TIME FOR A BLOG SALE!!

Well...after many, MANY weeks of nesting and cleaning out closets, I have finally gathered all of my cutest clothing and accessory items together for a BLOG SALE!!! In case you are not familiar, a Blog Sale is like an online garage sale...but with way cuter stuff :-) I have set up a separate blog for this sale so be sure to check it out when you have time! I have lots of great tops, jeans, dress pants, shoes and sweaters for sale from fabulous places like JCrew, Ann Taylor LOFT, Banana Republic, GAP, Kate Spade and more!! All the instructions for how a Blog Sale works are outlined on my page. Happy Shopping everyone!!

Oh...here is just a little taste of what I have for sale :-)

And the Winner Is...

I know Addie has always been my "winner picker", but with 59 fabulous comments, I didn't have the time to print each one, cut them up, fold them in a cute basket, etc. So I used what other master blogger giveaway hosts use...Random.org. I am pretty much in love with this site now and might use it to settle all of my indecisions :-) 

Anyway, without further ado, the winner is commenter #30...

Heather from Life with the Walkers!

Congrats Heather!!!! Please e-mail me your shipping address to adailydoseofdavis@gmail.com.

Thanks for entering everyone! I plan to do an indoor activity post with all the great suggestions I got from this giveaway! Have a happy hump day!

Last Chance!!!

To enter my fabulous giveaway from AllChildrensFurniture.com! Just to refresh your memory, one lucky reader will win this Gidecraft Paper Center...

AND a container of Melissa & Doug Triangular crayons!!!!

Be sure to leave a comment on my original giveaway post and/or become a follower by midnight tonight!! I will announce the winner first thing tomorrow! Good luck everyone!!

One Letter at a Time

Today I am fresh out of fun post ideas because I was busy, busy, busy. But I have been wanting to do this post ever since I saw it on my friend Heather's blog. So...here goes!

One Letter at a Time...

A - Age: 28 (will be 29 on the 11th!)

B - Bed Size: Queen and I hate it. We NEED a bigger bed but Eric likes to snuggle...and so does Howie :-)

C - Chore you hate: Laundry. I absolutely hate doing laundry. The sorting, folding, steaming, putting away, etc. Plus, as soon as I feel caught up, there is another huge pile. It NEVER ends!

D - Dog's name: Howie (or Howard when he is bad)

E - Essential start your day item: Coffee...even decaf does the trick.

F - Favorite color: Red

G - Gold or Silver or Platinum: White gold for sure

H - Height: 5'9

I - Instruments you play: I can play a little piano...not much though

Job Title: Super Mom and College English Teacher

K - Kid(s): Addison (18 months) and Blake (arriving this December!)

L - Living arrangements: We own our dream house :-)

M - Mom's name: Janice (Jan)

N - Nickname(s): Eric calls me Jatti (which is a combo of both our mom's names, Jan and Patti). He does this when I worry or freak out about anything :-) Oh, and my Aunt Lori calls me Jen Ball. Not sure when or why that started.

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Once for a kidney stone. That really sucked.

P - Pet Peeve: I have a million, but my biggest pet peeve is hypocrisy. If you are a controlling person, it really isn't fair to call someone else controlling. It all goes back to the old expression the "pot calling the kettle black". 

Q - Quote from a movie - "Can I refill your eggnog Eddie? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" Chevy Chase in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

R - Right or Left handed: Right

S - Siblings: Two younger brothers, Ryan and Adam

T - Time you wake up: That all depends on Addie. Most days, 6:30 a.m.

U - Underwear: Victoria Secret cotton bikini (full coverage)

V - Vegetable you dislike: Raw broccoli

W - Ways you run late: I was never a late person until I had a baby. Now I seem to be perpetually 5-10 minutes late.

X - X-rays you've had: Geez...my shoulder (broke when I was 11), my back (hurt my coccyx..he he), my ankles/feet (several times for dance), and I know there is more but I can't think of them. I am very accident prone.

