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Christmas // 2015

We hosted an eerily warm Christmas in Vermont with my parents and sister. It was a low-key affair with good food, good company, and good cheer. Here’s a look at the highlights.

Sunny began the celebrations with a yarn maze for Momar, Doda and Auntie Kimmy around the house while Kaki wore every possible layer of red she could find. The girls donned their winter Whale PJs from Auntie Kimmy and posed with their custom stockings from James’ mother and their favorite ornaments before leaving out milk and cookies for Santa. On Christmas Day, we ate fresh Kardemummabullar (Swedish Cardamom Rolls that James made to much success), and opened presents (Momar won Christmas with her array of dress up clothes and accessories for the girls), and went on long hikes (hello, 65 degrees!), and set fancy tables, and cooked our signature Boeuf Bourguignon for Christmas dinner. Christmas with young children is such an unbelievable joy. You don’t need much fanfare to have it feel incredibly special and meaningful.

^^Big hugs between the sisters after they exchanged their presents for one another. *heartmelt*^^

Week 30

I was feeling super self-conscious about my lack of maternity bathing suits and thus my selection of ill-fitting attire for this trip to South Carolina. I put this one on and immediately started bemoaning the stretch marks, and outie belly button, and saggy boobs when James stopped me mid-pity party: “That body is going to bring a human being into the world in 10 weeks. You should feel proud and awed by how badass that is.”

Touché feminist spouse. Keeping shit in perspective and reminding me of what I want my daughters and all women to feel about their bodies, in all of their many shapes, sizes, and stages.

Appropriate that Courtland (age 4) nabbed this image on my phone as we were getting ready to head out to the pool. She was once again the mirror that I needed.