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| Baby Alina's very first Thanksgiving. She's now standing! |
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| Sweet Thanksgiving moments |
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| Elise having fun with her Play-doh |
This year, we have so much to be thankful for. I think it is often easy to lose sight of just how special each and every moment is, especially when working full-time and trying to just keep up with the day-to-day hustle of raising young children and maintaining a functioning household. Admittedly, there have been many times that I find myself overwhelmed and frusterated, because I have a constant to-do-list embedded in my brain and some days when the routine isn't running smoothly it's easy to feel defeated. However, when I sit back and think about all the things our family has to be grateful for, it puts any little routine complaint in perspective.
First off, I am thankful for the little moments of wonder that make raising kids so special. It's been these moments that have most captured my heart. Elise coming up and saying, "I love you mommy/daddy/baby sissy" or simply expressing one of her favorite phrases, "I'm happy", with a huge smile and love flashing in her eyes. Alina cooing and babbling, and staring up at me with those adorable babydoll eyes and precious toothless grin as if to say, "you're doing everything right mommy" and "my little heart is content". Moments like these are what we are most thankful for; just knowing that our two girls feel immensely loved and want to share that feeling with us.
I am thankful for our new family of four! With the long awaited arrival of little Alina, our family now feels complete. I am especially thankful that she is such a healthy and happy little girl. I am also quite thankful that I have the chance to once again experience the joys a new baby brings. I'm thankful that Elise is the BEST big sister imaginable and that daddy is truly one-of-a-kind and loves his three girls with all his heart.
I am thankful for each and every person in our lives. Not just our wonderful family and relatives, but friends and those that we choose to accompany us in life, simply because we enjoy their presence and desire to share special moments with them. Our family is shaped by those around us, and we are incredibly thankful for all of you bringing special significance to our lives.
I am thankful for the grandparents! I don't say this enough, but they (all four of them) are incredible people and very involved in our daughters lives. Elise LOVES taking turns visiting both her grandparents every Friday. She looks forward to it all week long, and gets so excited waiting for them to pick her up in the morning. When the doorbell rings she immediately squeals with excitement! I'm sure Alina will feel the same once she is old enough to start making full day visits. I know that spending time with my grandparents brought some of my absolute best childhood memories. I am thankful that our girls will have the opportunity to build a close bond with their grandparents.
Lastly, I am thankful for all the Thanksgiving turkeys. You poor souls give your life, so we can enjoy a delicious meal. PETA may hate me for this, but I could never imagine a Thanksgiving without turkey!
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| Enjoying our Thanksgiving family dinner |
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| More Thanksgiving sweetness |
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| Our beautiful three-month-old doll, Alina |