Y - Yummy food you make: I make a mean parmesan chicken.

Z - Zoo favorite: I like Zebras, and looking at any kind of fish (I just don't like swimming with them).

Well that was fun! Sorry for the lack of creativity tonight friends :-) Hope you all had a nice Monday!

Need an Excuse to Use Your Trifle Bowl?

This post is about a week overdue, since I made this scrumptious trifle for my father-in-laws birthday last weekend. But because a few of my bloggy/internet friends have been talking about trifle's lately, I thought it was a good time to share one of my FAVORITE trifle recipes:

The Chocolate Covered Strawberry Trifle

This recipe is SUPER simple to make and it is delicious (and low-fat if you can believe it!) 

You need:

* 1 Angel Food Cake cut into 1 inch cubes

* 1 box of instant chocolate pudding prepared (choose sugar-free for low-fat)

* 2 16oz containers of Cool Whip (choose sugar-free for low-fat)

* 2 containers of fresh strawberries, sliced

Layer the above ingredients as follows:

* One layer of Angel Food Cake cubes (about half the cake)

* One layer of Cool Whip (use one container)

*One layer of sliced strawberries laying flat

* One layer of sliced strawberries standing up against the side of the glass.

* One layer of chocolate pudding (the pudding will mix with the strawberry layer)

* Another layer of Angel Food Cake cubes (other half of cake)

* Another layer of Cool Whip (other container)

Finish off the top with sliced strawberries.

See...easy peasy! My father-in-law loves Angel Food cake and strawberries so I thought this would be a nice twist. So what did everyone think?

Well...after we sang "Happy Birthday" (Nia's favorite part)...

And grandpa blew out his candle...

The kids performed their taste test...

Looks like a bunch of satisfied customers to me! 

Anyone else have a great trifle recipe? I love using my trifle bowl and trying new recipes. I did just find a recipe for a pumpkin trifle so I will be sure to post that recipe once I give it a try. That is...if I can find any canned pumpkin!! Was there a recall or something?

26 Weeks & Big Old Belly

I noticed today that my pregnancy countdown ticker says 97 days left!!! I am in the double digits!! I know these next three months are going to fly by, especially with the holidays right around the corner. But I am trying to really enjoy this part of my pregnancy because now that Blake is the size of an eggplant...

I can feel ALL of his kicks and movements. His favorite time to kick is when I am holding Addie. It's like he already knows to pick on his big sister. Ha!

And my belly is growing bigger by the day. I am amazed at the difference just from my 24 week picture! And I still have 3 more months to go. AH!!!

But the cute/fun things about having a bigger belly are:

* People actually know I am pregnant now, instead of just wondering if I ate one too many salami sandwiches :-)

* Eric sees that I am bigger and therefore more uncomfortable so the back rubs and foot rubs come more freely :-)

* And best of all...Addie is noticing my bigger belly and she loves rubbing and kissing it. I am not sure that she understands that there is a baby in there, but she is interested nonetheless :-)

Well I hope you all have a FANTASTIC weekend! I get to teach, clean, relax and attend another bridal shower. Hopefully the weather will be better than it is today. Oh, and if you haven't already done so, be sure to enter my GIVEAWAY!!! Happy Friday everyone!

Strike Three...I'm Out!

Every year, as my birthday approaches, my family starts asking me what I want. The funny thing is...I can think of a million little things I want or need throughout the year but as soon as my birthday approaches...my mind goes blank. BUT...this year I decided to write a couple of things down over the past month so that I have some ideas to give people when they ask. One thing I knew I needed was more of my Origins face cleanser. I have used their "Get Down Deep" cleanser for a while and I love it.

So what's the problem? Well...Origins NO LONGER MAKES IT! It is out of stock everywhere I looked online so unless I get lucky in a store that still has a tube lying around...I am going to have to pick a new cleanser. Boo! Strike 1 for my birthday wish list.

No worries though...I have two other items on my wish/need list. I also wrote down that I needed my calendar refill for my planner (you know...the custom one my mom made me to fit my Franklin Covey spiral bound clutch size calendar?)

