Thankful Thursday - 145

Last week we were at the cabin and Dominic was really sick with a chest cold. This week we thought Emilia was coming down with the same cold. It looks like we may have escaped it. I'm wondering if she got antibodies from my breast-milk or something; still not entirely out of the woods, but it's looking better!. It's especially challenging with the horrible air quality we've been having. We have to keep all doors and windows closed to protect her little lungs. It's been stanky hot in here!

Still things to be thankful for this week if I just change my perspective...

1. Indoor activities to beat the smoke. The air quality here this week has been hazardous at a 10+ rating (whatever that means), so it's recommended we stay inside. Especially with a little baby. Tough to go from being outside all day every day at the cabin to being cooped up in our house!

First time in the jumper. Just hanging out!

Opa & Oma took Dom to Prince's (local grocery store in Oroville) on the really smoky day at the cabin and he picked out a couple toys. The buggy is one, which I brought to the grocery store yesterday with us. It was pretty darn adorable! I must admit, that he gave up halfway through and lifted his buggy into my big buggy and came and sat in the toddler seat. That made things MUCH quicker for me at the end. Grocery shopping took a solid 3x longer than it should have.

Dom spent some time in the dog food... only tried to eat one kibble. The rest of the time was spent scooping and pouring, and pretending to add craisins, sprinkles and almond slices to the food. I call it making potions. 

I tried to be a fun mom and make him a sensory bucket with rice. It took about 45 seconds for a whole cup of rice to be dumped all over the floor. I kept my cool and just cleaned up after haha!

2. An amazing vacation destination. Every year since I was a baby we've gone to the cabin in Oroville. We are so so blessed that my Opa & Oma had the foresight to purchase this property 25+ years ago. 

3. A Thoughtful Gift. Apparently David has been listening to me all these years! Gift giving is not my love language... at all. Right up there with physical touch! My first Mother's Day, David had appendicitis and we weren't able to celebrate. The second one, Emilia was just 4 days old so I was not in a go out and celebrate mood. David assured me that we would just postpone Mother's Day. Sounds good to me! Little did I know, he'd spent months compiling submissions from family and friends to put together a magazine for me. I'd share all the pages, but there are like 18 of them, so that's a bit much! I totally cried when he showed me. I'm not typically a crier about sentimental things like this. 

This is the absolute perfect Renee gift. Something that he put SO much thought and time and effort into. Between that and the beautiful words people shared about how they see me as a Mom... gentlemen, take notes! Best Mother's Day gift ever!

4. Great Laughs. The first night at the cabin it was just us and Scott & Ashleigh. We broke out a few drinks and played "What Do You Meme". I hadn't played it before, but it's sort of like Cards Against Humanity with pictures instead of a card. HILARIOUS! This was voted the winning match of the game (of course it was my card that won). 

"When you're cutting wrapping paper and the scissors start to glide"

HOW RELATABLE IS THIS! Haha! And the owls face... best.

5. Baby snuggles. Baby snuggles will never NOT make the Thankful Thursday posts. I got to visit Elissa the other evening and have some happy awake time with little Makenna who was 2.5 weeks old at the time. What a sweetheart! All these adorable happy babies! 

CHEEKS!! Her eyes are so dark already. I love it.

Okay, mostly awake time... Also, check out those arm rolls!

6. Nice Toddler Moments. Let's be realistic... Dom isn't always a good time lately. He's started up with his crazy unreasonable tantrums. Must remind myself of the sweet moments to keep me sane!

We went for a walk and he initiated holding hands! That is a first. Melted my heart. He's pointing to an airplane here.

He has had a major development boom and growth spurt the last two weeks or so. Lots of new words (No, Mommy, Grapes, Bless You, Tow Truck... to name a few), new behaviours, new communication and understanding. Super fun!

He loves his little sister so much. She was in her Bumbo the other day and he brought a book over and sat in front of her, seemingly to "read" with her.

He loves his cars, and has just started lining them up. Just like Henry, Katrina's oldest. 

He got to come get Emilia up from her nap with me for the first time. That smile is literally the face he has every time he sees her. <3 <3

And then there's this... turned our backs (I was feeding Em on the couch 4 feet from him) and lotion EVERYWHERE! We laughed it off. 100% our fault.