Since starting our baby journey three years ago I have become obsessed with blogs. Mama blogs, baby blogs, blogs about mama’s and baby’s, blogs about baby photography, maternity clothing, making organic baby food, blogs about fertility, adoption..you get the point. The noise of information is overwhelming and at times confusing. Although I feel very prepared in a lot of departments nothing can prepare you for having a baby. One of my favourite websites is offbeatmama.com. That website has opened my eyes in so many ways to families existing perfectly in so many shapes and forms. Although our family will be non-traditional in the eyes of others, I grew up in a very normal mom-dad-kids family setting. Offbeatmama.com is so great for putting to light things that you don’t normally see on the regular mom blogs, and has really helped me believe there is no normal.  When we had our evaluation with a psychiatrist before starting our initial inseminations, she asked if we had thought about questions raised about mine and Venessa’s relationship. If we had considered ways of dealing with bullying and other parents questioning our choices.  Truth is I have never thought of us as being different in the first place and I don’t understand why anyone would? Our family is going to be awesome because our baby is so wanted and will be so loved, that is all. 

Our Christmas(es)

Christmas

This will be my 6th or 7th Christmas away from my family and even though I have plenty of family here with Venessa and her parents and friends and the dogs, it's never quite the same. Waking up on Christmas morning in your childhood bed with a stocking hanging on the door with a big chocolate Santa and maybe some new Christmas socks. Walking down the stars to a kitchen table full of yummy breakfast food, candles in the window, the Christmas tree lit in the living room filling the house with that magical scent of the best day of the year. Knowing you have the whole day ahead of you to spend with extended family, aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents, lively chatter over the beautifully decorated dining room table. Grandpa's playing the accordion and everybody sings the old, traditional Christmas songs. Watching your family laugh, cheeks rosy from dancing and one too many Christmas beers.

This is happening right now back home in Sweden. Nine hours ahead. I try not to be sad about it but truth is every single Christmas I shed a few tears, it will never get easier to be away from my family on Christmas. But I have my own traditions to uphold and bring to light now. Venessa had to work this morning but she brought me coffee in bed and I got to open one present. I'm going to get up and do some last minute baking, take my dogs for a long walk and then come home and skype with my family. Later we are celebrating a fully traditional Swedish Christmas, I can't wait!

We were talking last night about the traditions we will have with our kids and how important it is to really make the special times special. I'm so excited to have some little ones to spoil and create some magic around Christmas time. I think having these memories from my childhood is the best gift every year.