Thankful Thursdays: #4

Lately, I've felt like a heavy, grey cloud has begun to cast a shadow over me. I have realized that I need to get back to focusing on the positives, and you know, finding the joy in everyday life. To help me with this, I've decided to bring back Thankful Thursdays. I may not do it every week, but that's okay, too. As long as I'm trying to stave off negativity, that's all that matters.

1. My happy boy has returned:

I mentioned before that the past month was harder for me than any other time since Aiden was born. Between teething, growth spurts, and developmental leaps; he was giving me quite a hard time. And it was really wearing me out.

Right now, he's in that sweet spot: between leaps and spurts. His sunny disposition is back, and just in the nick of time. Monday's social media update summed it up perfectly: "I'm having an amazing day with this little guy filled with grins from ear-to-ear, belly-laughs, and giggles. The last month has been *so* hard for me as a mother. It's like he knew just what I needed."




2. Awesome Day Out on Tuesday:

click to enlarge

On Tuesday, Aiden and I ventured out together for over 6 hours. We met up with a neighbor and her son at Hobby Lobby; and then the two of us ventured on our own, finishing off the day having lunch together at Qdoba (he snacked on his toys), HomeGoods, and Trader Joe's.

I wore him in the Ergo everywhere we went, and his little legs hanging out the side brought smiles and coos to many fellow shoppers. He's pretty much the star of the show wherever we end up (humblebrag).

It was one of the longest solo outings I've done with him, and he did SO WELL. I felt empowered, as silly as that may sound.

Previously, when my back was consistently bothering me, I was too scared to hurt myself when I was on my own. And during his very fussy periods, it just seems easier not to go anywhere. Though, I've since decided that I'm going to try and get out even if he's having a bad day, because maybe all he'll need is a change of scenery.

3.) This

4.) This Blooper Picture

Right before we went to lunch, I snapped some pictures of Aiden and I. Most of them didn't turn out (which is to be expected), but this one just made me laugh. A lot. Like mother, like son. Sweet faces, yo.

 

Thankful Thursdays: 3

Seems as though it's been quite a while since I've written one of these, but here goes ::

1. Big Day for us tomorrow! We're having "the" ultrasound, and will be finding out the sex of the baby. I am so excited for this moment. I think it'll definitely feel more real once I know if it's a little boy or girl wrigglin' around in my tummy.

2. I've had a teeny, tiny problem with my lady-parts over the last few months. I'd developed a cervical polyp during the first 13 weeks. Generally they're not removed during pregnancy to prevent complications. At my last check-up, it had grown, and my doctor recommended that I have it removed. Well, I was worried and nervous and scared for the unknown. Would it hurt? Would I have any complications? WOULD IT HURT?

I'm so happy to report that during the removal this morning, it did not hurt at ALL. I didn't feel a thing, and I was beyond thankful for that. I said prayers last night and this morning, and then did some deep breathing to stay calm. It certainly worked! Phew!

3. Our sectional from Macy's is already done and will be delivered next Thursday! Sadly, they didn't have an earlier delivery date that fit our work schedule, but considering they're ready about 3! weeks ahead of schedule, I can't complain too much. I can't wait to be comfortable in my living room again!

4. Today was the first eye appointment I've had in about 3 years. I like my new doctor, and the fact that they had my contacts in stock, so I don't have to wait to get them! I'm also going to get some new glasses, as my old ones are definitely ready to be replaced. It's the little things that make me happy. I like being able to see.

Thankful Thursdays: 2

Here's my list of what I'm thankful for this week ::

1. Sunshine: Seriously?! The weather has made it two Thursdays in a row! That's huge for the Seattle area. I seriously can't get enough of this sunshine. It'll be here for about another day or so, and I'm definitely taking advantage of it. Since I'm decidedly sick with a cold, I wasn't able to make it to Seattle like I planned. Instead, I've relaxed on our back patio with the dog. Not a bad compromise, I say. Which brings me to my next point...

2. Relaxing: With the prospect of soon trying to start a family, I'm definitely aware of each quiet moment I have. Someday, the idea of a lazy afternoon doing nothing will be all but a distant memory. Let's just say I'm getting my fare share of relaxing in now, before it's too late ;)

3. Fresh-Cut Flowers: The other day was the first time I've ever cut flowers from my yard and brought them inside. It made me ridiculously happy to snip a few stems of our hydrangeas that were already blooming when we planted them. My only problem now is that they're already starting to wilt. Hydrangeas are notorious for this, so I'm hoping I'll figure out how to make the blooms last.

4. Big Stick Popsicles: I had Zac pick me up some of these popsicles at the store last night to soothe my sore throat. These bring me back to my childhood, as they were my absolute favorite popsicle to have. And I think they still are. The beauty is that almost every store has their own store brand version of these for a hell of a lot cheaper than the Popsicle ones. It's funny how something as simple as a popsicle can instantly cheer you up.

Thankful Thursdays: A lesson in appreciating what we have, and finding the joy in every day life.

Thankful Thursdays: 1

In the spirit of being more appreciative, I've decided to create a series called "Thankful Thursdays." Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of what IS going right, what IS good in our lives - so these can be little reminders to myself that I'm pretty damn lucky.


1. My Husband: I truly married my best friend, and I couldn't be happier. He is my strength, my shoulder to cry on, my source of laughter, and of course, occasional frustration. He cooks, he cleans, he does his own laundry (and sometimes mine!), and he gets up in the morning to walk the dog so I can get more sleep. I mean, COME ON. I won the marriage lottery.

2. My Doggie: We are absolutely smitten with this dog. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but sometimes I used to cry while browsing petfinder.com for dogs that I couldn't adopt. I wanted a dog so badly, but couldn't have one in a rental. Once we bought our house, I wanted to get one as soon as possible. We finally adopted Parker in September 2010, and we love him more and more each day. He's our best pal.

3. The Weather This Week: If we forget yesterday (it was cold, mixed with some sprinkles), the PNW is having a really nice stretch of great weather. It's supposed to start warming up again today, with temperatures reaching near 80(!) degrees over the weekend. I absolutely adore the summers here- you know, when it's actually sunny and warm. Can't get enough.

4. HomeGoods is Coming to Town!: I didn't know about HomeGoods until I started reading design and decor blogs during the last couple of years. With each find and crazy deal that I saw, the more jealous I became over the fact that the nearest store was over 3 1/2 hours away. Then, about 6 months ago, I started seeing commercials for them. It drove me NUTS, because I knew there were no stores anywhere close to the market in which they were advertising. It was like they WANTED to torture me.

The other night, after seeing the millionth commercial, I decided to look up their Portland, OR location. Hey, I've never been to Portland, and this would be a good excuse. Yes, I'm weird.

Well lo and behold, there were 2 listings for HomeGoods stores IN MY AREA. I gasped. I fist-pumped the air.  And I did some quick research. I learned that both locations (Lynnwood & Federal Way) will be opening on June 24th. MY BIRTHDAY. The day that my No Shopping Challenge ends. IT IS FATE. The Federal Way store is only about 25 minutes from my house. FATE, I tell ya! I am way too excited for this. Is it bad that I'm considering taking the day off from work for this? *shifty eyes*
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I'm really glad I'll be doing this each week. I had a rather emotionally draining week at work, and sadly, that is often the case. My days off are Thursdays and Fridays, so it will be refreshing to start each weekend focusing on things that bring me joy.