Thankful 11/25

My little man is 40 weeks old. That blows my mind. He's officially been "out" as long as he was "in". This end seems MUCH faster then the first 40 weeks of his existence. I sure love my little man. He has handled all of the people and schedule rearranging like a champ. Plus he's stinkin' cute. Happy 40 weeks little baby. Picture Tuesdays to come when I get home!

Today I am thankful for:

1. New Hampshire. It's a beautiful place. It is the home of some beautiful people who I love. It provides a window into my honey's background. I learn something about Glenn every time I visit. Sometimes it's "Oh, that's where that comes from", and sometimes it's "Hmmm, I didn't know that about you." Either way, it's fun to continue to figure him out.

2. Clothes. I love clothes. I love to look at clothes, try on clothes, buy clothes, and dress my baby up in tiny man clothes.

3. Jogging with Glenn this week. Amy has watched Tate a few times this week so Glenn and I could go jogging together. (We didn't bring our beloved Bob on this trip so Tate couldn't come with us.) It's been fun to go together. It's nice to have someone who knows just how much to push me and when to stop pushing.

4. Children's Tylenol. We think Tate is teething again. It's nice to have something to help him feel better. It's no fun to watch my little baby when I can tell he's hurting.

5. Tiny squishy hands. Tate's getting better at picking things up with his two little pinchy fingers. I love watching his little squishy hands with his knuckle dimples trying to pick up something teensy. It will be a sad day when I look at my little boy's hands and they don't look squishy anymore.

11/21

Today I am thankful for:
1. My honey. That we agree on the major points of raising our little boy and most of the minor ones too.
2. Time to observe my amazing sister-in-law Amy. She is raising four beautiful and beautifully behaved little kids who are kind, responsible, talented, and sweetly innocent as kids should be and so often aren't these days. She is very patient, a great cook, a dedicated distance runner, and a talented musician. I'm trying to just soak up their darling family for the few days that we get to be with them.
3. Sweet moments with Tate and his cousins. Pushing the stroller while Brynne walks beside it holding Tate's hand. Cope talking and singing to him from the back seat. Nelson squeezing his little boy cousin buddy. Paige sharing her toys and reenacting what he was doing in the other room when I missed something she thought was funny. They are so very sweet to my little guy and it warms my heart to watch.
4. Options. My amazing husband has received two more job offers during our trip. I'm grateful for options. Good ones, that will require lots of thought, research, and prayer to decide between. I'm grateful as well for my sweetheart. I know he is truly amazing. It's nice for him to hear it from other people though.
5. Cozy pajamas. I love my pajamas. Perhaps it's because they are pink and green plaid and they are oh so cute. Perhaps it's because being in them means sleep is coming soon and I really love to sleep. Perhaps it's both.

Thankful 11/20

Today I am thankful:
1. That Tate is an overall good baby. We went for a several hour drive yesterday to see the white mountains. It was beautiful and Tate was very content to chat with himself and look at all of the trees woosh past outside the window.
2. For Tate's dimples. He smiles with his whole face and it just brightens my day.
3. For sweet noises when Tate is eating. He lets you know when he thinks something is just delicious. "Mmmmmmm."
4. For Tate's squishy parts. He's not a very squishy baby. He's sort of solid, but he has the best squishy kissable cheeks and his little legs are perfectly squishable. I could squeeze and squish him all day.
5. For Tate's curiosity. I love to watch him learn something new and to see what things he is starting to recognize and remember. It's wonderful to have my own little person and to see everything through his eyes as he is figuring the world out.

Thankful 11/17

I'm in New Hampshire.  I will be here for a week and a half.  I will try my best to keep up on my grateful days goal but it might not be every day.  So here you go...

Today I am grateful:

1. For in-laws.  Heather and Arthur, brothers and sisters-in-law, tons of amazing cousins for Tatie that are wonderful examples for him to look up to.  I lucked out in the in-law dept.

2. Naps on airplanes.  Tate had small naps on each leg of our flights today.  It sure made the time pass faster.  Poor kid doesn't do really well in confined spaces.

3. A warm coat.  It's chilly here.

4. My sweetheart.  I sure love him.  He's wonderful.

5. The dining hall.  Arthur, my father-in-law, runs the dining hall at the private school here in Andover where Glenn grew up and attended high school.  We ate dinner at the dining hall tonight with all of the high school students.  I was very hungry.  It was absolutely delicious.  

