A Month of Thanks

I've heard of people doing this but I have never tried myself, so here goes.  This month I am going to be mindful every day and focus on the things I am thankful for.  Here is a compilation of all the things I was thankful for this month, some are frivolous, some heartfelt, but all truthful.  Honestly, if I could do this every single day of the year my overall perspective would probably be much more positive - something to keep in mind and strive for!

1.  Savoring the last piece of birthday cake (after witnessing the most astronomical meltdown I have seen courtesy of T Bear).

2.  The way a great hair cut can make you feel beautiful.

3.  Watching Mad Man light up when he sees his big sister come down stairs in the morning.

4.  Seeing the love my T Bear has for her Mima and Poppi.

5.  The Penguin warehouse sale.  Amazing:  we bought forty three books and only paid seventy two dollars!

6.  Cable TV. After trying to downsize our cable bill we have given in and have cable again.  I love to unwind to my favorite shows:  Revenge, Parenthood, and Castle are definitely at the top of the list.

7.  The past nine months with Mad Man.  He is the sweetest, most cuddly little man around.

8.  Watching T Bear play with her grandma.  She absolutely loves it!  Especially being the boss!!

9.  So thankful for the love and support of family and that we waited until we were ready to start a family!

10.  Dance.  I know the love and passion I have for the art of dance and I love that T Bear is enjoying her first true introduction to dance.

11.  Thankful for the country we live in.  Especially thankful for the men and women who have served and are serving our country.  So much admiration for these brave, selfless individuals.

12.  The Fly Creek Cider Mill.  So much fun.  Feeding the ducks, sampling yummy products, and of course the apples and cider.  Bonus:  Mad Man ate an apple!  T Bear tried blueberry jam!

13.  One word:  Mama!  Mad Man uttered this today for the first time.  There is nothing like the sound of your baby saying your name!  Especially since it is his first word!

14.  Watching Mad Man cruise along the couch for the first time!

15.  Listening to T Bear "read" a story; she is so animated, creative, and most definitely humorous!

16.  Having a pediatrician I trust and feel comfortable with.  She listens to me and doesn't judge (even when I tell her Mad Man is STILL sleeping with me).  Love her!

17.  Kindness.  I love the feeling you get when you do something nice for someone and they so did not expect it and vice versa.

18.  Arts and crafts.  I try to do something creative with T at least once a week and she loves it (generally).  This week we are making turkeys with a kit I bought.  It is so awesome to see how her mind works, and to see her exploring her creative side.

19. A clean house.  At this stage of the game this is a rare commodity, but I do love an organized, freshly dusted and vacuumed home.

20.  Pictures.  I am obsessed with taking pictures and then ordering them from Snapfish.  I am definitely documenting every little moment.  Honestly, pictures help me feel like I am capturing moments in time that are flying by.  If you could see my living room walls you would see how I have covered them with photos.  Love it!

21.  Shopping.  I LOVE shopping.  I so enjoy buying gifts for people (especially my little angels!); it is so much fun!  (Somehow, I don't think Hubby agrees!)

22.   Thanksgiving dinner.  Seriously, does it get any better than an elaborate turkey dinner?

23.   My Stets!  The only time I get to go back to sleep is when my sister is visiting!  That extra hour of sleep is AMAZING!  So is she!

24.   Santa parade!  In spite of the frigid temp, and the flakes in the air, we ventured out to the parade and T loved it!  Mad Man didn't really know what was going on, but he was a trooper none the less!

25.   Seeing how much my babies love their Auntie!  We only get to see each other about once a month due to geography, but they adore her!  T gets really upset when she leaves.

26.   Nap time.  Although T gave up napping, during Mad Man's naps I can get stuff done on the computer, and can color uninterrupted with T Bear (even with Mad Man asleep in my arms)!

27.   Mickey Mouse.  T Bear still loves him and Mad Man gets super excited whenever he sees him!

28.  The sweetness that T shows Mad Man.  Granted this sweetness is not exactly a consistent occurrence, but when it does occur it is truly beautiful.  Today, he was trying to stand on his own and she put her arms around him and helped him.  They were just standing there in an embrace.  Aah.

29.  Friends that you can pick up with the same place you left off.  I find maintaining friendships challenging with two little ones, so I am especially grateful for those friends that you know will be there for you and vice versa.

30.  The anticipation building for the holidays!  T Bear is beyond excited now; I can only imagine what this month will bring!

High:  Focusing on the good that life has to bring.
Low:  Realizing that the rest of the year I do not always focus on the positive.