Um...yeah. THEY NO LONGER MAKE THAT SIZE!!! I just can't believe it! I have used this same calendar for 4 years and it is the perfect size for my purse. I know there are billions of calendars out there and I am sure I will find another. But I really loved this one :( Strike 2 for my birthday wish list.

So...with those two other gifts out of the way, I decided that if I only had one big gift to ask for, it wouldn't hurt to put my coveted Anthrolopogie sweater on my list right? I even went to Anthropologie with my SIL to try this sweater on in person last weekend (they didn't have my size or desired color or trust me...I probably would have bought it then. ha!).

Well, after both my mom AND Eric said they would get me the sweater for my birthday, I anxiously jumped online to send them a link to the color and size I wanted. And surprise, surprise, my size and color are BACKORDERED for two months. I know that it may still get here before Christmas, but we will already be into winter by then and I really wanted to enjoy it this fall too. So that is a big strike 3 for my birthday wish list.

And damn it...I really thought I was doing so good!! The only other thing on my list that my SIL  has already taken care of for me is a pair of SPANX (I wanted a pair for after the baby comes). Gotta love Dana...she is so thoughtful and practical :-)

Anyway, I just wanted to complain about my failed birthday list. Has this ever happened to any of you? You finally think of things you would like or need for your birthday or Christmas but when the time comes...you can't find them? Anyone have any good birthday ideas for me? Can you think of any products I need...but just don't know it yet?

Teething Bites

I was hoping to come up with a very fun post tonight about all the great indoor activity ideas that all of you have been posting under my giveaway. Addie and I tried a few of them today because she was a very cranky baby. 

Like the worrier I am, I assumed she was getting sick. But then when I consulted my group of go-to moms (i.e. my Mom, SIL, MIL and cousin-in-laws), I discovered that she might be cutting her 2-year molars. AHHH! NOT AGAIN! The first set of molars took about two weeks to cut. Two weeks of messy diapers, bad naps and one cranky little peanut. And when I think back to this week, she has been acting the same (rubbing her little cheeks and all). So now I feel bad because I kept telling everyone she was entering the "terrible twos" today. Poor little bugger...she just had a tooth ache!

So tomorrow, I am going to try and do all of her favorite outdoor activities to keep her mind off those nasty little teeth. If the rain holds off, I think we will try to make it to the park, scribble with sidewalk chalk, chase Howie around the backyard and eat some ice cream for a treat. Since we already covered what you all like to do indoors, I thought maybe we could reflect on some of those great outdoor activities that we will be missing in a few months. Share away friends...I may need the ideas :-)

Review & GIVEAWAY TIME!!

When I woke up this morning and looked outside, I was thrilled to see that it was raining because that meant Addie and I could finally test out her new clamp-on paper center and crayons!!! All I had to do was say the word "crayon" and she started screaming and jumping up and down :-)

The screaming continued while I clamped the roller on her table and I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was to assemble and put into use. This isn't always the case with kid's toys and I was happy this one was so easy, especially since the screaming was loud...and in my ear. Ha!

I actually sat across the table from Addie and colored with her. It's funny how the things you loved to do as a kid are just as much fun when you are doing it with your own :-) OH...and do you see how the crayons are not rolling off the table?!! That is probably my favorite feature.

And here we are cleaning up after we finished our masterpiece. Don't get too excited...she wasn't really "cleaning up"...she just liked putting the crayons in their cute little case :-)

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by both products. As I said, the Guidecraft Clamp On Paper Center was super easy to assemble and clamp to the table. Although I did not take pictures, I did try it on our kitchen and dining room tables and it worked like a charm. 

Also, I was very impressed by how sturdy it was. Even when I was unrolling the paper and cutting it to clean up, the paper center stayed in place. This was an especially nice feature because Addie gave it a few tugs herself and it didn't budge.