Thankful 11/15

I am thankful for:
1. Stake conference day. It didn't start until 10 (usually our church is at 8:30) and it's only two hours...which during naptime was still a bit rough, but it seemed more manageable anyway.
2. Things to look forward to.
3. Lists. I love my check lists. I know I get a little overboard sometimes, but I love being able to look at my list and see what I have done and what else needs to get done. I just don't trust my brain to keep track of it all.
4. Snuggling.
5. People with great cameras who know how to use them. We just got our family pictures done and she's shown us just a few so far. I love them. I will post some when I get them from her. Prepare yourselves for an astounding amount of cuteness.

Thankful 11/14

Yesterday I was thankful for:

1. This cute girl. She is in my ward and makes the most adoreable hair bows for little girls. She let me share her booth and our things looked so cute together! 2. The support of these two boys. I think Glenn has a good time being a salesman. He's so sweet. Tate was a very handsome product model and a great sport as well. Even when it was way past nap time.3. An awesome sister-in-law who loves to make things as much as I do.

4. The opportunity to share something I love. It really feels great to see people enjoy something that I do.

5. Laughter. At some of the things people spend money on (rocks with crosses carved in them, crazy garden ornaments, etc.), at the people who have other baby product booths eyeing our things and glaring at us from across the way, at the funny Mary Kay lady in the booth next to us. It was just plain fun. We had a great time.

Grateful 11/13

Today I am grateful for:

1. A sweetheart who watched Tate for a few hours so I could have a solid block of time to make these. I'm selling our things at a boutique tomorrow and wanted to have a few more things to sell. I'm pretty excited. If you're in Austin feel free to drop by!

http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=1645

2. That brief moment when the laundry basket is empty. You know that really short moment in time just after you put away the folded clean clothes and before anyone gets undressed at the end of the day. Mmmm, I love that.

3. Beautiful weather. Not too hot. Not too cool. It was a perfect day.

4. Footie PJs. I love the way my little boy looks in his footie jammies.

5. Finally finding hot wings that are hot enough for this guy. He really likes spicy food, especially wings. It seems like he's constantly on the look out for food that is "too hot" for him. We've never found it. I think it's part of his competitive nature. He takes it as a personal challenge when he sees something advertised as "hot". I swear he has no taste buds. Tonight, however, for his "I have an awesome job offer" celebration dinner, he wanted to go to a wings place. Right inside the door there was a challenge wall with pictures of people who ate 25 "Fire in the hole" hot wings. He took one look at that and said, "Not a problem."

Turns out it really wasn't a problem. And we found some hot wings he really likes. It was a good time.

Grateful 11/12

Today I am grateful for:
1. This idea to write down 5 things I'm grateful for every day from my cousin Amberly. It's been nice to go through my day thinking of five things I can write down and express gratitude for.
2. Worn out snuggles. Tatie had a hard day today. He didn't want to do anything; eat, nap, play with toys. There were brief happy spurts followed by melt downs. So there were a few melt down moments where he was so worn out that he just let me snuggle him while he whimpered. It was a long day, but those snuggles made it almost worth it. Cutting new teeth perhaps? I have no idea.
3. Cell phones. I love that I can live far away from family but be able to pick up the phone and talk to my mom like she's next door any time I need her.
4. My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is SO comforting to have an absolute knowledge of a great big picture when things seem uncertain in the immediate future.
5. The ability to stay home with my little boy. He needs me and I love him. It's so nice that I don't have to do anything but be here for my little boy.

Grateful 11/11

Today I am grateful for:
1. Water purifier pitchers. The water here tastes kinda funny.
2. My dad. He works really hard and does so much for my family. I've been thinking about him a lot today because he has a business deal in the works this weekend. Good luck dad.
3. When Glenn holds Tate and my little baby's body still looks little in my honey's arms.
4. Dollar movie theaters. I love going to movies and it's so awesome to only pay a dollar, especially when my desire to see the movie is only about $2 worth, not $18 worth.
5. My honey's cleaning moods. He went out to take out the trash today and ended up sweeping out the garage and trimming all the hedges. My house looks amazing today.

Grateful 11/10, Picture Tuesday

Tate at 38 weeks old He's got a funny squinty eye in this picture but he's just having so much fun! It's interesting how Little Man seems to know which things are meant for him and which things are not. The things not meant for him are infinitely more interesting than any colorful toy. He's had a blast the past few days discovering what is most fun to get into in any given room. In the family room it's the DVDs and in the computer room it's the cords under the computer and the serge protector with the amazing little red light. In the bedroom it's Glenn's phone charger cord. It's amazing how fast he can scootch across the room and get what he wants.

