Parenting Guru: Feeling thankful from the trenches of parenthood

My life is pretty awesome. I'm not saying that to brag, but more as a reminder to myself. With the pressures of raising three boys, a full time job, a mountain of bills, and an even bigger mountain of dishes and laundry in need of my constant attention, more often than not I forget to be thankful for just how awesome my life really is.

It's all too easy to get bogged down by the daily routine and fail to notice the moments of joy that sneak up when I'm not paying attention-the hugs when I walk through the door after a long day at work, the "hi mom" wave from across the soccer field, the squeal of delight from my 18-month-old when I pick him up from day care. These are the moments that fuel the bursts of energy needed to get through what can seem like an endless to-do list-the moments I daydreamed about all those years ago when I imagined what it would be like to be a mother surrounded by little people who think I'm amazing (cue Paul Simon's "She Loves Me Like a Rock").

So now I'm seven years into this mom thing and the reality is much more difficult than I ever expected. Sure, you hear people say that parenting is the toughest job in the world, but you can't really comprehend what this means until you're in the trenches. And by then it's too late to do anything about it because you're so head over heels in love with the tiny beings you created that everything you once thought you knew about yourself has changed. It's like waking up in bizarro world and finding that you actually like it there.

As a parent, even your most primal needs-eat, sleep, bathe, sex-take place around the schedules of your children. You haven't been able to have an uninterrupted conversation with your spouse in months. You only eat at restaurants with crayons and paper table covers. Maybe you've even shown up to a business meeting with a crusty booger streak across your black sweater. This is all part of the parenting gig, and while it certainly isn't glamorous, it's what you signed up for the second you decided to procreate.

At the risk of becoming that harried mom with the furrowed brow and crazed look in her eye, this Thanksgiving I'm vowing to take the time to enjoy my family, and I mean really enjoy them before they're teenagers and they've decided that I'm the most embarrassing person who's ever walked the earth.

I'm going to soak in every impromptu dance party, knock knock joke and bedtime story.

I'm going to tickle the baby until he gets the hiccups.

I'm going to join in singing the songs my 5-year-old belts out when he's sitting on the bowl.

I'm going to snuggle with the boys when they're watching a movie instead of using that time to catch up on work email.

I'm going to take the time to truly give thanks for the gifts I've been given and stop stressing about what's waiting to be done.

I'm going to live bigger, hug longer, love stronger and laugh louder.

More stories from the trenches of parenthood can be found on my blog, Fits "N" Giggles.