And speaking of not budging, the Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons held up their end of the bargain as well! The first thing Addie did when I handed her the case was dump it upside down. With other crayons, this would have surely resulted in me on all fours trying to crawl under a kiddie table. But not this time! The crayons all stayed put, which is more than I can say for Addie's scribbles. We missed the paper on more than one occasion, but luckily all it took was a baby wipe and we were good as new! I heart washable crayons :-)

So...have I sold you on these items yet? If I haven't, maybe the price will seal the deal for you. As I said in my previous post, I found these fantastic items at AllChildrensFurniture.com. This site has everything from toys, to bedding, to kids chairs! You can find both of the items I reviewed under playtime/arts and crafts. When you get there, I am sure you will be as shocked as I am to find that this awesome paper center is only $9.99!!! And the crayons are only $3.50!!!

Even though these prices are unbeatable (literally...I checked), the wonderful folks at AllChildrensFurniture.com are letting me give away both FOR FREE to one lucky reader! That's right...one lucky reader will win:

 The Guidecraft Clamp On Paper Center

and a case of...

Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons!

Just in time for Christmas! It is super easy to enter. Just follow these instructions:

1. Leave a comment on this post sharing one indoor activity that you like to do with your kids (or nieces, nephews, grandchildren, godchildren, etc.) and you will be entered into the giveaway 1 time.

2. Become a follower and leave a second comment letting me know you joined my blog and you will be entered 1 additional time :-) (If you are already a follower, leave a second comment anyway so that I can count your chance to win)

3. Post about my giveaway on your blog and include this sentence within the post (or on your side bar) including the links.

A Daily Dose of Davis is hosting a fantastic toy giveaway sponsored by AllChildrensFurniture.com, who carries everything from kids chairs to toys! Hurry...giveaway ends September 29th!

If you post and add this information, you will be entered 1 additional time (just be sure to leave a third comment letting me know if you will be posting about the giveaway).

And that's it! 3 possible chances to win and you have a week to enter. Just remember that this giveaway ends September 29th at midnight. I will announce the winner on Wednesday the 30th. Good luck everyone!!!!

* Please note that this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Thank you!

You Know You're Getting Old When...

* You eat dinner at 4:30 p.m.

* You contemplate going to bed at 8:00 p.m.

* You forget your phone number

* You ask for a new bath robe for your birthday

* You drive in the car in silence (no radio, no cell phone, etc.) because you have already heard enough noise for the day.

* You walk through Target with food on your face (and your pants) and no one says anything.

* You have to pee at least eleven times a day

* And last but not least, you know that no matter how tired you are, you will be up again by 6:00 a.m. (6:30 a.m. if you are lucky)

Looking back at the list, I guess it is a little hard to tell if I am getting old...or if this is just a normal day for all pregnant, SAHMs like me. Ha! Anyone else experience any of these things today? 

Good TV is Back!!

In class Friday night, I was talking to a few of my female students about some of the shows I am dying to watch this week. I have to be honest...I have really been missing TV lately! Anyway, as I was listing off all the shows I personally watch, one of my other students chimed in and said "Wow Mrs. Davis...you watch a lot of TV." I felt a little guilty at the point and wondered if maybe I did watch a little too much TV. But then I realized that I don't have to justify my TV addiction to a punk 18-year-old...I am an adult! With TiVo! Hahaha!

Anyway, instead of listing all the shows I will end up watching this week, I will just list the three that I am most excited about.

1. Ghost Whisperer

Don't worry...I am not going to bore all of you with another long Ghost Whisperer post. But I am dying to see when Melinda has her baby. As you all know, she married Jim/Sam during the season finale and she was 6 months preggers. I am hoping we jump right to the baby delivery and skip all the adorable picture of her skinny ass in maternity dresses :-)

2. Grey's Anatomy

The season finale was pretty dramatic and I have scoped all the spoilers out there and it is pretty obvious who has died and who is returning. So I am not so concerned about that anymore. BUT...I would like to know when Mer and Der will finally tie the knot. I am hoping they did while we were on summer break, but we will see :-)

3. Dancing with the Stars

Personally, I am most excited to watch Kathy Ireland. She is so freaking gorgeous and I have a feeling she is going to be a pretty good dancer. It should be a fun season. I know Eric is looking forward to seeing a bit more of his leading lady too. Ha!

