A new car for Christmas

A review car that is – hehe!

Haven’t really sat down to blog, or even instagram for that matter for what seems like weeks. I am really waiting for that nesting phase to it, but I also hear that it doesn’t come for everyone. Knowing my luck I won’t have it. All I do is sleep these days, it’s unreal! Sleep at night, fine – cool, but during the day I’ve been taking up to two naps. It’s crazy! I feel like I can’t get anything done.

Toyota loaned us the Rav 4 Hybrid over Christmas vacation. And let me tell ya, the higher the seat when pregnant, the better. At least, for me at this stage in the game. Getting in and out of my own personal car is difficult these days and I have to use the handle on the interior roof of the car to get in/out. It’s so strange to me, and I feel like I’m in someone else’s body (since I can’t do the things I normally can). Weird, hey?

We made a few trips to Ikea with the Toyota Rav 4, and even went to Costco to get a membership, so gallivantin’ about was our game-plan that whole Christmas week. And you know Alfie, as always, is the first lil’ dude in the car once it gets delivered. It’s a right of passage, and no one else can sit in it first, but him. The Ikea Haul + me 33/34 weeks preg:

It was our first Christmas being spent away from Newfoundland, Canada. So I tried to make it as special as possible, with some of the traditions I grew up with. Snack plates on Christmas Eve with a fireplace set and ready to go…. on the TV this time instead of the real deal. It was grand though! We had a time. Are you diggin’ the size of my huge slippers? They’re the best, we got’em from Ikea!

Regarding Alfie’s health, we have some surprisingly great news once again. We had always tried to be as optimistic as possible, but in late October our sweet pup had been given ‘days’ to live. Turns out the treatment is working better on him than we all thought possible, and his little intestinal tumors has shrunken down twice, since! The first time they shrunk, we were told he’s in partial remission.

Since he still continues to have treatment, I guess you can say he’s still in partial remission. But it’s so great to have our little guy gaining weight again (he was down close to 50% of his body weight), and acting himself and gobbling up tons of his food.

So I knew he’d enjoy adventuring about and not feeling so under the weather, when we had the Rav 4 for the week. Zipped him up in his Canadian winter coat (that mimics a Santa suit if I do say so) and off for adventures we went.

Thanks for the fun vehicle for the week, Toyota! We definitely enjoyed the Rav 4 Hybrid and took full advantage of its size, and it definitely pooped Alfie out going on all those adventures. Look at him napping in my arrrrrmmmssss!!!!

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The Nursery Reveal

Ah, the nursery decorating process. How is that going, you may ask?

Well first of all, Alfie claimed the glider as his, ha!

It’s actually going quite well. I still have to pick up a few things before it’s finalized, and I have free reign to decorate it how I wish and to be quite frank I’m kinda leaning towards the gender neutral route. I didn’t want to buy anything unnecessary, like a change-table for instance, when I can simply use one of the dressers we have currently. For many months the nursery room became a storage room as we moved into our first home. When we moved in, it was of course bare bones. Even the closet was completely empty without a rod going across. Which is fine, it let us decide what we actually wanted to do with it. (Which is nothing at this point but putting in a shelving unit in — oops?).

I’ve been reaching out to a few companies I’ve been eyeing up the past few months ever since I found out I was pregnant, and I’m luckily many of them wanted to help me on this decorating journey with our little boy’s nursery.

Once we moved into our new home officially, we quickly put the largest dresser known to man-kind, which as I mentioned, will operate as a changing table that also holds a few baskets for I suppose what will soon-to-be diapers, wipes, and whatever else goes on a diaper change table. #NewMomStatus. The dresser is a hand-me-down from our friends Father who was living here in California but moved back to Canada.

We then put together the Serta Mid-Century 4-in-1 Convertible Crib in Bianca White with the Serta Perfect Balance™ Deluxe Firm Crib and Toddler Mattress to go inside.

Putting together the crib was all Scott’s handy-work. I love how bright the room feels. I’m pretty confident in saying it’s my favourite room in the house right now as it perhaps should be — in the coming months I’ll be spending a ton of time in there.

There’s a monochromatic and gender neutral palette throughout the room at the moment, which I think pulls it all together to add to the sophistication of the nursery. I don’t want it to look too childish, so I purposely kept everything soft in the room with greys, browns and whites. But I think I want to incorporate more blue-toned items in there somehow, we bought a crib sheet today in navy, while we were out – but I definitely want some more rich navy’s in there somewhere.

