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December 23, 2019

Christmas 2019: Plans, Presents, and Prosecco

OBVIOUSLY Prosecco.

Since I couldn’t celebrate with some bubbly last year, I have big plans to make up for it this year! It’s our first Christmas with our son and I couldn’t be more excited to watch him experience the magical holiday! Although he won’t really know what’s going on, we’re having a hard time controlling ourselves and already have a few gifts for him under the tree. However, we are very selective about what toys we purchase for him. Besides the fact that we live in the city and don’t have a ton of space, we don’t want him to grow up drowning in “stuff”, so it’s important that the toys he does have are things we know that’ll last a while and ideally, have some learning component. Of course, we still have the obnoxious singing toys that can make a parent go crazy but keep him busy when he’s over being in his car seat, but we’re making a conscious effort to think before we purchase his toys, especially since he’s too young to ask for anything. (We’ll see how long this lasts!) This year outside of buying practical things he needs like clothing and new bibs, we purchased this Radio Flyer Walker Wagon that we’ll keep in his play area. Jude loves walking while holding onto things, so we’re hoping this helps him cruise around. It also functions as a toy holder, which is perfect for the small room! My best friend also brought this book to my attention, “Olive, the Other Reindeer” which is absolutely perfect. The dog even looks like our dog Olive!

We’ll be spending Christmas here in Chicago with my family in town. Outside of last year, we’ve spent many holidays in Florida and Los Angeles, so it’s nice to host our first Christmas in our new Chicago home. Not only do we have more space, but this year we were able to get a bigger tree and decorate a bit more. I’ve always been on team “Wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate” but this year I couldn’t control myself. I decorated before Thanksgiving and I have to say, I’ve completely come to the dark side and plan on doing so every year. I understand some people don’t like to rush the holidays, but for me, it just extends this exciting time longer. Not to mention putting up a tree and decorating is a lot of work (do you know how many times I’ve cursed the needles on my floor?) so I might as well enjoy it longer. I am also very excited about lighting the candles for Hanukah. We have a beautiful menorah gifted to us from friends when we were engaged, and I’m so happy we have a proper place for it this year. Now here’s to hoping for a white Christmas!

I also really love our holiday card this year and so excited it’s our first as a family of three! I always opt for those with a New Year’s message because being a procrastinator, it gives me a little more time to get them out. Shockingly this year they made it out before the 25th. It’s a Christmas miracle.

I’ve talked about this decision before, but when I got married I kept my last name. The only time it gets a little tricky is when writing our address on envelopes or sending holiday cards since there usually isn’t enough room for both of our last names. I do not mind at all when someone calls me by my husband’s last name (it actually makes me smile… I always say that one day, I may change my mind and take it!), but currently, that’s not what I go by. Usually, on holiday cards I just use our first names but since this year’s card had a smaller space, I used our “nickname” that many of our friends coined for her (and was our wedding hashtag!) It’s honestly another Christmas miracle that we got Jude to look at the camera. It was an hour past his naptime and he was winding down quickly. I now understand the struggle parents go through with holiday cards.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and magical holiday… with lots of Prosecco!

