Texas Lou

I’m drowning in life and to-dos and I’m trying to remember to stay positive and practice gratitude.  So here’s some gratitude to keep me in the right frame of mind!

Today, I’m thankful for:

1. I’m thankful for the opportunity to travel a couple times this summer to help celebrate my brother and his fiance.  I’m very grateful to have extra childcare from my in-laws and husband to allow me to make this possible!
2. I’m thankful for my health.  Despite some injuries and illnesses lately, everything has been minor, and I’m so thankful to have good health.
3. I’m grateful for good influences in my life.  I have certain friends and family in my life who set such a good example for me as a person and parent and I’m grateful for them and their influence.
4. I’m so grateful for warm weather…FINALLY!
5. I’m thankful to feel like I’m emerging from the fog!  Though I still feel like I’m constantly busy and have a thousand things to do, I’m starting to feel like I’m managing the anxiety of being a working mom of 3 small children much better and no longer feel like I’m constantly living in a postpartum fog!

Happy day to you all!

Hola!  I’m keeping that spirit of gratitude alive!  Here are just a few of the things I’m grateful for today:

1. I’m grateful that my nephew was born safe and healthy and that my sister is recovering well after giving birth on Thursday!  I’m so excited to welcome a sweet new baby into our family!
2. I’m thankful for great mama friends who help me make it through the long days of motherhood!  On Friday, we had lunch with Amy and Roland and on Monday, we spent the day at Lindsey’s!  I’m happy I have good friends who have sweet children that my kiddos are becoming buddies with!
3. I’m thankful for a little warmth after a lot of cold!  We had temperatures in the 60s on Friday and it was a really nice break in between cold snaps!
4. I’m grateful for a husband who is a great handyman!  He’s always doing his best to fix things around the house so we don’t have to pay someone to do it!
5. I’m grateful for coffee!  I wake up every morning looking forward to the smell and taste of it and the caffeine definitely helps with the lack of sleep I’m getting due to middle-of-the-night feedings!

Have a happy day!

Hello and happy new year!  I meant to post last week but life is busy!  I’ve been trying to remember to be grateful and to teach my boys gratitude as well but nothing beats writing it down to really get in the gratitude mindset.  Here’s what I’m thankful for today:

1. I’m thankful for my job, my boss, my coworkers, and the amazing working environment they all create together.  Going back to work after having Auggie, while a bit sad, wasn’t very hard at all because of the people and place I came back to.  Everyone was so welcoming and being back feels almost like I wasn’t gone for 4 months!  Also, I’m so thankful to my work for the more than standard maternity leave with 4 months with Auggie and 6 months with Carter and Morgan.  I’m so blessed to work here!
2. I’m grateful for my husband who is quickly learning how to manage 2 toddlers and a baby by himself so that I can, on occasion, have “me” time.  I was able to go to dinner and a movie with friends last weekend and happy hour this week!  I feel like having that time really helps me recharge and be a better mommy.  Thanks Ben!
3. I’m so thankful for a break from the super cold weather we’ve had.  The temperature is in the 50s and 60s today and tomorrow.
4. I’m grateful for my 3 boys whose hugs and smiles always make me feel loved and bring me back to what’s important.
5. I’m grateful for my new work desktop and laptop.  They are making doing my job so much easier!

Happy day friends!

Well, it’s been a while since I last posted but I have a very good reason!  My sweet baby boy, August “Auggie” Asher Davidson was born a month ago! So clearly, I’ve been very busy but I also have so much to be thankful for!

