Grateful: Baby Edition

I am very lucky, always have been. The past few weeks I have felt especially grateful for many things baby related and I thought it might be a good balance to my endless complaints (disguised as pregnancy updates) to post about it. Nilsa further motivated me by posting her own gratitude post.
#1- I am grateful that my baby is going to be a boy! 

Yes, I know this means no pink clothes for the baby, very sad. But aside from the pink clothes, I was definitely meant to be a boy mother. So, so many adventures ahead.

#2- This baby boy, who is still (hopefully) 19 weeks away from birth is already loved more than many kids can ever hope to be. I know this because the excitement surrounding him has been very high from the start, even when I myself was a little shocked, hesitant, and just too sick to be excited. Recently the spoiling in the form of clothes, toys and books has started to pile up. My best friend Katie has been putting together monthly gifts for him including books and toys that her own son Teddy (aka my baby's BFF) has loved the past year of his life. Last week I got a soft and beautiful blanket (that I want to steal and keep for myself) from my college roommate Ash, and an outfit from one of my students.


The baby has not just been spoiled in gifts. He has always been spoiled by wonderful people taking good care of his mom and of course Caroline taking lovely photos for us!

#3- I am grateful for my kindergarten students and their families. I worried ALL summer about telling my new kindergarten families that I was having a baby and would have to leave in February. Everyone assured me that it would be fine but I refused to believe them and was convinced the world would come crashing down (and was super annoying about this… sorry all). Well, I'm thankful to report that it went 100 times better than I ever could've expected. I know from listening to friends it has NOT always gone this well, so I really do counting my blessings every single day. It was not 15 seconds after sending the e-mail with the news that I had a response from a mom saying how excited and happy she was for me. I have had two of her kids before this, so I didn't expect this reaction from my new families who barely know me. But I was wrong, I received the same enthusiasm and excitement from them, even a card and a baby outfit from people who JUST met me two weeks ago.

#4- I am thankful for those who are happy for me when I know it's hard for them. I have some wonderful friends who want to be moms (and would be the BEST moms), but it's not happening for them. For various reasons, I have always believed I would be in their position rather than my own. I have only experienced a very small taste of what they are going through, so I don't pretend or claim to understand. I think about them every day, hope and pray for them that they will get what they want. I am very thankful that they seem truly happy for me, ask how I am doing and don't make me feel like the worst person ever when I complain, though sometimes I make myself feel this way when I think about them anyways.

For me it has been easy to focus on the negative: the nausea and exhaustion, the worry about every thing I eat and do, the things I miss being able to do, eat and drink. But in the end, like so many things, the good is really what is important here. Perspective is such a hard thing to get, but such an important thing to have.



When was the last time you need some perspective? How did you get it? What are you grateful for?