What shows are all of you most excited to watch this week? Are you a closet TV junkie like me at night?

Happy Birthday Grandpa Davis!!

Today is my father-in-law Steve's birthday and I am SO excited to write this post because I have been waiting for a reason to post this adorable family pic from Eric's archives. Gotta love the 80s :-)

From the beginning, Steve has always been a family man. He played Super-Dad to two amazing kids (who turned out to me by best friend and husband). And now, he is busy playing Super-Grandpa to a bunch of amazing grandkids. And like I said before, the man never, ever leaves any of the kids out. He always gives them equal attention...even if that means holding them both at once, which he has done many...

many...

many times :-)

And even though it is obvious that Steve is a great father and grandfather, I am not sure it is obvious to everyone what a great grandfather Steve was before the babies came along. That's right...he did have another baby to shower with love and affection.

Sadly, Mr. Howard doesn't get quite as much attention from Eric and I, but grandpa Davis knows better than to let any of his "kids" go without. And Howie knows this. So who do you think he goes to every chance he gets?

That's right...straight to Grandpa.

So if that doesn't show you what a loving, caring daddy and grandpa Steve is...I don't know what will :-) Thanks for always being so good to us Steve! I am so very lucky to have a father-in-law as great as you :-) We hope you have a very Happy Birthday!!

P.S. Shrimp will be ready at 4:00 tomorrow. See you then :-)

Wishful Wednesday

My blogger friend Heather posted "Wishful Wednesday" today and I thought it would be fun to participate.

This week's topic:

"I wish I could be_______"

(Name that TV star! Post a pic and tell us why)

I would be Emily Deschanel from the TV show BONES. As you all know, it is one of my favorite shows ever :-)

Now, I wouldn't say that I would want to be Emily permanently, but I wouldn't mind walking in her shoes for a day. And not really her shoes, but rather her character Temperance's shoes. Here's why:

* Her character is INCREDIBLY book smart. Doctors and scientists always fascinate me beyond belief because I could never retain a fraction of their knowledge.

* Her character is not squeamish about blood, guts, dead bodies, etc. I can't even look at a paper cut without puking.

* Her character is sweet, but not the slightest bit emotional. She knows emotions make people irrational at times and speaking as the most dramatic, emotional person I know...I would like to experience that type of mind set.

* She looks beautiful with or without make-up and it doesn't matter what she wears...she always looks so cute.

* She has an incredible singing voice. I couldn't carry a tune to save my life (although I SO wish I could).

* And last...her character gets to hang out with my celebrity crush, David Boreanaz, on a daily basis. And they even got to make out once!!!

So there you go...those are my reasons for choosing Emily Deschanel as my celebrity wanna-be. Who would you chose if you could be a TV star for a day?

Nesting Madness

I guess you could say I officially started nesting a few weeks ago when I decided to go through my closet. I do have a quite a pile for Good Will and I also have some great stuff that may just appear on a blog sale very soon :-)

And even though that was progress...it didn't compare to the progress I made today folks. My MIL Patti was off for the day and decided to take Addie to her house for some fun. This left me with an ENTIRE MORNING to get things done around the house. So what did I tackle first? My scary-ass kitchen cabinets. We only moved into this house 2 years ago but you would think we have lived here for over 10 with the way my cabinets have fallen apart inside. Not literally...just in the sense that they have no rhyme or reason (and they are just plain messy).

For example, here is one of my island cabinets before today's clean out...

Disaster. Like I said...it was a big old mess. But I decided if I was going to clean them out, they needed to make sense when I put them back together. So...here is a look at my new "baking cabinet"...

Ahh...much better. But it didn't stop there. I had another island cabinet that was screaming for a makeover as well. Behold...the catch-all cabinet...

