I am excited that this afternoon I will be baking Christmas cookies with three of my children, my mom, and my brother, planning our Thanksgiving meal, and confirming plans for my fourth child to come home for Christmas. (He goes to school in Scotland so Thanksgiving break isn’t a thing for him.) It’s a full week for sure but so different than when my children were babies. It was fun and wonderful to see the babies with doting relatives and the excitement of the holiday traditions, but boy could it be stressful also! The travel, the screaming baby who didn’t want to be held by anyone other than me, the nonstop noise… If you are one of those courageous parents navigating family holidays while pregnant or with a newborn, know that I see you. I remember the frazzle you are feeling. I’m sitting over here with a cup of hot cocoa for you when you get a second with your hands free.

Holidays can be notoriously stressful times, between the busy schedules, heightened expectations, and the intensive family interactions that often take place around these times. Each of these elements becomes even more intense when you add a pregnancy or a newborn into the mix. Where does the baby’s sleep time fit into the jam-packed Christmas schedule? Or how do you keep up with the schedule when your aching back and your need to pee meant your 8-month-pregnant self didn’t get any sleep last night? How can you make that amazing pie you always bring to Thanksgiving dinner when looking at food makes you feel nauseous? How do you tell all those excited aunts and grandparents that you really don’t want any more input about your upcoming birth or what you should be doing differently with your baby? How do you eat when you can’t put the baby down for five minutes? And what ever happened to time alone??

This isn’t one of those posts full of tips like take time for yourself and set boundaries with family members, although those are certainly important. I just want to take a moment to acknowledge the frazzle that you may be feeling, and to let you know you aren’t alone. This season of life, like this season of the year, won’t last forever, and I hope that you are able to grab a few moments to treasure even if you are feeling overwhelmed.