All I Want for Christmas....

[lls_mutant]

I've been seeing the fandom Christmas meme going around, and it's kind of cute, in principle. This is my first Christmas on LJ, which is fun. My wishlist is pretty simple, though: I'd like icons. (I'd particularly like an Accio Bananas! icon, and an icon that has to do with MRFH.) Other than that, I really, really can't think of anything that people could possibly grant. I think as a Christmas present to me I might pay for my account so I can actually USE more than three icons, but that's for me to give to me, because I do something nice for myself every year at Christmas, and this year I can't quite do what I did for myself last year (had my hair professionally colored and highlighted), because I can't take the baby to the salon and I don't want to pay that kind of money when we won't be going out much at Christmas, anyway. BTW- I highly recommend my little tradition of doing something nice for yourself at Christmas to everyone. Yes, it's the season of giving, but so many of us are so hard on ourselves the rest of the year. Take time and appreciate yourself!



My mom wants my Christmas list. I know it seems early, but a.) my mother is Bargin Hunter Extraordinaire and Christmas shops all year, and b.) I have a November birthday, so I combine both lists in one. The problem is that this year I have no idea what I want.

My mom loves long Christmas lists, so she can pick and choose items and there's still some element of surprise. Personally, I totally agree with that philosophy. (Like I said last Christmas rant, it also teaches kids they don't get everything they want.) But this year, I just don't know what I want. Well, I do. I want a healthy, happy baby. But I can't really put that on my Christmas list!

I don't know what size I'll be, so clothing is out (especially since I plan to hop right on WW after the birth.) We got married three years ago, so our kitchen has every concievable gadget that I would actually use. I know a mother needs to make sure she spends time on herself and her marriage, as well. But here's the thing: my hobbies? There's reading, but I have over half a dozen books I haven't read sitting around. (Plus, for some bizarre reason, my mother never gets me books. Why this is, I don't know, since she's always encouraging kids to read. I guess it's because I always read too much!) I love movies, but very few that I want are being released on DVD- it hasn't been a great year for movies. I love wine and would love to get (or get for hubby) a membership to a wine of the month or wine of the quarter type thing, but you can't ship wine to PA. I love cooking, but I have a ton of cookbooks. My other big hobby is writing, but what do you need for writing? Time and a computer, in my case, and as much as one day I'd like a laptop, it's not the kind of thing you put on a Christmas list. I love jewelry, but I know necklace + baby = bad idea. The only cosmetic I wear is perfume, and I'm stocked. I don't really need anything, I don't really want anything. It's a very nice complaint to have, but that's exactly why I hate Christmas lists, sometimes. I don't like asking for a donation made to someplace, either. I don't have pet charities, and I don't like dictating that someone should spend their money that way, y'know? It's one thing to say "in lieu of flowers, the family asks..." but it's another to ask someone to make a donation in my name for Christmas. Although I will probably do that for my grandmother- make a donation to the senior center that my grandfather was instrumental in helping to start.

Fortunately, Mom says she's probably scaling back on Christmas now, with her primary focus for our family being on the baby. Phew! :)



I'm also looking for two betas. I have two pieces for sirius_loving just about finished. They're both fairly short (for me), both with slash implications (R/S, naturally), and both well under R. For the one, I really, REALLY would prefer someone who's read Mentors, because it definitely references Mentors heavily. For the other, even though it references my universe, it probably doesn't matter. I should be able to send the pieces out by Saturday. Any takers?

ETA: Found betas. Thanks!!!!

Off to get writing!

Comments

[medicinal-mirth.livejournal.com]

Um. Hi. *waves* I've been lurking around your journal for a little while now. I love your fics -- am very much looking forward to reading what you're working on for sirius_loving -- but also because of your baby updates. I have 3 kids of my own (2, 4, and 6) and am a sucker for baby stories and such. Anyway, I don't know if you have a friending policy, but I'd like to add you to my list, if that's alright.

Oh, and if you don't mind my saying so, as someone who's had to deal with pregnancy weight loss three times -- don't rush yourself. I found that, with nursing, most of the weight came off rather easily after the first one. The last 10 pounds were quite stubborn. It did get more difficult with the next two, though.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Add away, and thanks! I don't have much of a friending policy, to be honest :) I'll probably add you right back, especially since some of the baby updates end up f-locked. (Plus, I've liked what I've read of some of your stuff.)

As far as the weight loss goes- I think once I'm actually back on WW I'll be much happier, just because I know I'm doing something, y'know? Even if the weight comes off slowly- at least I know I'm making an effort. The problem really isn't so much the baby weight as the weight I put on before I got pregnant :P But I'll just feel better when I can see my toes!

[medicinal-mirth.livejournal.com]

Added you! Thanks. :)

And, actually, I completely understand about extra weight before pregnancy. I had 10 - 15 pounds left to lose from my second pregnancy (got a late start on losing that weight) when I found out I was pregnant with my third. Obviously, he wasn't a planned baby. Lucky for him, he's awfully cute.