Count Your Blessings

Just shortly before Lauren's first birthday we had professional photos taken courtesy of the Littlest Hero Project. The organization has been since renamed to Inspiration Through Art. They've just posted their newest 2012 heroes on their website http://www.inspirationthroughart.org/meet-our-heroes/ and in reading the profiles of their newest heroes, it definitely serves as a reminder of all the blessings we have with Lauren and Kayla. And that you really have to count your blessings every day as you never know what may come tomorrow.

I was chatting with a friend over the weekend who was telling me about a friend of theirs, in their 40s, who have been trying for years to conceive and have pretty much given up. Oh how much they want to have a child of their own, but it looks like, because of their age, its just not in the cards for them. The story definitely put back in perspective that just being able to have a child is a blessing. I'm sure that couple would be over the moon to have a child, or a "Lauren". I guess its easy to take for granted things that come so naturally whether its being able to conceive, having a healthy delivery or being able to walk and talk. In another conversation with a friend who is a special needs teacher, she asks me whether Lauren has any feeding issues, to which I reply no, and she comments that that was good to hear because she has a little boy in her autistic class who only eats bacon and toast. That's it, just bacon and toast. All the time. All meals. Just bacon and toast. I can't even fathom what this must be like.

So to my girls, Kayla and Lauren, I count my blessings every day that you are here with us, happy, healthy and safe. I am thankful for the small things like Lauren eating like a champ (although its super messy and requires a good vacuuming of her high chair, the floors and her pants after every meal), Kayla not eating most of the time and reciting nursery rhymes, singing or making silly faces at Lauren,  and both girls being able to eat more than bacon and toast.