractive! Good thing it's not bathing suit season lol.

So over all it was a wonderful weekend, though it is always nice to be back home. Roll on 2012 ... I love even numbers AND it is the year my son will be born.



Dec 27, 2011 (24 weeks). --- My love and I at Dargans in Santa Barbara for my dad's birthday :)