1. I’m grateful that my baby boy was born healthy and he and I both made it safely through delivery.
2. I’m thankful that I have an AMAZING doctor and many awesome nurses, doctors, and hospital staff who got me through almost 10 months of an unexpected pregnancy with lots of support, love, and expertise!
3. I’m so grateful that a very scary complication that arose 5 days post part-em was taken care of quickly by more amazing doctors, nurses, and staff and that I made it through safely.
4. I’m so very grateful for my in-laws, Peter and Phyllis, and my mom for all the help they’ve provided over the past very difficult month with childcare, meals, cleaning, and moral support as we have figured out how to become a family of 5 and dealt with health issues.
5. Lastly, I am so grateful for all of the kind words, support, and advice of friends and family on becoming a mama of 3.  It has been a rough transition, much tougher than I expected, and everyone’s support has gotten me through it in much better shape and much more quickly than had we gone it alone.
6. Bonus: I’m grateful for my husband Ben for all of his support and help with the toddlers while I’ve been recovering and trying to breastfeed!  I’m a lucky woman to be married to him!

Love you all and I’ll try to post regularly, at least while I’m on maternity leave!

Good morning and welcome to Thankful Tuesday!

One thing I’ve been trying to do to make sure I express gratitude more often or when I don’t have time to post on this blog is to write a few things down that I’m grateful for each day in a little notebook I keep in my purse.  I’d say I remember/have time to do this about 3 times a week.  I have noticed that it seems to help me think more positively and have a happier outlook on all things.  I’ll hopefully continue to do that along with updating my “Thankful Monday” posts on this blog and occasionally practicing gratitude with my boys by writing what we’re thankful for on our kitchen chalk board.

Here are just a few things I’m thankful for today:

1. I’m grateful that Charlottesville now has an Alamo Drafthouse and I’m also thankful for a fun girls night out with Sarah, Lindsey, and Sherry to check it!  We went and saw the Dark Tower and had dinner at the theater and I was so excited and impressed with the new space!  Any time we get something like this here that reminds me of Texas, it makes Charlottesville feel a little more like home! 🙂  Bonus:  the owners are from Beaumont, Texas!
2. I’m thankful for Ben watching the boys and holding down the fort (doing dinner and bath/bed time on his own) so that I could enjoy possibly a last girls night for a while since the baby is supposed to come soon.  Thank you Ben for helping me have some “me time”.
3. I’m thankful I’m still feeling relatively well despite being between 37 and 38 weeks pregnant.  After my first pregnancy, I really had low expectations for feeling good (and still being pregnant) at this stage so I’m very glad that it hasn’t been torture like last time.
4. I’m grateful I *mostly* wrapped up a big project I’ve been working on for weeks last week before the baby arrives.  I was nervous about getting this project done in time especially since I had put so much work into it so having it finished has been a big relief!
5. I’m thankful for a fun pool day with friends and for my mama tribe!  Saturday, the boys and I spent a fun day at the pool with Sarah, Lindsey, and all the kiddos!  I probably wouldn’t have felt comfortable taking the boys to the pool by myself this late in my pregnancy so I’m glad Sarah and Lindsey were up for a fun play date to help us get out of the house.

Have a happy day!

Hi friends!  As usual, I have sooooo much to be thankful for!

1. I’m beyond grateful that my cousin Shelly delivered a healthy baby boy yesterday and both she and baby are doing well!  I’ve said many prayers for the two of them over the past few months and I’m grateful that they were answered!
2. I’m thankful my baby is still cooking!  I was having some seemingly early labor symptoms starting last week but luckily, it looks like he’s due to stay put for a little while longer.
3. I’m thankful for my amazing doctor!  Not only is she down-to earth, always available, and takes great care of Ben, the boys, and me, she also has been so responsive during my pregnancy.  She has commiserated with me and been acknowledging and supportive of the fact that I had a very traumatic pregnancy, pre-term birth experience, and post term experience last time and she’s been right there all along the way to calm my fears and go above and beyond to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to make this time around a much better experience for all involved!  I’m so grateful I found such a wonderful family doctor and I hope she’ll be with my family for many years to come!
4. I’m grateful for my husband and everything he does for us!  I nag him to do a lot for me and the boys, especially when pregnant, and I complain about him not doing things for us too much but he really is our knight in shining armor and has helped out so much.  I’m especially thankful for all that he did to get the house cleaned up this weekend to appease my nesting instincts and for getting out of bed last night to wipe up the floor and table from dinner after he’d forgotten.
5. I’m grateful for the opportunity to teach my boys gratitude and the joys of doing things for others.  This weekend, they got to pick out a gift for their baby brother to bring to him when they first meet him.  We also made brownies and we took some to their grandparents’ house to share.  And lastly, they wanted to color and play with stickers this weekend and on their own, they announced they were making their pictures to give to their grandparents.  Sometimes I worry that my attempt to teach them the good things is going in one ear and out the other and also being negated by the example of my bad habits that I’m always trying to make better, but then they do sweet things like this that make me feel like maybe we are all doing something right. 🙂

