Zain’s PJ’s: Burt’s Bees (they run really small, he’s wearing 9-12 months) | Zain’s Hat: H&M | Teether: The Tot | Play mat: Target | Tree: Target | Stocking: Pottery Barn Kids

With the holidays quickly approaching, we thought it would be the perfect time for another installment of our motherhood series with Kelly and Emily. This topic was one Kelly had suggested but ironically something Trevor and I had been talking about a lot recently. 

Whether you have kids or not I think there is a weird transition from keeping up with your grandparents, parents, aunts or uncles traditions and when you feel like you want to start your own. For us, we’ve always left our home and traveled to our parents houses for the holidays. Generally, Thanksgiving at my parents and Christmas at Trevor’s. Now that we have Zain, we have talked about starting our own traditions with him in our own home. 

We’re not entirely sure about how to navigate those waters or how and when we should start to make that transition. A big part of it now is that our place is so small there wouldn’t be room for anyone else besides us. I think once we move into a home it will be easier to host at our house and invite everyone over but for now we’re in the middle. 

How and when and did you start your own family traditions? Do you still travel to see family? 

As far as traditions in general go, the list is extensive (I love the holidays!):

Picking Out A Tree

if our allergies ever allow for it, I would love to go pick out a real Christmas tree together as a family and attempt to lug it home. The idea of making our way to the Christmas Tree lot and then grabbing hot cocoa and walking home with it sounds amazing. I’m thinking once we have a little more space and less annoying stairs to travel up Trevor will be more into this idea. Fingers crossed. 

Lincoln Park Zoo Lights

We intended to do this last year when I was pregnant because I just wanted to see everything myself! Now that Zain is along we are hoping to go next week when Trevor has a random day off. The lights are seriously magical and the whole space is completely transformed! 

Baking Cookies

This isn’t something we ever did at home during the holidays but something I always wanted to. I have been perfecting my cookie recipe over the years and hope to bake every year with him and then spend the morning decorating the cookies and leaving some aside to set out for Santa. 

25 Days of Books

Zain is so into books and I want him to stay that way. I have seen really cool ways of giving your child a new book each day till Christmas and hope to start that next year. He’s not exactly old enough to realize what a ‘gift’ is just yet and we haven’t really planned on getting him anything. I have been seasonally buying him books around each holiday and he’s loved that but I think the giving calendar would be really cool! Also, if you are looking for a good Christmas book he loves the Little Blue Truck’s Christmas!

Mimosas and Presents

I can’t wait for Zain to wake up on Christmas morning in our house and be able to come downstairs and open presents while Trevor and I have morning mimosas and I make a big brunch. Does that not sound amazing? There is something so nice about staying home and being in your own space and I look forward to those memories we make. 

What kind of traditions do you all keep up with?