There you have it, our little baby’s nursery room in its glory, thus far.

Now, who wants to win the exact same DaVinci glider as featured in our nursery? Please note that the giveaway is open only to US Residents (sorry!).

Enter below to win this DaVinci Owen Glider + Ottoman!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

FURNITURE:

Mattress: Serta Perfect Balance™ Deluxe Firm Crib and Toddler Mattress | Crib: Serta Mid-Century 4-in-1 Convertible Crib
Area Rug: Lorena Canals Rugs | Dresser: Hand-me-down
Glider: DaVinci Owen Glider/Ottoman

ART & ACCESSORIES:

Art: The Animal Print Shop by Sharon Montrose | Polar Bear: Cuddle + Kind
Changing pad: Amazon | Baskets: Overstock | Baby Carrier: LilleBaby
Baby skincare: California Baby | Diaperbag: Homemade from my old co-worker back in Canada!
Blue + White knit blanket: Homemade knitted from my Great Aunt (ages ago)

 

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Making Christmas Magical in San Jose

I suppose it’s only appropriate I title making this Christmas a magical one, in Silicon Valley this year.

I keep reiterating this, but I feel the need to repeat it to get used to it actually happening. No snow, no Canada = a California Christmas. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be magical.

The husband, Alfie and I had a mini vacation last weekend and stayed at the fancy pants Fairmont San Jose hotel in the core of downtown San Jose, thanks to Team San Jose. Believe it or not there’s plenty of winter actives to be had, despite it being in Sunny California. Especially at night with Christmas In The Park going on now until January, 2018. We just so happen to go every year as there’s so much nightly entertainment while also enjoying those fun holiday themed refreshments. It’s a well-loved tradition for the locals, and for us now too. You don’t have to wait for sunset to go, though. Drop by Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park (S. Market Street, San Jose between San Carlos and San Fernando Streets) daily between 9:00am-Midnight to get your Christmas fill.

Our staycation evening started at Paesanos of Little Italy where we had supper. 

Can you believe — although I love pasta, I have not yet been to Little Italy, San Jose? Jeeze! Mistake on my part. Either way, I ate my entire meal (lol you proud of me?) even though baby spiffykerms doesn’t allow me to eat large meals anymore. It was too good I could not not finish it, you know? The place was bouncin’ too, by the time we ordered our meals, every single table was filled.

The fun didn’t stop with us stuffing our face with delicious Italian food and dessert; afterwards we went straight to the Nutcracker ballet, put off by San Jose Dance Theater. Incredible show, loved everything about it, but with the performance, we weren’t allowed to photograph it so instead I’m showing you what I wore to it. But it was my first Nutcracker and I’ve always wanted to see one during Christmas.

After the ballet we walked back to the hotel, with a stop at Christmas in the Park.

Alfie came with us, so he had a little taste of luxury staying at the Fairmont San Jose with us. We brought his crate since he loves it (seriously, he loves it) and would know something familiar from home — and he certainly made himself at home. Look at him trottin’ around the room. 

And the 11th floor room views were best kind. 

In the morning, we had a bit of brunch in the Fountain Restaurant, and some people finished the staycation off with ice skating under the Circle of Palms. How pretty right? California with an outdoor skate rink? Fantastic man. 

If you haven’t made it to downtown San Jose yet to see all the festivities, this weekend would be a great time to go too, considering they have a Craft Holiday Fair from 11:00am-6:00pm Saturday + Sunday. It’s located in South Hall at 435 South Market Street — it’s free, inside, and all the family can stroll through.

See? Tons goin’ on, and hey ya might even see me there!

Alfie, ownin’ it (like always).

If we can’t go home this Christmas, I’m glad we get to spend it and fill our hearts with holiday spirit with the Downtown San Jose attractions.

—————

31 weeks pregnant and wearing:
PinkBlush Peplum Maternity Top
Cuddl Duds leggings
Gym Bag from Tone It Up (circa 2014!)

PinkBlush velvet blazer (for the Ballet)
Red velvet sneakers

Team San Jose + Fairmont San Jose: Thank you for the lovely weekend staycation.

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