The Little Things

Since, here in the U.S., this week is about giving thanks,  I’ve been thinking a lot about my life and all the blessings in it.  There are the obvious things, like food and shelter and clothing, the health of our family, and the fact that we live in freedom.  This list isn’t about that.  It’s about the small things that make life easier on a daily basis.  This is my “Mommy Is Thankful For” list:

1. Imaginative children. Caveman is never Caveman these days.  He is Batman, or Mr. Freeze, or The Flash stuck in bubblegum.  Sometimes he is a giant pickle (I have no idea).  We never know what we’ll get with him, and it makes things interesting.
2. NO MORE DIAPERS! Something clicked in Caveman’s mind and he is now diaper-free.  It feels GREAT!
3. It’s almost Christmas. This means I can use Santa to manipulate my kids into behaving.
4. Lifesaver Friends. When life gets overwhelming, they step in to ease the load.  Or they just pour the wine.  Either way, it helps.
5. On-demand television. Whether you get it from a streaming service or a DVR, the ability to turn on the show your child wants right when they want it (or when you need to cook dinner) is awesome and should not be taken for granted.
6. Slow Cookers. Is there anything better than having dinner cook itself?  If only they were self-cleaning . . .
7. Kid-friendly Apps that make dining out or doing anything that involves waiting less painful.
8. My dog. Yes, he sheds all over the floor, but he also eats all the food my kids drop.  I figure we’re even.
9. WiFi. I can sit outside watching the kids and play Words With Friends while updating Facebook and typing a paper.  Multitasking at its best.
10. The discovery that a soak in water and vinegar will remove the mildew smell from the clothes I accidentally left in the washing machine.   Try it—it works.
11. Children who sleep through the night in their own beds.
12. Three-year-olds who mostly still nap.
13. Baby wipes. Is there anything you can’t clean with a baby wipe?
14. MP3 players. I can play music I like that is appropriate for my kids, and I don’t have to worry that a DJ is going to say something I don’t want them repeating.
15. Children who like raw carrots and sugar snap peas. I can make anything a “complete” meal by tossing some raw carrots on the plate.
16. A great, reasonably priced babysitter. No, you can’t have her number—I might need her!
17. The public library. Free books, videos, and music, story times, and more.
18. Hair detangling spray. I doubt we’d ever make it to school without it.
19. Microwaves. I know people once lived without them, I just don’t know how.
20. Princess’s smile. When she smiles, it’s not just her mouth—she smiles with here entire face, and her eyes light up.  You can’t be in a bad mood when she smiles.

For those of you celebrating, I hope that you have a wonderful, busy, Thanksgiving filled with family that drives you crazy and too many carbs.  If you were making your “Mommy” list, what would you include that I left out?