THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA

FEELING: On Tuesday I went to my first therapy appointment. I think I'm going to give it another shot; however, they won't be able to see me again until mid-August. Bummer! I can't say anything groundbreaking was accomplished during our visit. Then again, what more would you expect from the initial "getting to know" you introduction? I don't have much to compare my visit to, but I couldn't help but laugh when I left the facility because it definitely checked all of the stereotypical boxes. There was a couch with a box of tissues close by (I had my Oprah moment and used a few!), the room was dimly lit, there was white noise in the background, an array of essential oils, healing crystals, and possibly a lava lamp. No matter what happens, I promise to report back to you on that last detail. I could have sworn I saw something psychedelic and pink in the corner. Don't lose any sleep on this one, but please standby. 

THANKFUL FOR: Have a kid they said. It'll be fun they said. What they didn't tell me was that I'd raise a very bright and curious child who would engage in arguments with me regarding topics like skid steers and whether they have tires or tracks (for the record, they can have both depending on the terrain). First, Ashley pre-Max would have NO interest in this sort of subject matter. Second, I've watched enough Blippi, Truck Tunes, Mighty Machines, etc. to know the answer to this question by now. So when my 3.5 year old quizzed me yesterday about the topic and I responded CORRECTLY, he told me I was wrong and recommended I check my "pooter" because it always knows the right answer. In an effort to put an end to this machinery madness, I referred to Google as Max advised and wouldn't you know I was right?! BOOYAH! Thank goodness for technology and search engines that prove moms are pretty smart.

LISTENING TO: A few years ago when Beyoncé surprised us with Lemonade, it was A LOT easier for me to listen to the album and become familiar with the songs—as mom, dad, and no, were the only words in Max's vocabulary. These days I don't have that luxury, and instead of listening to The Carters in the car like I would have done in the Swell Rio days, I've relied solely on spinning to preview Everything is Love sans child. It definitely gives me something to look forward to when I workout, but it's prolonged the process.

WATCHING: If you need a pick-me-up, hop on Netflix and watch the reboot of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. When they debuted the new cast earlier this year, I was on the fence and wasn't sure I wanted to get to know the new Fab Five, but my sister talked me into it and I'm so glad she did. They're even better than before!! I can't believe I'm actually saying that, but as a whole they're just so stinking endearing and sweet. You can't NOT love them. I'm still working my way through Season 2, but the genuine and emotional growth witnessed in every episode always leaves me in happy tears. 

EATING: What's the deal with Rita's and her "Ice-Custard-Happiness?" Is this an East Coast thing? They're everywhere around here and as an ice cream aficionado, I can't help but wonder if I'm missing out. Is anyone out there familiar with the chain? Is it worth trying? What would you recommend? One of these days I plan on taking Max for a treat, but I thought it was worth asking you all first. 

READING: One of my favorite things to do with Max is sit on the back porch with a stack of books and read together. Being in the company of a miniature version of myself, I try to give up some of the control and let him choose the reading material from time to time (Spoiler alert! They ALWAYS deal with dinosaurs and sharks.). On Tuesday morning, this decision paid off big time when he hopped up on the chair and requested I read Henri's Scissors. This was one of those children's books that I bought when I was pregnant because I just adore Matisse, and it would look super cute in his nursery.  Ha! It was obviously more for me than it was for him, so I didn't expect that he'd be so interested and engaged as I read it. I joke a lot about how I know more about excavators and tow trucks now than I ever imagined I would, but it's pretty fantastic getting to delight in some of my own interests with our little boy as he gets older. Moments like that are fleeting, but it left me feeling tickled to death that I got to share it with him!      

THINKING ABOUT: If I wasn't such an introvert, I'd totally throw a Bravo themed party and insist that Slob-Kabobs be on the menu. Dorinda is seriously the gift that keeps on giving. I love her so much. Please stay on RHONY forever!! The world needs your one-liners.

LOVING: I went off the deep end earlier this week and got all preachy on Instagram about these pants. In my defense, the Point Sur Wide-Leg Crop is kind of BANANAS, and there are a handful of other rejoicing reviewers on J.Crew's website that stand right next to me on this one. I thought the Madewell version was the holy grail, but these have made me reconsider my stance on the matter. 

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!