Trying To Not Be A Scrooge

Ugh. I usually *LOVE* Christmas. I'm the type that skips Black Friday and is decorating the house, inside and out, for the Christmas season. The house is decorated from the day after Thanksgiving until after the New Year. We do the outside, and all over the inside, including the bathroom. I really love doing this because Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. We didn't do much decorating other than a tree growing up, and when I moved out on my own, this was one holiday I knew I wanted to go all out for. And for the last 9 years or so, my husband and I have done this. Each year we get a little more, and expand our decor.

This year is different. Part of me feels bad because Penelope really "gets" Christmas this year, but I have no desire to go all out. I hesitate to say I don't have the Christmas spirit, but this year has been really tough in more ways than one, and most of me is just looking forward to getting through with 2008 and hoping for a better 2009. However, during one of P's naps last weekend, me and the hubs went outside and put up some lights. She was delighted. Then yesterday while she was out with the Grandparents, we put up our big blow-up snowman outside, put the tree up, and displayed our stockings. When she came home, she was very excited. So it was all worth it. But, I still have 3 tubs of stuff I normally put out that are going to stay packed away this year. I think another part to my ho-hum attitude is the fact that I'm 8 months pregnant and don't want to do anything right now! I'm totally focused on the countdown that has begun and I am so unprepared this time around. It's weird. Last time, I had nursery done way in advance, all baby clothes washed and put away, diapers stocked, bottles and formula stocked, etc. This time the crib is still disassembled, nothing is bought, and I'm starting to stress about it all, but here I sit blogging instead of getting prepared :) Go figure.

So, I guess I will stop being Scrooge, and just appreciate everything I have, and be thankful that I am where I am.