Grateful beyond words.

Courtesy, kindness, compassion, empathy, generosity, honesty, gratefulness and humble.

All of the qualities I pray Hayden has. 

I so badly want her to grow up always being grateful for all the amazing things and people she has in life. She and I stayed at my grandparents this weekend (they are leaving for Florida next week and we won't see them until May since there was no time between work and school that we could go visit.) 

 My grandmother is the queen of spoiling Hayden (and all of her grandkids) so she semi-demanded that we go to the mall. She convinced herself that H needed a winter coat among other things. 

We went to lunch then went to The Gap because my brother (who came in to visit for the day) needed to get socks. I saw a soft-looking sweater and touched it because I have to touch everything for some reason and then noticed it was made with alpaca..love! I walked away after touching it because I am poor so purchasing it was out of the question...and Hayden was pushing the stroller into displays..and possibly people. Like a hawk my grandma comes up and asks if I like it and tells me I need it (apparently the giant robe-like sweater I was wearing that she bought me a few years ago, also at the gap on a similar trip, was not enough) and makes me get one making sure I look around the rest of the store too. She is the most self-less, generous woman in the world.

She then proceeds to kids gap (there may have been a serious stop at Godiva somewhere in here..but Im not sure) where she buys cute overload while shopping with a baby wearing cute overload then on to several other stores in search of a winter coat. Making sure to stop at Macys for more cute ridiculousness (in light green.)

Yes, this child has a way better wardrobe than me..its kind of sick actually.

Eventually we found a jacket my grandmother felt was "good enough" (I mean, I was fine with the $9 heavy fall jacket I got at a consignment sale but apparently I am crazypants and the child was going to die of frostbite)..and some adorable shoes (like below but with a strap) and some tights. We are so blessed, fortunate, lucky, grateful, thankful..any word that could possible describe an unbelievable feeling of humbled, thankful love.

and just when I thought we were done the next day my grandma takes us to the shoe store we used to get our shoes at and buys Hayden these:

 
I have always been so blessed and I feel very fortunate to have always been thankful for it and very aware that it was rare, could go away at any moment and that it was not necessary or required for people to do nice things for us. I don't know how I always knew this but I am so so grateful I did. I very easily could have come to expect such treatment and special things but I didn't and I will work very hard to make sure Hayden never does either. 

I never want her to feel entitled. I want her to feel blessed, grateful and lucky..because we are!