Traditions:

I've been nostalgic all my life so naturally, we're big on traditions in our house. The holiday season is when most of our traditions take place. I have such warm memories of my childhood Christmases and I want to focus on making my family's memories just as wonderful. So, we've continued some of my childhood traditions and created some of our own. My favorite? Having a picnic dinner in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve in our pajamas and playing a new board game. 

I've been on the hunt for this year's board game for a while and I'm down to three different options, all equally great but different:

Quirkle ($23) looks fun and easy to play. It seems similar to Rummikub (a game we already know and love) and would be a good game for adults and children to play together. I also think it can get a little cutthroat, depending on who you're playing with, which is always fun. 

Diplomacy ($28) looks like it would be a lot of fun to play but it's one of those games that takes a whole day to play so everyone has to be into it and clear their schedules. Sort of a commitment. And I don't think this game would appeal to small children. Bonus: I just found out you can play it online for free here!

Pandemic ($31) is definitely one that I want to try. It's a co-operative game so instead of working to screw over the other players, you work together. I find that refreshing after games like Monopoly (which I'm not allowed to play anymore due to the fights that ensue). The whole point of the game is to contain and cure diseases before they take over the world. Seems a little weird and well, medical, but also unique and fun. Like diplomacy though, I think this is a game for adults so kids might get bored with this one.

Happy weekend:

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Happy Friday! Hooray for the weekend! This week has been so stressful, I'm very glad to see it end.

What are you doing with your weekend? Any fun plans? We will be taking M to see Santa for the first time and I have a Christmas party to attend. Andrew has some work to finish and I have a few sewing projects to wrap up. Other than that, we are looking forward to relaxing and maybe sneaking in a nap or two.

Hope your weekend is great! XO!

Starting solids:

Now that little M is 6 months old (can you believe it!?!), we are preparing to start solid foods. Per our pediatrician's recommendation, we decided to watch for his cues to determine when he is ready to start. Lately, he has been waking up more frequently to eat during the night, watching us closely as we eat and drink, and trying to grab everything as it makes it's way to our mouths. So, the time has come. And as much as we are excited to help introduce him to the world of delicious food, I'm a little nervous about what this means for our diaper-washing routine and daily schedule. I felt like we were just settling into a really good routine and now things are changing. I guess that's the nature of children and parenting in general, though. Blink and everything changes.

Anyway, we have been on the hunt for the perfect high chair for a while now. We really wanted something that fit our lifestyle. Our criteria was:

1. Made of wood (even better if it's sustainably sourced).
2. Doesn't look like a clunky, plastic high chair (no bright or pastel colors, baby animals, or weird patterns -- we try to keep things that are very "fisher-price" to a minimum in our home).
3. Slim, with a sleek profile since we are a little short on space in the kitchen/dining area.
4. Has the possibility to alter and grow with our child (we don't mind paying more for an investment piece that we will use for multiple children and beyond).

If you know me at all, then you know I spent countless hours researching, reading reviews, and crunching numbers. In the end, we decided on the Tripp Trapp by Stokke.

It's made of solid wood, has a sleek, modern look, and can adjust to accommodate a 6-month-old infant up to a 300 lb. adult. The reviews were nothing but stellar and many people have had theirs for years. One woman bought hers in the 70's and used it for all her children and now her grandchildren are using it. 

We decided to go with red because we love the bright pop of color it adds to the somewhat neutral color palette of our home. We also picked up the matching baby set which is designed to be used for younger babies until they can sit unassisted. 

The cost of the chair was $318 (with the baby set) and at first I was hesitant because it seemed like a lot for a high chair but then, like every other big purchase we make, I broke it down. Since it's designed to grow with the child, let's say M uses it every day for the next five years. That's 1,825 days. When you divide the price of the chair by the number of days he'll be using it, it's only 17 cents per day. And if he ends up using it for longer or if we use it for any additional children down the road, it's even more cost-efficient. 

We also recently purchased a diaper sprayer to add to our arsenal because with solid food comes a whole lot of extra. Nothing looking forward to that. Cloth diapering is about to get a little messier.

Now that we're armed with these new weapons, we're ready to take on the world of food. We've read up on the nutritional benefits of each fruit and vegetable, we have all our baby-food-making supplies, and we're ready for the challenge.

Christmas 2014:

It's that time of year again -- time to share what I'm wishing for this year. My mom complained that my list is too random. Well, that's me. My interests are varied. So, here we go. My picks for 2014:

1. Madewell's sidewalk skimmer in leopard ($118) -- my current leopard flats have officially died so I am in the market for new ones. I love the almost pointed toe of these.
2. Immersion blender ($40) -- we make a lot of soups during the cold winter months so we really need an immersion blender to make them smooth and creamy. Transferring to a blender is getting old.
3. Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook ($23) -- these are all the recipes for the delicious baked goods at the Momofuku Milk Bar. I've never actually been there but have you seen these recipes? They look bonkers.
4. Growing Up Sew Liberated ($17) -- I recently checked this out from the library and fell in love with it. It's filled with fun, creative patterns that I can't wait to make.
5. 30 Rock season 7 ($26) -- No surprise that I'm in love with 30 Rock and Tina Fey. This is one of the only seasons I am lacking.
6. Phillips Sonicare Airfloss ($70) -- I'm terrible at remembering to floss and after conversing with my dentist about it, I really want to try the airfloss. Anything to make the everyday mundane easier, right?
7. Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens ($197) -- I am dying for a new lens for my DSLR. This one will do nicely, I think.

There are a few more items on my list. Click here to check them out. Happy gifting!

Happy weekend:

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Happy Friday, friends! What are you doing this weekend? Anything fun? I'm hanging out with some friends tonight and we have plans to work in the yard tomorrow and get our Christmas lights up. The forecast looks iffy though so let's hope it holds off long enough to get everything done.

Here's what's been going on in our universe lately:

1. We drove to Indiana and back this past weekend for Thanksgiving with family. M did so good for the 10 hour (each way) drive. We got to introduce M to his great-grandparents (my grandparents) while we were there. It was so great!
2. Andrew has been killing it in the freelance department. He is getting work left and right. So proud of him!
3. Our washing machine is finally back up and running. So excited about all the laundry I get to do (not a joke).
4. I tested the dairy waters over the Thanksgiving break and so far, things are looking good. M doesn't seem to be having an issue. We celebrated this week with ice cream and cheese pizza!
5. One of my oldest and dearest friends is in town and I've gotten to see a lot of her this week. Having her home is always a good time.

Have a great weekend! XO!

New reads:

This week, I'm reading Great with Child: Letters to a Young Mother by Beth Ann Fennelly.

It's a book of letters sent from one friend to another, giving advice on motherhood and life. I have found them greatly moving, funny, and comforting. I have found motherhood to be isolating at time and when I read this book, I don't feel so alone. It feels like hanging out and chatting with two lovely friends.

Whether you're a new mom (or dad) or not, I definitely recommend this sweet little book.

Stockings:

Happy December, everyone!

Now that Thanksgiving is over and done with, I can turn my attention to Christmas. This Christmas is going to be extra special because not only is it the first in our new home, it's our first as parents. I am looking forward to sharing M's first Christmas and making sure it's extra special.

So, in order to usher in the Christmas spirit, last week I ordered fabric to make our new stockings.

I love collecting and hoarding new fabrics so I had so much fun with this step of the project. I plan on making each stocking quilted with a white cuff. And I'll embroider each family member's name onto the cuff of their stocking. 

I am so excited to get started on these. And even more excited to see them hanging, year after year, on our mantel.