A Holiday Stroll through the Mall

December is flying by! I thought life was fast before having a baby, geez. My head is spinning. 

And all I want to do is scoop up this sweetness into my arms and breathe her in and just love love love her.

Meanwhile we are staying quite busy with all manner of holiday fun. 

Last week we went to the mall, yes, the mall. I go about once every year or two, at Christmastime of course.

 We rode down with Nana and Lucy got to hold her Christmas bracelet in the car, such a treat:

Side note: by the way, Sadie and Anne, I have now mastered "ninja nursing" and thanks for the tip.

Met up with Addie and Art there...look how cute she is!!! Can't believe her little guy is almost here, four more weeks. They were our galleria guides.

I wanted to thoughtfully compose a post about consumerism and shopping and the holidays, but instead I am just writing about a trip to the mall. Haha, the irony! I even found a skirt for $2.99 at Charlotte Russe. Gross huh. Just don't  stop to wonder how and why it's so cheap....ugh.

Lucy liked looking around at everything. Another thing fun about the mall, which I have not encountered yet, is how baby-friendly it is! I'm not kidding. They have a huge family "lounge" with comfy changing area for babies with sinks and soap nearby, huge bathrooms you can bring your stroller in, and comfy couches with a kids'movie playing on a flat screen tv. I am used to trying to nurse on a bench outside a grocery store and changing a baby on the seat of my car, so this was quite inviting. 

I realize I sound like a real hick. I am a bit ambivalent about shopping malls, they've almost come full circle for me...from fun (early 90s) to abhorrent (mid 2000s) to kind of sweetly nostalgic in 2012. They remind me of a time when a pair of earrings from Claire's made my heart pitter patter. Although I am more critical now toward rampant consumerism, I can't help but hold a soft spot in my heart for Cinnabon and the crazy loot at Hot Topic and the joy of recharging in the food court. It almost feels retro to me now.

Don't worry, I still unabashedly look like a country bumpkin.

Addie's happy cause of the real reason we are here.....

See's Candy!!! 

Another classic that makes our hearts pitter patter.

That pretty much sums up our mall visit. It is kind of an exotic place to me and I get overwhelmed and have no idea where to start as far as actually shopping. Throw me in a thrift store anyday. Too bad we couldn't afford $40 portrait sessions with Santa Claus! We posed in front of the giant tree instead.... 

What about you? Do you shop online, shop local, go to the mall, make all your gifts, or abstain from the frenzy in general? Whatever the case happy gifting, making, baking and decking the halls to you all!