It’s my favorite holiday.   I look forward to it every year.    The food is the best, the time with family is awesome, and some of the best football games of the year occur on Thanksgiving.   Last year, Davey was a mere two months old.    He slept for the most part and the only way he was able to really partake in any of the food was through my milk.    Not so great.   This year was a completely different story.

So, how did I spend my Thanksgiving, my second as mother, but my first with a child that is able to understand more of what’s occurring?    I spent it the way I always spend Thanksgiving…with family eating good food watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade (the Rockettes are my favorite) and watching a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

The day started out much like any other, with the exception of my husband, who rose much earlier to hit the woods with my dad for what is starting to be yet another Thanksgiving tradition…a morning deer hunt before feasting on turkey.    My husband and dad have both informed me that within a few years, this will be a tradition Davey will be able to take partake in as well.   I’m not so sure about that…he’ll be much too young to have a gun.   

After a morning of lying on the couch, both of us still in our pajamas and watching the parade, Davey took a much needed nap before we headed over to my parent’s house.    My parent’s house has become a bit of a landmine these days as my son reminds me of a bull in a China shop.   My mother has much too many Christmas decorations and trees up, all of which seem to be breakable and expensive.    So, instead of relaxing for the afternoon, my husband and I spent it chasing after our son, taking knick-knacks from his mitts, and moving obstructions before he decided to not so delicately remove them himself.   

Finally, dinner arrived and we sat around the big dining room table like we always have.    Our seating arrangements have changed over the years as we’ve lost both my brother and my uncle (two of the biggest proponents of Thanksgiving I’ve ever met).  My husband took over my uncle’s seat at the other head of the table (opposite my dad) and my son was able to sit at the big person table, albeit with multiple beach towels under his high chair.    And I must say, I am so proud of my boy and how well he ate and the fact that Thanksgiving appears to be a favorite holiday for him.   He ate healthy portions of sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, dressing, turkey, ham, cranberry sauce and even pumpkin roll, cheese cake, and peanut butter pie for dessert.   We were able to sneak in a few green beans (by masking them with the macaroni and cheese which saddens me as I LOVE green beans).  

Another holiday first (although it was technically a second) is in the books for our clan.  Next up is Christmas and I can hardly wait to see how Davey reacts to it. 

It was nice and magical to experience this Thanksgiving with my son, to watch his reaction to so many different things and to see him explore and enjoy the day as much as me.    Now, onto the leftovers!