Growing Gormans: Week 44

This Thanksgiving, as I reflect back on the year, I am so very thankful for all I have. Here's my list:

LILY EMMA! She will always be at the top of my list of things I am thankful for.
Dan. My most awesome husband with whom I share everything with.
My parents. So much love and support. I "get it" now. No one can understand unless you are a parent. I can't thank them enough for all their sacrifices.
My brother and sisters. My partners in crime.
My in-laws. Always there to lend a loving, helping hand.

OK, now the good list. I am thankful for…

Lily arriving when she did. I can't imagine what labor would've been like if she wasn't 3 weeks early. Thank you Lily!
My "Mommy Tattoos." No, not a tattoo I picked out and was really excited about. These 4 "tattoos" are the scars left over after 6 abscesses and 2 surgeries on my left breast. Weird to be thankful for them, but I am proud that I tried to breast feed Lily and only stopped because of the surgeries. Some would call them scars, but I like to think of them as something more. They will always be a reminder of how close my little girl and I were when she was first born.
Losing 45 pounds of pregnancy weight. But I'm not done yet. I need to lose another 30 pounds to be where I was at my wedding. I'll be double thankful to lose it by March. I need to look my best at my brother's wedding in Key West.
Being a Stay At Home Mom. I have the best job in the world and I wouldn't be able to do it without the love and support of Dan. I am what I have always wanted to be when I grew up: a wife and a mommy.
My lymphedema not getting any worse. Yes, there have been days where I want to cut my legs off, but I am still in Stage 1 of this disease and am very thankful for that!

By the way…

LILY TOOK HER FIRST 2 STEPS ON THANKSGIVING! She has taken one step here and there, but I don't think it really counts until it's at least two. So, YAY FOR LILY!!!!! Now she doesn't want to stop. She tries to walk at every chance she gets. Uh oh for me. Now I really have to start growing those eyes in the back of my head that all mommies sooner or later get.

This week in pictures