Thankful

Totally unrelated picture of Junior right before bath time (check out that Buddha belly!)

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Sam's relative good health considering he was mauled by a runaway dog today (le sigh). Apparently he got chomped on the neck while I was out running an errand and E was taking the dogs on a walk. It doesn't seem serious but we are getting it checked out by the vet tomorrow. I will happily spend money on my dog's well-being, especially because their lives have been pretty crazy the past few weeks too.

2. The Ergobaby carrier - this thing is amazing and pretty much the only place Junior will nap during the day. He doesn't seem fond of naps regardless, but as long as he is fed, burped, and changed, he will pass out in this thing for hours. I hope I'm building shoulder muscles.

3. This freakishly warm and snowless winter. It was 45 degrees today and sunny! I even ventured out in public! I'm starting to feel like a real human again! Exclamation point.

4. The end of my first week at home by myself. I did it! While some of the nights were brutal (thanks for keeping me up from 3-5 last night JR), we're getting into a groove during the daytime and I'm getting 6-7 hours of much-needed albeit broken sleep throughout the night. It took me a while to learn that you're not the worst parent in the world if your kid cries for 2 minutes while you go to the bathroom/stuff your face/run and get something to clean up his spit up.

5. Cheap Gerber "cloth diapers" really do make awesome burp cloths and for this I am glad.

6. The Rachael Ray show, Ellen, and the Pandora app on my iPhone. Oh, and the Baby Connect app. How else would I obsessively be able to track his every move?

7. Short term disability checks. Hell to the yeah!

8. Being able to spend time with Jr and watching him grow a little fatter everyday. This weekend he will be one month old! Amazing. I'm not ready to venture out in public with him yet but I definitely feel like I know a little more about this whole, "how to raise a child" thing. 

9. Spending some glorious time shopping tomorrow (Target, TJ Maxx, and probably groceries). I am too excited for this.

10. The camera on my phone. I love being able to take pictures at any time of day. It already seems like so long ago when we brought him home from the hospital, set his carseat on the floor, and thought "well, what now?" :). Plus I have some great incriminating videos for when he's a teenager.

11. My husband. From making me sandwiches during our first week home to staying up with me in a show of solidarity (during the crazy period where we decided to camp out on the couch with Jr 24/7 and sleep when he slept), it's great to have someone to support you.