Today I'm grateful for:

1. When Tate takes long naps. They aren't really consistent with my little man but when they happen it is SO nice to have a long block of time to get things done.

2. The goofy gasping noise Tate makes after he giggles.

3. Cupcakes. The perfect little portion of cake goodness.

4. My sewing machines. I love to sew right now. I don't get to do it much around here now that little man is all over the place, but I sure like it.

5. A husband who really knows how to clean. He doesn't love to do it (who does?) but when he gets in the mood or when he's asked he does a really great job!

Grateful 11/9

Today I am grateful for:

1. Little puff treats for little babes. They bought me a little extra time so I could complete a task today. Sometimes I feel like I have 20 unfinished projects around the house and just before I can finish them little man is into something he shouldn't be or needs some mommy love.

2. The intense concentration that consumes Tate while he tries to get those little puffs from the table to his hands to his mouth. Then he has the issue of getting them far enough into his mouth that he doesn't accidentally push them out with his tongue. He just gets so serious. His brow is furrowed and his hands move really slowly. It's a very serious job.

3. Wipes and washcloths to clean up the puffy slimy mess that results from the above activity.

4. Cousins. I'm glad my little man has cousins. Cousins are the best. We're excited for him to meet all of the Makechnie cousins next week. We tried to take little Hansen cousin pictures in their adoreable matching cousin outfits that my mom bought for them while we were in Utah. We tried to take them on two different occasions. It was like they took turns smiling and being stone faced. They're not perfect but I sure love them. These two are going to be trouble together for sure.

At the end of our picture taking session Tate decided it would be a good idea to stand up from his chair and fall directly onto his face. It was pretty funny looking. He didn't try to put his hands up to catch his fall or anything. He just planted his face directly into the grass. Thump. This is the resulting fit. Am I a mean mother because I find his angry and pouty faces so completely irresistible? Sometimes I wait just a second before I swoop in to snuggle, just to cherish the little mad faces.

5. My boys. Man I love my handsome boys.

6. I'm going to add a sixth grateful item today. My honey got a great job offer today from a great company. He is SO relieved that we have something for next year. I'm not going to give any details because I'm just not sure it's the end of the story yet. I just feel like there are a couple of other companies we're waiting to hear from that would be better for us in some ways but we'll see. It's an amazing job and we're very lucky to have it. Anyway, I'm really glad that my honey has that enormous stress off his shoulders. Who knew that Glenn knew how to be stressed? Not me!

Grateful 11/8

Today I am grateful for:
1. My ward here in Austin. Today I was really struck with all of the differences between ward life here in Austin and ward life in American Fork where I spent the last two months. Our sacrament meeting was focused on being better member missionaries. They gave out Books of Mormon afterwards for us to give out to investigators and even wrote down our names and how many we took so they could follow up on our progress. Later, someone came into our Sunday School class to ask if any of us spoke French because an investigator just showed up who only spoke French. I wished my brother or sister-in-law were there with me. It's a very different environment.
2. Healthy bodies. Mine, my honey's, my son's. There are just so many problems we are lucky enough not to have.
3. Dinner with friends.
4. Rain. We drove to church in the most beautiful foggy mist. I like mist. I think it's sort of romantic. Then it started raining on the way home and has been raining all day. I love the sound of rain.
5. Among many other benefits of having my mother, I'm grateful today that my mom raised me in a home where we were taught to love music. It has blessed my life in so many ways.

Getting to Know You

Rosie came home this morning. A great friend of ours watched Rosie for the past 2 months while were were all over the place. It was so nice to know that she was well cared for. Our friend has a dog too so Rosie had a friend to play with.

I was a little apprehensive about how the reunion would go considering that Tate is moving around now and can really get in her face. I had a hard time with Rosie in Houston. We were both a little stressed out with the small living quarters and Rosie communicated it by acting out. She knew she wasn't supposed to do things like eat out of the bathroom garbage or lick Tate's face...so when she got grumpy she did those things, just when I was looking. We had issues.

Much to my surprise Rosie was very sweet today. She just loves Tate and he loves her too. He just giggles when she comes close. We help him walk by holding his hands and Rosie comes right up to him and doesn't jump up at his face at all. It's been fun watching these two get to know each other again today.

Grateful 11/7

Today I am grateful for:
1. Grocery stores where I know the layout.
2. The internet. I love being able to shoot an email to my mom, my sister on her mission in Rome, keep in touch with people through the blogosphere. It's so wonderful.
3. Lazy mornings at home with my little family.
4. Living close to awesome outlet malls. I love to window shop, actually shop, and I love that things are a little less expensive than at regular stores.
5. Hot showers. Sometimes there's nothing better at the beginning or end of a day than a long, hot shower.

