Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for a lot of little, perhaps superficial, things.

I am thankful for Pretty as a Princess Dance Camp.  While it hasn't quite lived up to my expectations, Addie seems to love it and it has allowed me to have 14-plus hours to myself this week.  I have been able to conquer our mountain of laundry, scrub our kitchen floor to a gleam, go shopping in peace, shave my legs and go to the bathroom without an audience, vacuum the entire house, make at least one dinner, bake apple banana bread, enjoy silence.

I am thankful for 30 percent off at Kohl's.  While the coveted coupon did afford my husband a new pair of shoes and get my daughter two Christmas presents, it reminded my that while pregnant and shopping, stick to handbags and jewelery.

I am thankful for a dinner around our table, just the three of us.  We all ate and liked what I cooked (that in itself is a feat) and had a few minutes just to be together.

I am thankful for my apple green three ring binder in which I have finally organized all the recipes that I have collected from magazines and the Internet - it makes figuring out meals so much easier (thanks for inspiration, Colin and Liz!).

I am thankful for the changing table I found on uberclearance at Target - the first step in getting the baby's room ready for her arrival.

I am thankful for ten minute checkups where I get to hear the sweet sound of the littlest lady's beating heart.

I am thankful to be heading out to a fancy steak dinner tonight at Jeff Ruby's.  Special thanks to Cincinnati restaurant week for making this an affordable option this week and to Kim and Rick for watching Addie so that we can eat in peace.  Maybe I'll wear some fancy new jewelery.

I am thankful for my husband who has been working tirelessly on our basement bar.  Sure I don't know the ins and outs of building one, but I have been really amazed watching Andy toil over it.  He, and we, have spent ours planning and doing - and it's almost done.

I am thankful for a weekend with no plans - I have trip to the Berkshires right around the corner and Andy's Football draft is about to invade my house, a quiet weekend is the perfect way to prepare.

Finally, I am thankful for my four year old.  She's had a hard couple of days, er weeks.  She had definitely discovered her inner diva and is attempting to redefine drama mama.  But yet, there are moments when I see that she is still just a baby - like this morning when she genuinely was crying over spilt milk.  And although she has been trying my patience and fraying my nerves, I will always be thankful for her.