Our Little Turkey

None of the "firsts" of the holiday season are any good, if you ask me, without tasting the traditional yummies. For instance, one cannot help but feel sorry for little Jackson for having endured a Thanksgiving, possibly his only one, without the actual goodness of turkey and stuffing and cranberries and pie. One could argue he indirectly got his share through nursing... but you get my point.

And yet another holiday approaches where he will have to forego peanut butter balls (Yes, I know, Ohio-folk, that you are insulted by not giving these treats their rightful names: Buckeyes. But being raised by my mom meant dipping them COMPLETELY in chocolate and deeming them "peanut butter balls"), fudge, sugar cookies, and much more.

But I cannot feel entirely sorry for the little guy. He was able to spend his Thanksgivings this year on the floor, squiggling around, cooing and smiling, the absolute CENTER of attention. He has yet to experience shyness or overstimulation. I think he eats it up.

Thanksgiving Day outfit... Lynette and I have been itching to put this on him for 3 months!

Our home was a zoo from Wed to Sat. But it was a fun zoo. We all visited Duncan's grave on Thursday before the Thanksgiving feast, which felt very good. It also brought to mind how upsetting that Duncan would not be able to experience his first family holiday with us. The GGs, Dad, Justin, and Rachel (my 1st grade penpal who now lives in Chicago) were glad to have a reference for where Duncan is. It was an emotional, yet important visit.



Turkey Day at Lynette and Henry's was truly a good time. All 16 of us chowed down together. I am fortunate to have a family on Scott's side who invites and values my own family. I sat in the same spot as last year and remembered that Mom had sat directly opposite me the year before. I was pregnant and she (and Dad and Justin and Lynette and Henry) had just learned of their future grandchild (only figured one at that time!). Who sat in that spot this year? My dear husband, Scott. I was pleasantly surprised at how sad thoughts stayed at bay during that day. I've learned quite a bit about my style of grief. I've discovered that, in general, I tend to be very content and genuinely happy doing whatever I am doing with whomever I am with at the time. The goodness of life gets in the way of being sad. It is not until the quiet moments that I reflect upon what had changed and the sadness then seaps in. And I let it. So, Thursday later in the evening was one of those nights.



Sat was Turkey Day Round II. We traveled to Dresden and spent time with Grandma and Grandpa Ricci and Diane. Scrabble and Taboo entertained us. I don't think I have laughed as hard as I did that afternoon playing those games as I have in a long while. I wish everyone had the chance to play Taboo with Ricci Arthur.

Diane and Jackson

A Scrabble expert-in-the-making

And last, but not least, today was a lazy day. And I mean that. I did not leave the house. I did not complete house projects (including cleaning). I did not exercise (what's new?). I did only the bare basics: feed Jackson - and the rest of the day just kind of disappeared. Might I brag on my husband for operating rather effieciently around his bum-wife. He did laundry, tidied, cleaned the kitchen floor, got up in the morning with Jackson before I was ready to wake, and deflated air mattresses. Where did I find this guy? Plenty of my girlfriends wish he had a brother to place dibs on. What a wonderful thing that we have the opportunity to create a man (jackson) just as selfless of a servant to his future wife!



In other news, when the heck is my child going to sleep through the cockadoodee night?