This Year/Last Year Pt. I

Prepare yourself for a lot of this year/last year posts.  So much has changed in a year, and it is so apparent in our photos.  Last year, I was at the uncomfortable stage in my pregnancy.  I would have a month and a half left, but looked very ready to go.  We picked up our tree today, but before I get into that, here is a photo from last year and then a similar shot from today.

I never realize how ridiculous I look while holding him until I see photos.  He's so big and I'm so small!

We finished up our Christmas shopping for Eliot today.  He is getting a few toys and then his whole twelve-month wardrobe.  I feel kind of bad that I'm not showering him with endless things that he wants, but the kid can't say what he wants.  And I know he doesn't need a house full of toys, just enough to explore and learn from.  While at the store, Chris showed Eliot a bouncy ball.  He thought it was hilarious, so we picked it up for him.  It's the simplest things that amaze him.

From there, we stopped by the local nursery to pick out our tree.  Last year in my journal to Eliot, I wrote about how I'd let him pick out the tree and that I was sure he'd select the best one.  He didn't exactly make it clear which one he wanted, but he thought it was so funny to poke them and laugh.

I'm not quite done with the Christmas decorations, but we're getting there.  We hung our new stockings and decorated the mantle while sipping egg nog and listening to Bob Dylan's Christmas record over the weekend with Elizabeth.  We also put up more lights outside, and I made it my personal vendetta to whip our Japanese maple tree into sparkling submission.  I have climbed that thing with lights in hand to hog tie it three times now and I think I am finally at peace with its glimmer.  We just need to hang the wreaths and put the candles in the windows, so expect some this year/last year photos of the house in the next couple of days.  It looks very different, and the new paint color is perfect for Christmas.