December has arrived

The last week has gone by really quickly. Today was our due date but I've always been betting on the 6th or around there- so this weekend hopefully.

We've been getting into the christmas spirit. Steve and I had our annual debate about when christmas decorating should begin and I caved in early this year. I reasoned that at least a week will be written off with having a baby and a short babymoon so it's really more like December the 8th today. Even so that's still too early for a tree for me but, well, we've been to a couple of christmas craft markets and Steve is like a little boy when it comes to getting ready for Christmas! So our tree is up, the lights are up and I've done another tree of sorts made of birch branches from the back garden.

We went to a community christmas fair on Saturday with some friends. We saw a couple of people we know performing on stage, ate chili and various sweet things, Brendan saw Santa and played with lots of other kids and we bought a handmade woollen baby blanket to support a local artisan (I couldn't resist the colours!)

On Sunday we went to "Christmas in the village" at Gagetown Village- a small village on the Saint John River where lots of artists and artisans live and work. All the studios, galleries, shops, churches and some people's houses were open to the public. It was alright but as always it was all about shopping and spending money. The other things like wagon rides and a puppet show were on Saturday only so we missed them.

Talking of shopping, it is crazy in town already. I don't know how the shops sell so much "stuff" in such a small city. And plastic, plastic, everywhere... Mind you, I remember the first bin day after Christmas last year- all that packaging blowing about in the wind. We like the idea of working towards a greener christmas every year. This year our efforts are mainly around making presents- and not wrapping them in paper. Steve is making a few wooden things and I'm still going with the sewing machine.
Just took this photo of Steve in the garage. He's making a tool box for Brendan to hold the toy tools I picked up in a charity shop the other day. It will be one of his main christmas presents- we'll see the finished product later :)

Anyway, time to get the wee man to bed. We'll keep you posted on the baby front.