Filed Under: Lifestyle

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FOLLOW ALONG @jillbadlotto
These two sure do love their trains and trucks. Sh These two sure do love their trains and trucks. Sharing with each other is a different story but… we’re getting there. 😂🚂 🛻 Watching the two of them interact together has been so much fun. From brushing teeth together to wearing the same clothes, Jude has been asking for Heath to be a part of everything he does and it makes me so happy. #heyheathjoseph #heyjudeharrison #thebadbergboys #childhoodunplugged #babyboy #toddlerlife #letthembelittle #boymom #brothers
Name a better day drinking spot. 🍹 There is not Name a better day drinking spot. 🍹 There is nothing like the magic of a summer in Chicago. ☀️ #chicago #summertime #summertimechi #chicagoblogger #fromwhereistand
There’s nothing better than seeing your kids bon There’s nothing better than seeing your kids bond with the kids of the friends you grew up with. ❤️ Always up for anything, Diana was the first friend to visit me when I moved to Chicago 2 months later. We walked the city up and down, ended up at secret bars, and even had a karaoke session to Mungo Jerry on the redline. It was only fitting that as G and I check off things on our Chicago summer bucket list (more on that later) we visit my favorite tourist attraction together with our families (that’s @dpvarroney and @gary.rosenberg far in the back doing their best dad stances! ❤️) Swipe for a throwback from her first visit, taken with a digital camera. 📷 #chicago #summertimechi #motherhoodunplugged #darlingweekend
Favorite bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received. Favorite bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received. (Swipe for my adorable delivery man 🌸 ) #heyjudeharrison #saturdays #toddlerlife #childhoodunplugged #motherhoodthroughinstagram #chicagomom
We’re a little late on taking our 9 month photos We’re a little late on taking our 9 month photos (and we may have missed month 8 🤦🏻‍♀️) but there was no way we were letting this one go by, since this has been our favorite month yet! Heath is officially crawling everywhere and he is FAST. Though he’s still the chillest baby we’ve ever met, that doesn’t mean you can keep your eyes off of him. Once he sees something he wants, he’s determined to get it. He loves to mimic his brother’s sounds and movements (and play with alllll his toys 🤪) and thinks clapping his hands is the funnest thing in the world. 👏🏻 He looooooves to chat and say mama, munch on broccoli, drink water out of his big boy cups, and play in the grass. We’re loving these summer days with you, our little guy! ❤️ #heyheathjoseph #9monthsold #babyboy #childhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising
Sometimes the blurry photos are my favorite. ❤️ #thebadbergboys #motherhoodunplugged #letthembelittle #blackandwhite #boymom #childhoodunplugged
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FOLLOW ALONG! @JILLBADLOTTO

These two sure do love their trains and trucks. Sh These two sure do love their trains and trucks. Sharing with each other is a different story but… we’re getting there. 😂🚂 🛻 Watching the two of them interact together has been so much fun. From brushing teeth together to wearing the same clothes, Jude has been asking for Heath to be a part of everything he does and it makes me so happy. #heyheathjoseph #heyjudeharrison #thebadbergboys #childhoodunplugged #babyboy #toddlerlife #letthembelittle #boymom #brothers
Name a better day drinking spot. 🍹 There is not Name a better day drinking spot. 🍹 There is nothing like the magic of a summer in Chicago. ☀️ #chicago #summertime #summertimechi #chicagoblogger #fromwhereistand
There’s nothing better than seeing your kids bon There’s nothing better than seeing your kids bond with the kids of the friends you grew up with. ❤️ Always up for anything, Diana was the first friend to visit me when I moved to Chicago 2 months later. We walked the city up and down, ended up at secret bars, and even had a karaoke session to Mungo Jerry on the redline. It was only fitting that as G and I check off things on our Chicago summer bucket list (more on that later) we visit my favorite tourist attraction together with our families (that’s @dpvarroney and @gary.rosenberg far in the back doing their best dad stances! ❤️) Swipe for a throwback from her first visit, taken with a digital camera. 📷 #chicago #summertimechi #motherhoodunplugged #darlingweekend
Favorite bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received. Favorite bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received. (Swipe for my adorable delivery man 🌸 ) #heyjudeharrison #saturdays #toddlerlife #childhoodunplugged #motherhoodthroughinstagram #chicagomom
We’re a little late on taking our 9 month photos We’re a little late on taking our 9 month photos (and we may have missed month 8 🤦🏻‍♀️) but there was no way we were letting this one go by, since this has been our favorite month yet! Heath is officially crawling everywhere and he is FAST. Though he’s still the chillest baby we’ve ever met, that doesn’t mean you can keep your eyes off of him. Once he sees something he wants, he’s determined to get it. He loves to mimic his brother’s sounds and movements (and play with alllll his toys 🤪) and thinks clapping his hands is the funnest thing in the world. 👏🏻 He looooooves to chat and say mama, munch on broccoli, drink water out of his big boy cups, and play in the grass. We’re loving these summer days with you, our little guy! ❤️ #heyheathjoseph #9monthsold #babyboy #childhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising
Sometimes the blurry photos are my favorite. ❤️ #thebadbergboys #motherhoodunplugged #letthembelittle #blackandwhite #boymom #childhoodunplugged
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