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Last Saturday, because my parents are awesome and watched Ellie for a few hours, Mike and I were able to enjoy a wonderful, much-needed date night. We saw a movie…first time in the theater in well over a year…and then partook in one of our favorite annual Chicago traditions: Restaurant Week. While we were happy to get big hugs from Eloise when we got home, it was so wonderful to enjoy uninterrupted adult conversation and amazing food. Maybe we can squeeze in one more date night before baby comes in 6 weeks (or less! EAK!).

*Prime and Provisions. We try to pick restaurants we haven’t yet tried each year for Restaurant Week. It’s such a fun way to be able to way over-order and try appetizers, entrees, and desserts at special restaurants. Prime and Provisions certainly didn’t disappoint. The atmosphere was beautiful and the food was amazing. An instant favorite.

*The Force Awakens. FINALLY got to see Star Wars! I can’t believe Mike and I were both able to avoid spoilers, but we did…and we were blown away by every aspect of this movie. We were transformed into little kids again, smiling through the whole thing, and left the theater wanting to watch it again. Like, immediately.

*A day at the museum. Another favorite Chicago tradition? Free days at the downtown museums. Mike, Eloise, and I enjoyed spending last Sunday wandering around the Field Museum, one of Ellie’s favorite places. Ellie and I hit the Adler Planetarium a few weeks ago, and are hoping to take advantage of the Shedd’s February free days, as well.

My all-time favorite Colonel Brandon quote is apropos today. First, as a tribute. Oh, Alan Rickman, RIP. Second, it’s my mantra for approximately the next 8 weeks as we wait for baby. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t started feeling like a ticking time bomb once again. Counting kicks, living in constant dread that things could take an unexpected, devastating turn. Yes, the littlest sister is seemingly doing well, and her situation is drastically different than Hannah’s. And, yes, that lessens the degree of anxiety we have. However…this stretch isn’t easy. Like it or not, the next several weeks will be choked with flashbacks from our last trimester with Hannah. When it all suddenly ended so close to when it was supposed to finally begin. There is no “safe zone” for us. There will be no breathing easy until she’s here, safe and healthy, in our arms. (Even then…let’s be real. We have fears that bury those of even nervous first time parents. It’s doubtful we will ever be able to fully relax about our kids again.) So, the name of the game? Distract myself into oblivion. Lucky for me, I have a lot to do in the next several weeks. A few more really fun photo sessions before I take a short maternity leave, school activities with Eloise, beginning to plan for a move to a bigger home later this year, and, of course, getting ready for baby. My nesting instinct is in full force as I reorganize our space to make room for the littlest one.  Planning for her, hoping with abandon, stretches our comfort zone. But it’s also reassuring, seeing the few little things we have been brave enough to buy for her all in the same place. It’s starting to get real, up in here!

*Box ’em up, ship ’em out! When I get nervous, I clean. Most times, I start picking up, putting away, wiping down, and organizing without even realizing what I am doing. I don’t love clutter, and every year, I enjoy a good purge of all of our unnecessary stuff. What better excuses are there to clean, purge and organize than a baby on the way and an impending move? At least my a-retentive tendencies are being well-cared for.

*The Littlest Sister’s room. The nursery has been transformed from Ellie’s old and Hannah’s would-have-been nursery into a room specific to this baby. It has been fun filling it with little things that we think she will like. To make it HERS.  It’s retail therapy at its finest.

*The healthiest Kindergartener on the block? I’m finding it hard to stay positive after yet another week when my little family has been pummeled by colds. We have battled winter colds on rotation every single week for the past several months, and I am starting to feel completely defeated. Just as soon as one of us is over the worst of our cough and congestion, another one starts with it. The thought of bringing a fragile newborn into this Petri dish we call home is enough to make me want to don rubber gloves and a face mask and constantly disinfect every surface imaginable. I’m so not a germaphobe, but I’m steadily turning into one. In the spirit of looking on the bright side (because that’s what this exercise is all about, right?)…they are just colds. Nothing serious. And, as one of my fellow Pre-K mommies said, “well, Eloise will be the healthiest Kindergartener ever, right?” One can only hope!

*Pampering. Courtesy of my awesome sister and brother-in-law, I enjoyed a relaxing morning at the spa, getting a pedicure, before I had to pick Eloise up from school the other day. It felt great to relax and do something for myself. Thanks, Becky and Adam!

We had a lovely, relaxing holiday here in Chicago. My parents, sister and brother-in-law spent Christmas and the week after visiting with us, and we had so much fun that it is hard to relate all of the activities, amazing food, and great laughs we had. Eloise was in her element and enjoyed everyone’s company to the fullest. So did I! Many, many thanks to my family for making the time so very special. It was the perfect way to wrap up a good year, and to ring in 2016. We have so many big and exciting changes coming our way this year, and we are very ready to welcome them. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy new year!

*Christmas Magic. We spent Christmas Eve together, decorating cutout cookies and baking our Gram’s amazing brownies. The brownies had been a special part of our Christmas Eve tradition when Becky and I were younger, but we haven’t been able to make them since Gram passed away about 10 years ago. It was wonderful to include her in our holiday festivities this year once again. We had a fantastic, dressy dinner out that night downtown (also Soares family tradition), and the next morning, seeing Eloise’s joy at Santa’s overnight arrival, was magic. The whole day was relaxed, playing with Eloise and her new toys and having a big Italian meal of eggplant parmesan, stuffed steak, and ziti. We only changed out of our pajamas to don crazy holiday sweaters, which was a fun new tradition. Just a great holiday.

*Zoo Lights. The weather was mild, so we decided to head to Brookfield Zoo for Zoo Lights. We were lucky enough to catch many of the animals in action, which was cool, and Eloise enjoyed riding the carousel and the veeeeeeeeeeery slow tram around the zoo.

*Winter Fest. Perhaps the highlight of our post-Christmas activities was Winter Fest at Navy Pier. What a cool event! We knew it was something special from the first few minutes of the “mayor” counting down and opening the doors to the event area. Holiday music blared, fake snow flew all around us, and our first glimpse of the giant, colorful Christmas tree in the center of it all made everyone cheer. Eloise couldn’t get enough of all the rides, from bounce houses and slides, to a Ferris wheel, tea cups, a giant rocking horse and much more. We were there from the minute it opened at 10AM until Eloise was nearly falling asleep on her feet at 3PM and didn’t have time to partake in all the offerings. I’d definitely recommend it as a great Chicago holiday family activity (especially getting there early on a lighter day, post Christmas, pre-New Years like we did!).