Not good. But since I already had several serving pieces in this cabinet already, I thought I would keep with the theme. So, here is my new and improved "serving cabinet"...

Man it feels good to clean!!! I will spare you the 20 or so before/after pictures I took of my cabinets today and just tell you that I did this to every single cabinet in my kitchen. Whew!

So after Addie came home and woke up from her nap, I was still feeling energetic and I thought I would tackle her closet too. Since she can get both doors open, there was no sense in having anything but toys on the bottom 2 shelves. So that's what I used them for. The rest is all clothes and shoes that actually fit!!! She still had size 6-12 months hanging in there! I know...total disgrace. But she is set now and I realized today that she doesn't need a single fall or winter clothing item. Now if only I can remind myself of that when I shop at Baby Gap :-)

Sorry...I know this post isn't that exciting for all of you, but I am pretty darn proud of my accomplishments today. I have many more closets and cabinets that need a good clean-and-purge, but my kitchen was THE WORST so I am glad that is done.

What closet, cabinet, or room in your house is in the worst shape? Are your cabinets as bad as mine were? I would love to know everyone's dirty little cabinet/closet secrets :-)

Upcoming Giveaway!

Even though it has felt a lot like summer around here the past few days, the calendar doesn't lie. Fall is here and winter isn't far behind. Last fall and winter, I wasn't concerned about how to entertain Addie indoors because she was perfectly content siting on the floor playing with toys or crawling around the house exploring. She wasn't obsessed with being outside and playing in the yard. It seems these days, the only thing that does entertain her (besides climbing on all of my furniture) is sitting at her little table playing with puzzles or coloring.

Unfortunately, when it comes to coloring, we haven't come close to mastering the art of "staying in the lines". Heck...we haven't even mastered the art of staying on the page :-) But I found an excellent solution to that problem. A while back, I stumbled across an awesome product.

This clamp on paper center by Guidecraft fits on any table...including kid's tables! It also works on the floor, in case things get a little too messy. It has a child-safe cutter and you can purchase extra paper rolls. I can already picture Addie sitting in her room coloring and drawing her first masterpiece :-)

And to help her create her masterpiece, I thought these Melissa and Doug jumbo triangular crayons were perfect!

They are non-toxic, bigger and stronger than regular crayons and the best part...they won't roll off the table! Genius!!! I think every kid needs a set of these in their stocking this year :-)

Now...I know I am not the only parent out there worried about what to do with their kids indoors this winter so I thought it would be fantastic to not only review these great items for all of you, but also give them both away to one lucky reader!!!! That's right friends...thanks to the good folks at AllChildrensFurniture.com, I will be giving away a Guidecraft clamp on paper center AND a package of Melissa and Doug jumbo triangular crayons!!!

I will be reviewing these items soon so be sure to check back so you can enter the giveaway! And in the mean time, I highly recommend you check out the All Children's Furniture website because they have ADORABLE stuff at unbeatable prices. Seriously. They even beat Amazon on many prices and that is pretty impressive to me. I mean...if you were to win this clamp on paper center, you will need a cute little table for your kids to work on! They have a great selection of adorable kids chairs and tables and if you place your order this week...they are offering a 10% discount!! Gotta love a great deal!

Ryan & Meagan's Bridal Shower!

It seems like we have been planning it forever, but my brother Ryan and future sis-in-law Meagan's Bridal shower was today!!! The weather was gorgeous and we truly couldn't have picked a better day.

Ryan and Meagan got TONS of great presents. It really makes me want to register again. Can you have bridal showers for 5-year anniversaries? Ha!

We had a DELICIOUS brunch buffet and I seriously ate waaaayyyy too many french toast sticks.

Here is the bride to be, myself, my mamacita and my sister-in-law Diana

And here is Meagan's bridal party (minus one friend)

Aww...the happy couple and their sister. Ryan was a real trooper today with all those ladies.