Lots of love and gratitude to you all!

Hi Friends!

I’m checking in for a dose of gratitude!

1. Today I’m thankful that this baby is still growing inside of me!  I’ve been pretty terrified about a repeat of premature birth from the beginning of this pregnancy so I’m extremely grateful that I’ve already made it 3 weeks longer than I did with my first pregnancy.
2. I’m grateful for a promotion!  I totally didn’t expect it, but my boss told me I was being promoted yesterday afternoon!  It was great to get good feedback on my performance and be reassured that I’ve been doing a good job at work!
3. I’m thankful for my mom.  She’s always there when I need advice and knows the perfect way to guide me.  I really hope I can do the same for my children.
4. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work at an amazing place with awesome people.  As a team building activity on Tuesday, I got to experience the Cville Escape Room with some coworkers.  Not only was it challenging and fun, but I was able to get to know some of my coworkers better outside the workplace.
5. Lastly, I’m grateful for life.  Sometimes I get down, but lately I’ve been thinking that I’m just lucky to be alive and get to experience a good life.  Even if things aren’t going my way, I can usually find something to look forward to and be grateful for.

Have a great day!

Hi friends!

Once again, I have so much to be thankful for!

1. I’m so grateful for amazing friends who love and care about me!  On Saturday afternoon, some of my closest girlfriends surprised me with a baby shower/luncheon.  I had no clue that they were planning it and thought I was just meeting a couple of girlfriends for an early dinner and movie.  I was overwhelmed by love and gratitude for this sweet gesture!  Whenever I am feeling down or distant from my friends, I need to remember times like these that prove how loved I am and what wonderful people I have in my life.
2. I’m thankful for good friends who make the effort to stay in your lives despite busy schedules and the chaos of raising children.  We have friends with twin kiddos around the boys’ age that we became close with over the past couple years.  Last summer, I was so sad to learn that they were moving to Florida.  However, we’ve kept in touch and they were in town visiting yesterday and we got to spend a great day with them!  We had coffee and play time at the park and lunch and ice cream in Crozet.  After the kiddos napped, our friends came over for dinner and more play time.  It was so nice to see our friends and I’m so grateful for the effort they have put in to stay close despite the geographical distance between us.  I hope we stay good friends for many years to come!
3. I’m thankful for my husband, my dad, and my father-in-law.  We celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday and while I try to remember to be grateful for these awesome men every day, the day is always a nice reminder to reflect on how much they do and have done for us.  I love you Dad, Ben, and Peter!
4. I’m grateful for exercise and the ability my body has to perform it.  I have been trying to exercise this pregnancy with occasional walking, light running, elliptical training, and some light weight training.  With my twin pregnancy and all the complications that came with it, exercise for me was pretty much non-existent.  However, since I’m just having one baby this time with hopefully a normal pregnancy, I’ve been trying to stay more physically fit, especially since I want to be able to keep up with my boys during pregnancy and after.  I’ve noticed that on the days I exercise, my pregnancy aches and pains are much less bothersome if not non-existent so I’m so thankful I am able to still be exercising in my third trimester.
5. I’m grateful for my husband.  He just gets me and it’s nice to have someone who gets you and knows you better than most people.  Thanks for being one of my people Ben and for never putting up with my bullshit!  I love you!

