i am thankful

organic free range turkey a la kath 2009

as thanksgiving quickly approaches, not only am i excited about the food (!) but also the holiday... it has been a favorite of mine for a long time.  the past few years we have been able to travel home to michigan and spend time with my family (and at least 1 dinner w/ friends). this year we have decided not to travel for the holidays. it is bittersweet; although i enjoy being a home-body and am excited to start new family traditions, i will miss so many things about home this year, most obviously, my mom.  she was the best cook, and spent so much time preparing a wonderful (not always completely traditional) menu. for days we'd hear about what part of the meal she was preparing, she always started (super) early. and she loved to do it. rarely did she ask for help! and i have to note: i always did the dishes after (oddly i will even miss that). we'd sit around, finally get around to dessert (or a hot turkey sandwich), play games, go on a walk, or watch seinfeld re-runs :) good quality family time. it will be a hard holiday season without her, and even harder not being close to my family for our first without mom.

BUT this is supposed to be what i am thankful for.  there are so many good things about my life, and i feel very lucky.  i am thankful for everyone in my life, whether you are a friend near or far away, a family member that we miss terribly, a co-worker that i absolutely love working with (all of them!), or one of the many, many people that support and love us (all of the above).  i am very, very thankful for our healthy, lovely grayson... everyday he never ceases to amaze me. learning a new thing, smiling a bigger smile, laughing out loud at something i do to make him giggle, the loudest screeching sound he makes when i walk in the room, his quiet admiration for daddy, sleeping an extra hour at naptime, or more recently at night!! grayson you are the best!  i am absolutely thankful for my husband... he makes me a better person in every way.  he is a wonderful father and cannot wait to get G on the mountain or on a bike... it is so cute to hear his plans for them. long story short, there are so many PEOPLE i am thankful for, every day!

ok, i am also thankful for THINGS... the little things in life that make it easier or more fun! facebook, skype, snapfish, and picasa. fantasy football and the Spartans. airplanes and cell phones.  good coffee and a good breakfast. an expensive bottle of pinot from our collection, or a good find on a $10 bottle of wine! the exersaucer! our weekly veggie and fruit box, thank you Organics to You! our camera and pictures.  my breastpump, oh what would i do without you!?! my hair dryer and variety of aveda products :) a good movie on a rainy portland day. sunbreaks on those rainy days! an interesting book and time to relax and read. sitting down at the end of a workday with chad and a couple beers, catching up on the day's events. a warm, cozy home... just to name a few.

as i said before, i feel very lucky to be livin' the good life.  it is so short and precious...  if you are reading this, i love you! we don't say it enough, but you are loved. thank you for being in my life. and oh, come visit us in portland!

happy thanksgiving to all! gobble gobble!

dear grayson...

there are so many things i want you to know about these precious moments we are experiencing in your life... i wish i could have the video camera running all the time. you are becoming such the little man, it is truly amazing to me.  your giggles and laughter make me so happy, no matter how exhausted i am!  you absolutely love to be bounced... in your bouncy seat or especially on our knees, it makes you crack up laughing and is so adorable.  you are definitely my son in that you get bored with one activity quite fast... always wanting to try something new. you love it when i lay you down on the floor on a blanket and let you kick, kick, kick! it makes you giggle, which of course makes me laugh.  you are about 3/4 of the way to rolling over from your back to belly... i bet within a week or two you'll get it!  you like to be on your tummy too, and you move your little arms and legs like you are going to swim away... it is so cute.  we just got you an exersaucer which you like to sit in and play with all the toys that are attached, you are so interested in figuring out how to get your chubby little hands up to that fish (the tallest one), it's amazing to watch. you have discovered your hands and fingers, and a lot of times you would much rather suck on those than a paci.  inside your little mouth two teeth are trying to push their way to the surface... they don't bother you just yet but i can feel them and i know what is to come very shortly.  you sleep pretty sporadically throughout the day... mama has a hard time getting you down for a nap (daddy is much better at it, with gramma's trick of the burp cloth over the eyes!), instead we just rock and relax in your room (sometime it's not that "relaxing" when you are so tired and crying!)... at night you sleep wonderfully, getting up a couple times to nurse but going right back down (that makes mama very happy)!  i love our days together, even if they are long and sometimes crabby...  i prefer them much more than the days that i work and you stay here with daddy.  all day that i'm gone, i wonder "what are they doing" and "how is he sleeping" and "am i missing something"?!?  when i get home from work it is the absolute best feeling as you look up at me and grin with the biggest smile... like you really did miss me! (sidenote: daddy usually keeps you in your jammies all day long because you are 'comfortable' and 'always ready for a nap' which you probably are, but i just have to laugh!)

you are 17 weeks, 1 day old today... i cannot believe how fast time has flown since july 4. it is november already and before we know it, christmas will be here!  how fun this year will be! i am so glad you are in my life, my little buddy. i love you!