THANKFUL THURSDAY - On Friday

Isn't it sad that I have a standardized title for my day-late Thankful Thursday posts? Guess that's just another thing I have to be thankful for. Less work to post late. So, here are a few more things that gladden my heart today:

[1] I am SOOO thankful that it's almost bedtime because I feel like that Beatles song, "I'm soooo tired. I haven't slept a wink. I'm soooo tired. My mind is on the blink. I wonder should I get up and fix myself a... " No no Ok, not that part but the rest. Brian and Michael haven't been sleeping well because of their soon-to-be-fixed (hopefully) obstructive sleep apnea. I feel fuzzy... like I could literally curl up and fall asleep in a chair (like Brian did in this pic). It's sort of like the tenet, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" except for mothers of young or sick kids, it's, "if babies ain't sleepin', Mama ain't sleepin'." Am I right? Show of hands.



[2] Thankfully, I was able to spend the last 2 days at an absolutely wonderful conference on Best Practices in Educating Children With Down Syndrome run by the Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation (http://dsafonline.org/). Like many folks, we're pretty well spent these days but an organization called LIDDSO (Long Island Developmental Delays Services Organization... I might not have gotten that completely right) footed the bill so that I could attend. I got SO much out of this conference including valuable hands-on ideas and information to help further Brian's and Michael's educations as well as invaluable networking with local Moms and professionals who know everything I need to know about services for the boys and how to access them.


[3] I'm grateful that an organization like Weight Watchers (http://weightwatchers.com/) exists and that it's working for me once again (like it did 15 years ago)... albeit more slowly this time around. -8 and counting. I won't ever be ready for a bikini but I hope to be in better bathing suit shape by summer.


[4] I'm thankful that my boys are who they are. I've said this before but I can't tell you enough how very lucky I feel that Brian and Michael are so absolutely amazing and wonderful and healthy and doing so well in spite of their Down syndrome.



[5] I'm grateful that we seem to have survived another spell of strong-headed, 7-year-old, I-can-do-what-I-want, independent-streak behaviors that are truly unpleasant as parents. Olivia appears to be coming back into her old pleasant self and I'm happy for it.



[6] I'm especially thankful for my beautiful new niece, Kylie Rachelle, who was born around midnight on Wednesday. I'm thankful that my SIL survived the labor and c-section. I'm thankful that all are doing well now and can't wait to see the newest member of our family. Olivia and her Daddy went to see the new baby this evening but I had to stay home with the boys because of this darn lingering cold/cough (probably caught because my immune system has been down from lack of sleep.)

And, finally,

[7] I'm grateful that the snow didn't stick this morning on this first day of Spring. Not what I expected at all... but it turned out ok. It can only get better from here, right?



That said, it's bedtime for me and the boys. Early to bed and late to rise makes Mommy a very happy girl! And, the flip side of what I said earlier is also true, "If Mama's happy, every one's happy!"