I thought I'd assemble all my thankfulness into one post for easy reading. Here are the things I've been thankful for in November.
I'm thankful for...
November 1 - Mittens (it was cold walking around on a site visit!) and my paycheck (woo, payday!)
2 - ABC televising the Badger-Hawkeye game so we cable-less folk could watch it at home.
3 - Nick's desire to do more cooking that has taken some pressure off me, especially because Iris has been very clingy lately. Also, Nick doing most of the raking.
4 - Having a former mentor happy to start mentoring me in a new area (in this case, picking up stained glass as a hobby).
5 - Daycare teachers who are patiently able to deal with Felix when he's having a rough day (or week), and parents who make a brief visit to lighten up a dreary day.
6 - Felix having a better day and still being sweet and innocent (I asked him what kind of flower he would like to be and he answered "pink rose").
7 - The kids being well-behaved for me when Nick came home late. And for Iris saying "baa" at the end of Moo Baa Lalala just like Felix did at her age ("It's quiet now. What do you say?")
8 - Job flexibility that allows me to come home from work early and get a lot done without the kids around.
9 - Badger home games, tailgating, and visiting with friends.
10 - Not having lots to do when both kids are under the weather.
11 - Having an all-too-rare time playing and laughing all together in the basement. Getting smiles from both kids in their daycare pictures.
12 - Having a job where I can take off easily if a kid gets sick, like Iris did this afternoon.
13 - The beautiful sunrise and sunset I saw going to and leaving work. Having an easy but busy day.
13/14 - The NoseFrida, without which Iris wouldn't have slept at all last night. And my strong stomach to use it.
14 - The Doctor Who mini-episode that was released today! Iris not having to come home early from daycare, because I had a lot to do at work today. Cough drops which soothe my sore throat.
15 - A few hours to myself and this sunset when I picked up the kids:
16 - A nice, quiet day when the weather was lousy and everyone was a bit under the weather. The Badger victory.
17 - Getting no more than a little hail during a tornado watch. Play dates for Felix with his friend Lucas.
18 - Nick finding a decent replacement car. The kids behaving for when when Nick was gone all evening. Iris going to bed nicely (even getting annoyed if I stick around in her room too long).
19 - Having the ability to take a walk and not freeze (yet), and being able to hide unwrapped presents for the kids under our bed in plain view.
20 - Earning some easy overtime (some of it while reading a book at a coffee shop :o), and making it home safely.
21 - Nick's new car (a used Ford Fusion), the great big Thanksgiving lunch at work, and Iris being in the best mood in which she's been in quite a while.
22 - The bit of snow we got melting quickly, getting a lot done at home, and The Magic School Bus keeping Felix entertained while learning.
23 - Getting our Christmas decorations up quickly inside and out, but not spending too much time outside. A peaceful moment that included fresh Chex Mix, a crackling fire, the Badger game on the radio, and the kids napping.
24 - Being able to spend an hour at the Children's Museum this morning and becoming members. It's a stretch, but not losing to the Vikings...
25 - My car making it through the first of the crappy winter-weather drives without being hit. Hot homemade hard apple cider.
26 - Long chats with good friends far away and the technology that makes the distance disappear.
27 - A place close by that serves breakfast when I forget mine at home.
28 - Iris having the ability to eat so much her tummy was taut. Getting to see lots of family on Thanksgiving day.
29 - Iris saying W ("daiu") as one of her first dozen-odd words, recognizing the Badger W and Bucky everywhere. The kids getting lots of 1-on-1 time with their Nana.
30 - Seeing lots more family. Surviving all the drives. The good weather we had all three days.
November was a good month. We opened the month with Nick recently starting his new job and ended with a road trip over three days to visit both sides of our family.
Iris has become very adept at telling us what she wants. Just shy of 15 months old, she says cracker, water, ball, please, and hat regularly and unprompted. She signs more and please, and has started doing thank you as well. If you ask her which book she wants, she will stab at it with her hand. Although sometimes she follows this up by pushing it away as though she can't stand the sight of it. Her favorite books at the moment are Go Badgers! (yay! - she points to all Bucky and Ws she sees), Moo Baa Lalala, and her Care Bear books.
Felix has turned a corner, so to speak. He hasn't had very many potty accidents since he returned to daycare full time. Nick wakes him up in the middle of the night to go, to get him in the habit there as well. His behavior has improved also. He's got a sticker chart at daycare that he started on 11/6. So far, he's only had two days where he didn't earn a sticker. Not too shabby.
Felix: 4 yrs & Iris: 14 mos
This month flew by! We decided to join the Madison Children's Museum as members, and have made a couple trips there. Both kids enjoy it, and we'll be doing that a lot this coming year. We spent a weekend morning with a few of Nick's new coworkers and their families, making Christmas cookies. It was nice to put names to faces. Unfortunately, we've had our share of colds and other sicknesses. 'Tis the season, I suppose. Things just keep getting passed from one person the next, and once again back to me, it seems. I hope our bodies will adjust to the constant barrage of viruses soon.
