I just had to post something today because I am on a role with my posting all week on this blog.

I can definitely tell that the 2nd trimester energy is gone… and I am getting the 3rd trimester exhaustion. I just finished Week 27. I have not been doing as much to physically prepare for this baby and I completely echo Jill from Baby Rabies post about preparing for the second birth. Check out her post, the comments were very encouraging to me!

I am disliking Christmas less this year so far. Maybe because we have decided not to travel on Christmas Day. I feel like things are much more do-able if we aren’t going to have to pack up to leave with a baby right after work the day before the holiday. We have actually put up the tree, even though the ornaments aren’t on it, and we have 2 advent calendars going! One is the PlayMobil advent calendar from last year…

and the other is one that my mother sent to us, the same one we used growing up! Little Sir is having fun picking out a plush ornament to velcro to the wreath each day.

Also, I have bought most of my Christmas presents already, and most of them online from smaller retailers. I only had to order from Amazon once. It was regrettable, but my husband is notoriously difficult to buy for, and I don’t have the time to go around to various stores trying to find the specific things that he wants.

Have you heard the latest info on the TSA scans and women who use washable/reusable menstrual pads? It started out with a lady wearing a GladRags brand washable pad who was stopped, and this week LunaPads also posted on their blog with their suggestions. I am still thinking of using Lunapads after I have this baby, so this is good information to have.

This is random, but I am excited because we have managed to stay within our budget for the 3rd month in a row! Even with the additional costs of preparing for the new baby and Little Sir’s 1 year photos this month! We still go over in the “grocery” category, but I make up for it by spending less in other areas. I am just going to accept the fact that quality food is important to us, and that we feel right about making sure we are getting our food from safe, organic sources whenever possible.

I am trying very hard to keep the pregnancy- and baby-preparation related postings out of this blog unless they cover a larger issue (such as natural childbirth, which is a conscious choice), because this is not a mommy blog. That’s what the family blog is for. But let me know if you do want to hear more.

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Well that’s all for this week, be sure to visit Conversion Diary for links to more 7 Quick Takes Fridays.