Thankful

The holidays are here! Most of our immediate family was spread about this year, so we decided to stay home and invite ourselves over to my uncle's house for Thanksgiving.  Luckily (and happily) they obliged as long as we brought the "unit" with us.  It was the first Thanksgiving that we didn't have to travel, cook or host and we both enjoyed it a little too much. We spent Thanksgiving morning in our PJs, drinking coffee and reading the paper. Well Tom and I read that is and Ellie crumpled up the sections she was "reading".  I took Ellie on my traditional Thanksgiving run and she practiced her food coma nap while I ran off enough calories so I could eat my weight in turkey and not feel guilty about it.

The Coopers had a full house of the usual Cooper-Russo clan plus the McBrides, Grams and ourselves of course. Ellie had fallen asleep by the time we got there and when she woke up, she had about 20 faces anxiously peering at her. Needless to say she was the center of attention. I was a little worried that she'd get overwhelmed by all the new people but she did really well.  She even went down for a nap right before dinner and Tom and I got to eat dinner...together...at the same time! Amazing! 

Tom even participated in the Black Friday madness by rushing off to Target at 5:30 in the morning to buy the new iPad. Apparently he didn't need to rush because he said there were only a few customers in the store and about 10 checkers just standing around bored out of their minds. Maybe mass consumerism decided to sleep in this year? However now that Tom has his new iPad, I have become an iPad widow again - never to see my husband without a screen in front of his face. *sigh* It'll wear off when the newest version comes out and he has something new to obsess over.

We certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. I will spend the rest of my life thanking all the stars in the sky for our healthy, happy and beautiful Ellie. She has brought us so much joy and purpose and she has turned our duo into a family. I am thankful that I get to experience motherhood and all that it brings.  Watching Ellie is like experiencing life all over again.  We take for granted the everyday experiences like laughter and standing and feeling something crunchy.  There is nothing more joyful than watching someone experience something for the very first time.   She is the best thing we have ever done.

I have always been grateful for Tom and the love and life we have together, but becoming a parent has made me realize just how lucky I am to have him. I cannot imagine doing it without his support. He is an amazing dad and it comes so easily and natural to him. He is so involved and loving towards Ellie and you can already tell that the two are going to be thicker than thieves.  Not to get all mushy on you, but every time I see him and Ellie together it makes my heart burst with happiness.  They are like a peanut butter jelly sandwich - they just go together.

Of course there are the obvious reasons to be thankful - a roof over our heads, food on our table and the health and happiness of our family and friends.  We are truly blessed with all of these things and the comforts that life affords (including multiple iPads apparently).

And last but not least, I am also thankful that Thanksgiving has come and gone so I can start listening to Christmas music again. ;)