Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money but we had something even more valuable. We had a lot of love and that’s what I want to pass on to my daughter this Christmas season. She’s now at the age where she is aware of the holidays and instead of focusing on the many gifts she will undoubtedly receive, I want her to remember all the special moments that we shared as a family. Moments filled with love and magic.
The Gift Of Not Giving A Thing
Right now, my daughter’s world is truly magical. It’s full of good people, bright colours, and fun times. She sees the good in the world even on the worst days and even when I’m unable to. She has no concept of evil or suffering or sadness. People don’t hurt one another. There are no bullies yet and no one makes fun of you for not having the latest toy or not speaking with the right accent. There are no boundaries that divide us in her world.
One day, she will get older and come to see things differently but for right now, I want to keep this magic alive as long as possible. The holiday season is a great reminder of what’s really important. It’s not the things that are important but the people you share them with. Looking back I don’t remember the many toys that I’m sure were on my list as a child but I do remember the memories made with my family. We didn’t have elaborate holiday decorations so instead, we spent time together threading popcorn to hang from our tree. Hours spent together, laughing and just enjoying the holiday spirit. That stands out much more than any toy I ever received.
Somewhere along the way as we grow up, we forget what really matters. We start to care more about what we receive under the tree than the time spent around it. Time spent in each other’s company having fun together. My daughter doesn’t need another toy in her already overflowing toy box, she would much rather mommy and daddy just spend time playing with her. Maybe even have another tea party or dance our own version of Gangnam style. As far as she’s concerned, love and imagination are all you need in life. The truth is, she’s not all that wrong but we adults tend to overlook that. It takes children to really bring the meaning of Christmas back to life.
Thinking back, the best Christmas memories for me are the ones where we were all together and really present in the moment. Baking our favourite holiday treats without worrying about calorie intake, watching classic Christmas movies with my cousins, playing board games long into the early mornings. That’s what I want for my daughter this holiday season. A little bit of that Christmas magic that will create cherished memories to last a lifetime.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Look around you, everything and everyone is festive and jolly and joyous. Or I should say, almost everyone. I’m in my last trimester and I’m sorta wavering on that joyous part. Right now, I’m just feeling uncomfortable and more like a turtle that gets stuck on its back every so often. Not so bad that it’s not manageable but not so fun either.
That’s why I figure I need to do something to get me more into the Christmas spirit. A little something just for me and other pregnant mommies-to-be. I wager most of us have already started on our Christmas shopping lists. We need to buy for husbands and partners, children, parents, mailmen, teachers, and basically everyone else we’ve ever communicated with for more than five minutes. I am willing to bet money on the fact that the majority of us have braved the already massive crowds at the mall to get cracking on the endless list of gifts we need to buy other people.
Don't Waste Your Money Buying These 5 Baby Products
Well, stop the madness! I’ve created a list of the top six gifts (because five is so five minutes ago) just for pregnant women! Just for us! It’s okay to take some time to be selfish for a minute and think of which gifts you’d like under your Christmas tree. It might even make you momentarily forget that turtle feeling!
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There's my list of the best presents for pregnant women. What's on yours?
I desperately need a new diaper bag. And not just any diaper bag, but the most practical diaper bag ever made. I know this sounds trivial and ridiculous, but it has become a dire necessity and I’m sure other mommies would agree with me. I refuse to have a newborn without this very crucial item in my possession. It just won’t be done.
I tried vainly to fight it with my first born. I refused to be a diaper bag carrying mom. I’m not really sure why, other than I thought carrying a matronly diaper bag was right up there with driving a mini-van. I was clearly naïve and ridiculous. Now, I’ve smartened up. I now know that mini-vans are cool, and so are their accessory counterparts—ultra big and durable diaper bags. It’s the new cool, just like the forties are the new twenties, and the thirties are the new teens. It’s not just me saying this—read People magazine sometime and you’ll see that they say the same thing, so that’s like the best verification of "cool" possible.
When I became pregnant for the first time, I spent hours trying to find a cute handbag that would do double duty as a stylish diaper bag, without actually being a diaper bag. It would be big, but not too big. Soft leather, but not get ruined easily. Functional enough to lug baby bottles in, while being fashionable enough to carry on date nights. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! I might as well have been searching for a modern day, fire-breathing dragon, because the end result would have been the same. Neither of them really exists.
This time around, I’ve embraced the whole mommy package. This package comes with a lightweight, easy to clean, and humongous diaper bag. Like the bigger the better sort of diaper bag. Big enough for bottles, clothes, diapers, wipes, toys, snacks, and the kitchen sink, if I’m so inclined. Light enough that I can carry it along with my super heavy car seat. On a side note, why do they make car seats so freaking heavy? Men have got to be the ones making these things. Women know we have other things to carry, like, umm, babies and their piles of stuff.
Anyway, I need a diaper bag that will make all my troubles disappear, is what I’m really saying. The kind that will make me smile, even as I’m sleep-deprived and covered in baby spit-up. A diaper bag that I can look at, even on my worst days, and think, “Man, I got this so right.” And if you’re thinking that I’m projecting way more onto this diaper bag than is even remotely normal, my answer is: maybe. Maybe you’re right and I should stop to reflect on that. Unfortunately, I’m too busy searching for the most perfect diaper bag ever invented, and when I find it, you’ll see, it’s going to change my world (right?).
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