Grateful 11/6

Today I am grateful:
1. That my Tatie slept until 7 this morning. Oh that was so nice.
2. I live in a neighborhood with jogging paths. It's especially nice because everything is still so green. Jogging through parks with lush lawns and tons of big trees is kind of soothing in a way. I still don't like to jog. I still get up every morning and think, maybe I'll just take a break today, but once I get my butt out the door it's not as bad as it used to be.
3. Glenn is home tonight. Yea!
4. That sometimes Tate wakes up happy and I hear his sweet chatter in his crib in the other room. It just makes me smile.
5. Our car. I have missed our car. I love that it has some zip. When I tell it to go it really goes. And it's the prefect size for my little family.

Grateful 11/5

Today I am grateful for:
1. My dad who got up super early to take us to the airport.
2. Our friend Janelle who hauled her little family all the way across town to pick Tate and I (and our ENORMOUS amount of luggage) up and take us home while Glenn went on to Houston for yet another interview. Thanks Janelle.
3. My house. Oh I love my house. I love my bed, my kitchen, my piano, and especially my little Tatie's room. Tonight I am so happy to have my little boy in his very own nursery. I love his little boy room and it's been a long time since he's made use of it.
4. Antibacterial wipes. My kitchen feels so much better now. I love to wipe down the counters and stove with a few of these because then I just throw away the mess.
5. Tate's curiosity. He can be happy discovering the simplest things. Today it was Glenn's straw. Endlessly entertaining.

Grateful 11/4

1. Bajio's chicken green chile salad. I have missed you.
2. Pacifiers. I'm going to have quite the time breaking Tate of that habit in a few months...but right now it sure calms the poor kid down when he's having a full on melt down, so I use them!
3. Glenn's hugs. He's very talented. Somehow he can give me a big bear hug and make everything feel a little better.
4. Christmas packages. We sent some to my sister Mallory in Rome today. Just getting her little Christmas surprises ready made me all happy and giddy inside. Oh Christmas!
5. "Yuh-ooo" that's how my little niece Mya says "Love you". Brought tears to my eyes tonight. That, and everything else. I'm going to miss these guys. In a lot of ways it will be nice to be in my own wonderful home on my own schedule and trying to find my own niche in Austin again. I've just been away from my home in Austin for so long with the internship in Houston and then Glenn's research out here that I sort of feel like I'm going to have to start all over when we get back. I'm going to miss my mom's advice, company, and friendship, the way my dad snuggles my son and puts him right to sleep, my little sister's tenderness with Tate and the way he loves to be around her, my sister-in-law's conversation and the way we seem to just get each other. Basically I will miss having my family at my fingertips any time I want them. I'm a baby tonight.

Halloween / Grateful days

Tate at 37 weeks old

Halloween was great. All that was missing was Glenn, of course. We threw a party for Kenzie and her friends the night before. 8 teenage girls, party games, tons of sugar, late night, what else could a 13 year old ask for? I think she had a good time. We (the adults) were all exhausted.
Tate ended up being an adoreable little skeleton boy. Just a set of cute jammies we found but it was an easy and cute little boy costume for this year. He's growing so fast. We bought it a month ago but it's almost too small already.

My little niece Mya came over in her tiny precious fairy costume. I mean, seriously, how cute is she? And her mom (my wonderful sister-in-law) told us that she is pregnant with another adoreable niece or nephew! I can hardly wait!My cousin Amberly challenged us to record 5 things we are grateful for every day. On my blog, in my planner, I'm just going to try to get them out of my head an recorded somewhere. It's just a great idea for Thanksgiving time so I'm in. Everyone reading this is welcome to join us too!

Today I am grateful for:

1. My Honey. He's been working so hard all over the place to try to find a job he feels good about for our family next year, and to finish all of his research for his thesis. He's amazing and he's finally done! Hooray!

2. My family. They're just plain awesome. Enough said.

3. Digital pictures. I love being able to record my little boy's childhood every tiny step of the way and not worry about wasting money if I get 10 awful pictures for ever 1 great one.

4. Modern transportation. We have been on so many flights in the last year. Living away from both our families would be much harder without quick flights.

5. Good books. Man, it's nice to end my day with a quick escape to somewhere else. I love getting lost in books and learning new things and feeding off of other smart people's experiences. Mmmm, books.