Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful everyone is feeling better.  Kase and Kael had runny noses/coughs at the beginning of the week which they lovingly passed on to Kylee and me. Seems like we're all on the mend just in time for the weekend.

I'm thankful Kent and Kael had their first successful baseball practice last night. Pirates!

I'm thankful for the soup my mom brought for Kase and me when we weren't feeling well yesterday.

I'm thankful that Ankeny Little League has finally sent and confirmed this season's schedule.  My Type A, overly-organized personality can hardly handle another schedule change.  Nor can my calendar.

I'm thankful for a lazy, rainy day.  Also thankful for Monsters, Inc. on the DVR- Kase runs up and grabs his blanket, runs back down, sits in front of the couch and says, "Mikey Sully please? Sit right here, Mommy," as he points to the spot next to him.  Irresistible.

I'm thankful for my regular pediatrician.  She was booked on Wednesday when I decided to take Kase in so we saw another doctor.  She was....fine.  Just, only fine.

I'm thankful that I spent Kase's naptime baking (my grandma's recipe) Friendship Bread.  The house smells wonderful and I feel better serving that to my kids for snack time then a box of snack crackers.  Plus, are you dying at how cute that spatula shaped like a finger is!? Perfect for licking the bowl clean! ;)

Speaking of, I'm sure I didn't realize it at the time, but I'm so thankful that my mom was a stay-at-home mom.  I remember opening the door after school and walking in to the smell of fresh baked cookies.  Not every day, but often, she had the best treats for us (chocolate mousse, am I right, Mandy and Tammy?!)  And now that I'm a mom, I realize how important those first few moments after school are.  I hear more from Kael and Kylee in those five minutes after school then I do the entire rest of the day.  I can see their mood, I can tell if anything is wrong, I hear everything from who sat by who at lunch to how the substitute pronounces her last name ("It's Donna-hoo, not Donna-hue") to who has the longest hair in the grade now.  And I LOVE it.  I think the fact that I babysit after school only adds to it- the kids are often like, "Hey, G, remember when I saw you on my way to PE today? I totally waved at you," or "Almost all the boys got in trouble today.  But not Kael.  I don't think he was part of it." I so appreciate their inside scoop and believe me, I realize how valuable this will continue to be as the kids get older. 

I'm thankful I got to spend a little time this morning with one of my favorite nephews.  He and Kase are buddies. 

I'm thankful Kent's brothers came for dinner on Tuesday night and that they didn't mind eating spaghetti (aka the World's Messiest Toddler Meal) with us. Bonus points for them sticking around to watch Frozen with us. Double bonus points (quadruple points?) for singing along to "Let It Go". 

I'm thankful Kent's grandparents are coming down tonight.  Kent is anxious to show his grandpa all the work we've he's done in the basement and hear his grandpa's opinion on our next step.  The kids are just excited because they know that means we'll get to go out for dinner. 

I'm thankful that I finally got around to changing the picture next to my "About Me" section of this blog.  Previously, it was a picture of Kent, myself, Kael and Kylee circa 2010. That's waaaay pre-Kase.  

I'm thankful that I have filled yet another wall in this house.  I know.  Get excited.  I found some cute Eat, Drink, Be Merry printables about a year and a half ago via Pinterest and never had the right frames for them.  My mom was Goodwill-ing a bunch of stuff the other day and I snagged a frame from her before it got donated.  

I'm thankful Kael and his BFF are back on good terms.  A couple days ago, some things were said, feelings were hurt (mostly Kael's) and I was worried how it would all play out since the friend lives so close to us and we see him every.single.day.  I know this is a normal thing.  Kids change friends. Feelings get hurt.  I get it.  But Kael doesn't.  His perception and understanding of social situations make it so very difficult for him. (Anyone see Parenthood last week? Like that. Exactly like that.) Kael suggested that I text his friend's mom. How can I explain to Kael that I can't make kids be friends with him? And how can I tell him that without breaking his heart?  My heart aches just thinking about it.

I'm thankful/anxious for Kylee's first gymnastics meet coming up this weekend! Seeing her try on her leotard last night made me so excited for her.  However, it made Kent ask, privately, to me, later in the evening, "Do you think it was big enough? Like, was there enough material?"  I died laughing.  He should be thankful she's not a dancer- a lot of their costumes have a lot less material! And what is he going to say about some of the clothes she chooses when she's fifteen?

I'm thankful that when I just double checked dictionary.com for the spelling of something, the word of the day was "plash" defined as "a gentle splash". I can't wait to use that all summer long.

Lastly, I'm evidently thankful for parentheses. This post must have hit a record as far as parentheses usage goes.  Perhaps it's time I learn to properly punctuate around them...

Happy Thursday, all!