Thanksgiving 2013

Our first Thanksgiving…I obviously have so much to be thankful for this year. I have realized this past year that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Life is ever so precious. I am ever so grateful for the most wonderful gift of all…my daughter!

I am not sure we will always do it this way, but this year we decided to visit both of our families on Thanksgiving. We first headed to Michael’s Aunt Pam’s house and had our first feast. Then we moved on to my Aunt Amy’s house for the second. It worked out fine, up until the point that Miss Brooke decided to have a blowout…on Daddy! Then we couldn't get her to calm down. She doesn't like to miss a beat, so she hadn't napped since before Pam’s house. Being passed around and seeing so many smiling new faces was possibly more than she could handle. Unfortunately for her, the commute between the two houses was not long enough for a nap, so that resulted in a tired and fussy baby. After multiple attempts at getting her take a nap, she wouldn't give up the crying. So before dessert (and the annual LCR game), we were out the door with a overly tired baby, not to mention the poop on the front of Michael’s pants.

I will never forget all of those carefree years celebrating holidays with the family, not having any concerns other than feeding my face and relaxing with a couple of glasses of wine. Having to run out of my family’s Thanksgiving celebration was abrupt and hard to do, but we did it without hesitation. Our daughter’s needs come first before anything else. It was great getting to see both of our families, and I know they all appreciated seeing the baby, but next year I think we are going to have to reevaluate. It would be more enjoyable to have more time to sit down and enjoy quality time with family, rather than scrambling around town to do both. Christmas Eve seems like it will be another day like Thanksgiving, but who knows what the day will bring. You live and learn…and with a new baby, the lessons keep coming.

I miss being able to catch up on the blog as often as I did before she arrived, but any new mom can attest to the lack of free time. I am now an avid coffee drinker – I have two cups every morning. Sleeping in? Well, if given the opportunity (and that means a LOT of things have to fall in place for that to happen), I probably wouldn't sleep past 7…or the very rare 8 am. Nonetheless, it is Thanksgiving and regardless of all the restless nights, dirty diapers, sweat and tears…I wouldn't change a thing. Because of Brooke, I am a better person. I have a healthy, happy baby and I am thankful for that!

Oh…and wouldn’t you know as soon as we got home, miss priss was all smiles!