Have a grateful day!

Good morning friends!  I’ve been trying to be extra grateful lately!  I’ve been getting back into meditation and trying to remember to practice/teach gratitude with my boys.  We have a chalk board in our kitchen, and when I can remember, I ask them what we are thankful for that day and we write it on the board.  I’m hoping to raise them to always look on the bright side of things and practice gratitude regularly.  Here are a few things I’m grateful for today:

1. I’m thankful for a beautiful weekend spent outdoors!  Ben, the boys, and I did so much outside including a summer kick-off carnival at ACAC, 2 pool days with friends at ACAC, the Farmer’s Market, playing outside in our yard, going for walks in our neighborhood, putting up the umbrella on our deck and enjoying lunches and dinners outside, and spending an afternoon at the lake!  What a blast it was!  I hope my boys are learning to love the outdoors and I’m sure the vitamin D is doing us all some good!
2. I’m thankful for an easier pregnancy this time around.  While it certainly hasn’t been easy in the general sense of the word, for the most part, it has been easier than a twin pregnancy and I’m so grateful for that because here I am at 30 weeks and am still somewhat able to keep up with the boys and do lots of activities with them.
3. I’m so grateful for my boys!  Every day they are teaching me to be more patient and appreciate life more.  While I don’t always realize it in the moment, I am learning slowly that there is more to life than a clean house, checked-off to-do list, and TV at the end of the day.  I’m doing much better at going to bed with a living room full of toys on the floor and a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes.  While those things still bother me, the boys remind me constantly that I only have this time with them at this age once so I’m trying to soak it up more.
4. I’m so thankful for my baby.  I’m sure it is partially the hormones talking, but I am getting so excited about holding him and nursing him and seeing what he looks like.  I don’t remember feeling those things much with the boys because I was so focused on keeping them inside for longer and preventing premature birth that I didn’t have much time to get excited for them to be here.  I’m so glad that so far, according to my doctors, premature birth with this baby is looking less and less likely.
5. I’m grateful for good friends who help me be a better parent and reassure me that I’m on the right track.  I have some great friends who are traveling down this parenting road with me and if it weren’t for their help, support, reassurance, and great listening skills, I’d probably be in a much darker place about how I feel about my parenting.  Thank you friends for being there!

Have a great day!

Hi friends!

I have a weekend full of gratitude to share!

1. I’m thankful for my mom visiting this past weekend.  I know that it’s not always fun, easy, or cheap to travel so I’m extremely grateful when someone comes to visit, especially by plane.  As a matter of fact, when my sister and brother ask me what I want for Christmas, I usually say that I just want them to come visit!  I’m so thankful my mom was able to come and spend time with us.
2. I’m grateful for the amazing weather we had this past weekend.  It was so nice and warm out that mom, the boys, and I (and Ben)  got outside every day she was here.  We spent time at Fridays After Five, ate on the patio at The Bebedero, went to the City Market, shopped on the Downtown Mall, and played a bunch in our yard.
3. I’m thankful for my mom and her delicious home cooking.  Saturday night, she made us one of my favorites dishes, swedish meatballs, with green beans, strawberry, spinach, poppy seed salad, egg noodles, and apple cheddar jalapeno scones.  We also had apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream for dessert!  I’ve always loved my mom’s cooking and it is a treat when she cooks for Ben, the boys, and I.
4. I’m grateful for a mom who is a great role model for me as a mother and also a fun and amazing grandma to my boys.  Even though the boys don’t see her often since she lives in Texas, they always warm up to her right away.  It’s so important to me that they have a relationship with their family so I’m thankful for the people in my life who make the effort to make those relationships happen.
5. I’m grateful for my mom’s wisdom, knowledge, and smart advice.  I’ve had some financial things that I’ve needed to get in order for a while and mom helped me a bunch while she was here to get things organized and understand some financial information that I’ve been wanting to learn about.

Thank you mom for being amazing and being you!

Happy day friends!