Giving Thanks

Here's what is going on right this very minute in my living room.  This has actually become the typical scene at my house the last few nights. 

 

Relaxation. 

I love several things about this.  I love that the tree is up!  I couldn't get it up fast enough this year.  I love that Brad gets to sit next to me and we can turn on a movie (or football in this case, but I'm sure we'll be turning on a Christmas movie momentarily) and snuggle.  I love that that plate there is the last of the leftovers, and they didn't disappoint this year.   Oh yes, it has been a great Thanksgiving.  I don't really want it to end.  All the relaxing and eating and moving watching and husband snuggling.  Nope.  Don't want it to end.

Bath Magic

Some things Paige doesn't particularly like are:  No.  Things she will usually scream or thrash around at or maybe both (bear with me, this is cathartic) are:
-the car, usually once it goes into drive she starts her protest.
-strangers, or sometimes just about anyone.  she's a wary little thing.
-getting her diaper changed
-getting dressed
-eating
-taking naps

Something Paige always likes.  No matter what.  It's fail-safe.
-the bath

Since I am trying to celebrate the little things that go well in my day, I must say that I too love bath time.  It's like heaven.  It never comes with protesting or thrashing around or back-arching or fussing, no matter what the day has been like.  While she's cooing to her rubber ducky in the kitchen sink, I usually throw her towel in the dryer so it's nice and toasty.  And then I lift her wet little baby body out of the water and wrap her up snug in her towel, insert pacifier, and cradle her in my arms.  Magic.  She just looks up at me while her pacifier bobs in and out and her whole tiny body is relaxed and still.  I just hold on and rock her for a few minutes before I figure I better hurry and get a diaper on this baby, but those short little minutes are what I want to remember.  I love them.

Starch with Butter

I have been wanting some good old mashed potatoes for awhile now.  And I've wanted to try this particular recipe.  It just screams comfort food and I have wanted some comforting.  Plus, I have had the urge to be in the kitchen lately, thanks to all the Martha Stewart I've been watching lately I guess (don't hate).  You might think that that is fitting that I want mashed potatoes and that I should make them on Thanksgiving, but I am the Pie Girl.  I make pie, pie, pie. I don't even particularly like pie.  But that is my assignment so I do it.  Pie, pie, pie...no starches of any kind.

So I told my mom, "I am bringing mashed potatoes to Sunday dinner."

And then I made them.

They were warm-your-bones good (I think I just made that up).  So I say when all else fails, make yourself some piping hot potatoes with butter, cream cheese, and half and half.  Yes, just go all the way.  I am thankful for that.

Puffs

I have been absent for my blog for awhile now.  I hope my blog isn't too mad at me (sorry blog).  I was thinking in order to get back in the habit of posting, I should post something I'm thankful for, it being Thanksgiving next week and all.  And not just the home, health, county stuff, but the little things that actually make a small difference in my mostly mundane days.  Truth is, I have been not completely myself lately.  I think there is this thing called guilt that comes with having your own offspring???  Maybe feeling like you do nothing right?  That there's someone better for the job?  Well, if there is then I am feeling it.  I know it's not really rational, but it creeps in none the less.  And there is NO SUN.  This is a problem for me.  Anyway... so maybe really to pull myself out of it a little, I'll post something on this blog of mine that I've been neglecting (seriously, can I feel guilt over that too?) about a little something that makes my day better.

Okay, but now that I've typed it does that mean that I actually have to do it?  Hmm.  I guess we'll see.

That's my girl.  So something that really makes things a little easier these days, 

is something that is small.  Literally.

Those little cereal puffs.  She can eat them on her own and she LOVES them.

They get us through church and meetings and the grocery store and at home when she is bored and squawking at me (one of her favorite past times, squawking at her mother).

Yes.  I am thankful that my 9 month old can feed herself cereal.  That is what has become of me:)

My Little Kitten

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!