Thankful

All over social media this year people have been posting little tidbits of praise and thanksgiving everyday in November.  While I have not participated in that craze, it does not mean that every day this month (and this year) I haven't taken a moment to realize just how thankful I am of the blessings in my life.  So, instead of a Thanksgiving Day 2012 recap, I thought I would share some pictures of my Thanksgiving day while also sharing with all of you some of my own personal blessings:

I am very thankful that I am a Christian.  That means that I get to fail.  No one plans to fail, but I oftentimes fail to plan.  I have made bad choices, used bad language, and just generally been a less-than-stellar example of goodness plenty of times in my life.  But I am thankful that I have a relationship with God and that God knows the truth of my heart.  Because of that, the judgement of others hurts just a little less.

I am very thankful that I am a wife to Bobby.  Note I didn't just say "a wife..." but I added "to Bobby."  I think I have done a pretty good job of acknowledging his awesomeness here before, so I won't elaborate much more on this subject.

(Rob "made" this birthday hat for Bobby...and Bobby was good enough to be photographed wearing the darn thing!)

I am very thankful for the health of my children.  I sometimes look back on how sick and swollen I was with my pre-eclampsia-ridden pregnancy with Rob, how nervous and hormonal I was with my (mostly secretive) post-partum issues with Caroline, and how terribly heartbroken I was with the events surrounding Will's birth.  Then I just shake my head and say, "isn't God good?"  Look at how well Rob and Caroline have turned out thus far.  And as for my sweet William?  Well, I will never wake up without thanking God for both the experience of having a NICU baby and the blessings of knowing it could have been so...much...worse!  In finishing off this segment, I am also extremely thankful for the most amazing pediatrician, Dr. Andrew McCown and pediatric cardiologist Dr. Robb Romp who expertly and tenderly care for my children.

(Aunt Laura is allowing cousins Will and Mason to "hug".  We love you before we have even met you, Mason!)

I am very thankful that I live in Helena, Alabama, America.  Helena has been so great to us.  I love my little over-crowded city so much!  Alabama is a great combination of generally beautiful weather, mostly conservative citizens, and southern hospitality.  And if you disagree with anything I have said or will say on this blog, that's okay.  Because America was founded on the principles of democracy, respect, and freedom.  Though I sometimes worry about the current state of democracy, respect, and freedom, I have to believe we will upswing once again.

I am very thankful for Helena Elementary School.  I have mentioned many times how much Rob loved his preschool teachers and I would never try to lesson those sentiments.  But Kindergarten, and more specifically our fantastic young teacher Ms. Stainback, have been the most incredible experience for Rob.  An ignited spark is taking over Rob's heart and soul.  He loves learning.  He loves school!

Last but in no way least, I am very thankful for my family and friends--each and every crazy one of you!  If you are even remotely in my life, you are there for a reason.  Some of you are my rocks of stability.  Others of you make me realize I am a little less batty than I sometimes think.  Ha!  Still more of you are the reason I am me.  But I am so thankful for the friends who support me, the family who loves me, and the circle of love which surrounds me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Now, onto Christmas!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday -- Halloween Edition

Today for Halloween, Rob's school had "Fall on the Farm" Day.  The farm was actually their field, but nevertheless...

The event started with a (not pictured) hay-ride around the track. 

The gang's all here!

 Then the kids got to pick out a pumpkin.

 

And back in the classroom they all got to decorate their pumpkins.  Rob's is in progress but I couldn't resist snapping a picture.

William is 2 Months Old!

Another month has come and passed...You are wear a size 1 diaper and 0-3 months clothes, with some 3 months mixed in.  Your eyes are a dark shade of something beautiful -- there is still a steely grey hint with some brown, but as Dr. McCown said, "They definitely aren't getting any lighter."  You "turned" 2 months old on October 21st, but since your arrival, life has been nonstop.  I hope this isn't a sign of the next 18 years.  So, with no further tardy ado...

Length: 23 3/4" (19" at birth, 20 1/2" at 2 wk check up)

Weight: 11.4 lbs (6.9 lbs at birth, 7.1 lbs at 2 wk check up)

Sleeping Patterns:  I really cannot complain!  In fact, we joke that you sleep better than your 2 1/2-year-old sister most nights!  Your bedtime is around 8:30 PM.  I have to wake you up at 10 PM to give your medicine and sometimes you want a little "snack" of nursing, but usually you don't.  You wake up around 2:30 AM to nurse and then again around 5:30 - 6 AM.

Eating Habits: During the day you still will eat better with no distractions.  When you are hungry, I prefer to go feed you somewhere quiet rather than "whip it out" at your beck and call.  This works to make you eat more / get fuller rather than snack and want to nurse again in less than 2 hours!  You will take a bottle of expressed milk or the occasional formula; we use Tommy Tippee bottles which you seem to like.  That gives mommy a great break!