I think opening the Wii from my mom and dad was the highlight of his whole day :-)

This was probably one of my favorite gifts. Meagan's sister got them this sign with their last name. It is soooo cute!

Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better shower. Beautiful weather, great food, and fantastic company. Being at the shower today makes us all SO excited for the wedding! Only a month and a half and counting...

Congrats you two! Hope you both had a fun day!!

So...How Do You Like It?

My new hair color that is?

18 Months & 18 Reasons to be Thankful

Today was Addie's 18 month doctor's appointment. I cannot BELIEVE my baby girl is a year and a half old already!!! That is just insane to me. I don't know where the time has gone, but I am sure glad that I have been around for every moment with this precious little peanut.

On the way home from Addie's appointment, I listened to the annual Eric & Kathy 36-Hour radiothon for Children's Memorial Hospital. The Mix is one of my favorite Chicago radio stations because they are always giving back to the community. This radiothon is a perfect example of that. Every year I listen to all the touching stories of parents who have either lost, or had their children saved at Children's Memorial. A good friend of mine spent some time at Children's with her son and I just remember her telling me how amazing the nurses and doctors were there.

Anyway, as I sat crying in my front seat (like I do every year when I listen), I looked back at my little peanut who was sitting peacefully in her car seat watching Shrek. She flashed me a big smile and I cried even harder. Just that morning, I was running around the house stressed because I couldn't find her shoes, because she threw her sippy cup at Howie, because I didn't have enough time to shower, because I couldn't find my car keys, etc. I think as parents, we spend so many mornings feeling stressed and overwhelmed, we often don't take time to think about how good we have it. There are millions of parents out there who would kill to have their son or daughter home, shoeless and whipping sippy cups at their dog. There are millions of parents out there who would kill to have their son or daughter sitting in their car seat smiling back at them. And I have that. I have a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

As I sat thinking about all my blessings, Eric and Kathy came on the radio and asked that everyone stop what they are dong and just think about their children. Think about all the things they are thankful for and all the things they often take for granted. So...I did just that. In honor of Addie's 18 month birthday...I thought of 18 things I am so thankful for today. 

1. I am thankful that Eric and I are able to make ends meet so that I can stay home with Addie full time. 

2. I am thankful for all the moments and milestones I have shared with her so far.

3. I am thankful for her precious smile.

4. I am thankful for her teeny tiny pigtails that she lets me put in because she is a girly-girl just like her mommy.

5. I am thankful for her healthy appetite and addiction to apples.

6. I am thankful that she is measuring and weighing right where she should be. "Long and Lean" as Dr. Richerts says.

7. I am thankful that her vocabulary continues to grow and hopefully soon, she will shout other things besides "No Howie!"

8. I am thankful for her ticklish little feet. I can always stop her crying if I can grab a foot.

9. I am thankful for her tolerance to shots.

10. I am thankful for her adorable personality.

11. I am thankful for her kisses and the way she is willing to dish them out for anyone who wants one.

12. I am thankful for her hugs and cuddles in the middle of the day.

13. I am thankful for our moments right before bed where she lays her head on my shoulder and whispers "Mama"

14. I am thankful for her giving nature and the way she always wants to share (except with toys of course :-)

15. I am thankful for her unconditional love for me, for Eric, for Howie, for her grandparents, for her aunts and uncles, for her friends and soon...for her baby brother.

16. I am thankful for her ability to make me laugh even when I am sad.

17. I am thankful for her ability to brighten everyone's day.

18. And most of all, I am thankful for 18 months of health and happiness. 

I know this post is quite sappy and emotional for a Friday, but I just can't help but feel moved by what I listened to today. I will be making a donation, as I do every year, and if you would like to listen to the radiothon and hear some of these amazing, touching stories, you can listen live online at www.WTMX.com. And if you already know you want to make a donation, you can call 1-888-831-7733. We never know what the future holds for us or our children, so it is important that we live every day happy and thankful for the moments we have. I know I am going to spend my weekend remembering just that :-)

Happy Friday Everyone!!!