turning parents into grandparents

I'm thankful for the way my parents love my daughter.  They are always doting on her.  They brag on her like she is the best, smartest, cutest kid in the universe.  They spoil her rotten.  They are always willing to give us a night out and watch her for the evening.  Watching them as grandparents is one of the joys of being a parent. 

Friends

I'm thankful for my dear friends.  An old friend that I've known since preschool and recently started reconnecting with came into town this weekend.  I'm thankful that they were able to make time in their busy schedule to go to dinner tonight. 

*We were so busy talking, reminiscing, and catching up that we never took a picture of us together.  We're getting together in a few weeks when I go up north so I'll make sure to get one then!!*

Home Sweet Home

I'm thankful for our house.  When we first bought this house, I was only planning on living here for 3 years.  It's a small house and we didn't plan to have kids while we lived here.  It's been almost 6 years and baby #2 is on the way. 

Plans change.  And a house became our home.

We don't have a ton of room, but it forces us to be organized and picky about the things we buy.  It also forces us to spend all of our time in the same space.  I always hated to see families living in houses where everyone was always in separate rooms and never interacting.  That is not an issue for us. 

Scoot and Roo will eventually share a room and I'm kind of excited about it.  I shared a room with my sister for my entire childhood and I think it was an integral part of our relationship.  Baby Roo will bunk with us until we establish a good night time schedule and are confidant that them being together will not keep everyone up all night. 

It's true that..... Our dinning room is gated off and the dogs stay in there while we are gone.  The kitchen only has 2 drawers and 4 cabinets.  There are only 2 closets in the whole house.  We never have enough seating when people visit. My sewing machine sits on the table 99% of the time because there's no where else to store it.  Our living room is full of kids toys & books.  The washer & dryer are in the kitchen.  We only have 1 bathroom. 

But it is also true that... Our home is warm and cozy in the winter and cool and comfortable in the summer.  Our house is safe.  This is all the space that I care to clean.  We still have a ton more stuff than we really NEED.  We can live here within our means even with me not working.  We have an enormous back yard for the pups and babies.  Hubby has a garage for his man toys.  We feel completely at home here!  We have made it our own, and I don't see us leaving for several more years. 

Jabs and Flips

I'm thankful that I have the pleasure of feeling our little Baby Roo rolling around in my belly.  I LOVE the feeling of these little jabs, pokes, kicks, punches, flips and flops.  I love being pregnant in general and this is the main reason.  It is such a blessing to be able to experience the growth of a baby from the most intimate angle.  I'm especially aware of how wonderful it is because of the number of women I know who would LOVE to feel this and haven't been able to yet. 

I treasure each and every time I feel my Baby Roo move. 

Me at 21 weeks with Baby Roo (I haven't scaned any of our ultrasound pictures yet.)

My Sweet Caroline

I'm thankful that I get to be Caroline's mommy!  She makes me laugh every day.  She is a smarty pants and is learning new things every day - things that I had no idea she would learn this early.  She gives the best kisses.  I love when she pats my back and lays her head on my shoulder.  She likes my singing.  She takes my finger and leads me around when I don't know what she wants.  She takes off her shoes when we're outside, but wants to wear them when we're at home. She loves to dance.  She stops and points when ever she sees a dog, on tv or in real life.  She takes care of her baby just like a real little mommy.  She makes me want to be a better person.  She makes me want to give her the world.  She makes me feel like all is right in the world.  I love my sweet Caroline!

let's start with the obvious

I'm thankful for my husband.  He loves me even when I can't figure out why.  He lets me be exactly who I am with no explanation needed.  He is hilarious.  He brings home special treats on the days that have been the hardest, even without me saying a word (thanks for the krispy kreme donuts today babe!).  He works his tushy off to provide everything we need.  He supports my decision to stay home this year to raise our daughter.  He LOVES our daughter more than life itself.  He'd give anything to make her feel loved and safe.  He's passionate about football.  He's loyal to friends and family.  He'd drop everything to help someone who needs it.  He is generous with his time and means.  He has big dreams for the future.  I'm thankful that God made him just for me!

Double Duty November

I'm going to use November as a double duty month.  I'm setting this month aside to make a commitment to remembering the positive things in my life and documenting them.  Every day for the entire month of November I'm going to post something that I am thankful for.  Some days it might be a single sentence.  Other days, I'm sure I'll need an entire essay to share the depth of my thankfulness.  Some days the topic will be deep and thoughtful.  And some days it will be more lighthearted. Every day I'm going TRY to post a picture.

I'm a little intimidated, but I'm also really excited!  I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks and I think it is just what I need right now in blogging and more importantly in life!

First installment is coming later today!