New Discoveries and Accomplishments:  You continue to grow both mentally and physically at a rapid pace.  Your eyesight seems to be much stronger now.  You love to lock eyes with mommy when you are nursing.  You are starting to mimic sounds.  You will grin and coo at anyone who gives you attention!  In fact, your voice and your gummy grin seem to be your newest discoveries. 

Places You Love: We haven't taken you many places yet.  We go to church and to the occasional shopping run like Publix, Wal-Mart, or Lowe's.  As for your personal space, you have graduated out of the bassinet.  Now we have a Nap Nanny and, I swear, I don't know how I survived Rob and Caroline as babies without one of these gems.  You love your Nap Nanny!  You sleep in your own bed, too.

Special Friends: I hesitate to say that you may have learned Caroline is trouble.  She loves you dearly, but she loves you in a "hands-on" way that makes you whine nervously more often than not.  You are so loving and responsive to anyone who will snuggle you up to his or her neck -- that's your favorite way of being held, against someone's chest and your forehead in the neck crease.

Current Events:  The beloved Crimson Tide Football team is still undefeated at 9-0.  We are ranked #1 in the Nation, but the Florida Gators are close on our heels!  And we play LSU in two weeks; the Tigers surely must have revenge on their minds, knowing that if they defeat us they will knock us off the path to the BCS game for good.  Oh, there are also only a handful of days until the Presidential election and Mommy and Daddy are so ready for this to be over.  It has truly been a nasty campaign on both sides.  The weather is so nice right now; fall is in the air with sunny afternoons and crisp evenings.

What We Did This Day: Today (October 21st) was a Sunday.  I hate to admit that we missed church this morning, but God knows we were absent, so there's no use in hiding it from the world, either.  We had a lovely, much-needed, quiet morning at home.  Then Daddy took Rob golfing while you went with Caroline and Mommy to Lowe's then Nona's house for a quick visit.

And, for comparison's sake, check it out:

 

Your face has definitely rounded out!  Your legs look chubbier, too, but I couldn't get a great shot of them this month.

Wordless Wednesday -- Rob and Will

This little guy turned 8 weeks old yesterday!  (That means a two-month-update post is coming soon.)  After picking Rob up from the bus stop, we went outside for an impromptu photo shoot.  Enjoy!

Irrational

Recently as we were settling all the kids down for bedtime, Rob started crying.  Well wimpering/whining is a better description. He claimed he couldn't sleep and was lonely in his room. This is noteworthy for the simple fact that he is the only kiddo who does go to bed easily; we usually put him to bed first, because he is frequently asking for sleep. Enter psychologist-wanna-be mama trying to figure out what's wrong...

Rob told me with complete sincerity that he feared he has watched Toy Story too many times. "What if all my toys come alive while I'm asleep?" he asked. Score points for me that I didn't burst into guttural laughter at this point--I could tell this kid was serious. So for the next ten minutes or so we discussed the fact that Toy Story is made up for our entertainment, but what if it could be true? Rob's toys -- just like Andy's -- would love him! All of his plastic dinosaurs would roar and scare away any bad guys. His stuffed astronaut would fly him to space if need be. His remote controlled Bigfoot would be hungry for a banana and would call Rob "Buddy". And last but not least, his Fisher Price samurai ninja castle would host the most amazing sword fighting competition ever, which Rob would enter and win.

Rob eventually slept that night after he and I put a new spin on his "fears".  Then the wheels in my head began to spin: Yes, Rob may have watched Toy Story too many times and felt his room was now a scary, dangerous place; but I grew up thinking all the worlds' problems could be solved in 30 minutes like the Huxtables (The Cosby Show), if you were either pretty enough or conniving enough you could have whatever you wanted (Beverly Hills, 90210 -- the original, not the remake) and all you really need in life is a gaggle of best F*R*I*E*N*D*S. Okay, the latter is true.  Nevertheless, I was always keen enough to know these were Hollywood made-for-screen happy endings.  So my seemingly irrational fear has always been that I and the life I live would not add up to some ideal portrayed by actors. 

I have said it before and will continue to admit I am a worrier. Sure, I may be closer to midlife than ever before, but I still have plenty of dreams and goals for the future.  On my list are an array of personal crusades, monetary dreams, hopes and wishes for my kids, materialistic desires, and plans for advancement. The future is scary. What if some unforeseen obstacle or foe comes alive when I least expect it and crushes everything I'm attempting? It's okay to worry or fear the outcome when it motivates you to think outside the box, make a change to your current efforts, or ask for help from a trusted source. 

Have you ever called someone in the middle of a fit "irrational"? I'm pretty sure if yes, you didn't relieve any of their pain.  When you are consumed with such inner turmoil, you likely lose the ability to think clearly in the moment.  Maybe others will think you are losing it. But hopefully you can take a moment -- like I did with Rob -- and entertain your fears. Is the worst case scenario as bad as it was once thought to be? Perhaps going through all of the what ifs will help you sleep better at night, too. Here would be the time to make any changes or preparations for a happier outcome. There is nothing like a calmer heart to relax the soul.