Scott and I have been talking a lot lately about how blessed we feel. We have friends and family who are going through MAJOR stuff, so this Thanksgiving, when Scott has a steady job, we have an amazing, healthy little boy, we have one more little one on the way who I know will also blow us away, we are madly in love, and we have a beautiful home with plenty of food in it, we can't help but step back and be thankful. Even in the hard times, God is good, but it is nice to have a moment to breathe, look around, and only be thankful.
In the days before Thanksgiving, I tried to do a few activities with CJ. I was originally going to use these handprints of CJ's to make the feathers on a pine cone turkey, but he wanted to play with them, and the math teacher in me saw a great sorting activity. I think three colors were overwhelming. Next time, when I actually do a sorting activity with him, I will also have colored paper to put the same colored object on. But for an impromptu activity after a messy breakfast (thus why the shirt covered with oatmeal has already been taken off!), it wasn't bad.
We started off ok...
but he really wanted them to all be in ONE pile, not three.
Then we made place cards for Thanksgiving lunch. He loves stamping his hand. He knows just what to do now, and it is so nice not to have to fight his little fingers apart!
We also painted pine cones we collected from our yard. Like I said earlier, my original intent was to make turkeys, but we nixed that, and just had fun with some paint...
And after the fun of the pine cone wore off, we just painted. CJ is doing so much better at getting the paint on the paper as opposed to all over himself and in his mouth. He's such a quick learner.
I totally regret I didn't get ONE picture of actual Thanksgiving day! I can't believe it. We had a great time. Three of our friends Scott works with who didn't have family in town came over as well as Granddad and Grandpa Dick. CJ went to sleep with just me and Scott in the house, and woke up to a full house. He was a little overwhelmed at first, but quickly warmed up to all the guys. We had a yummy dinner. Scott hates turkey, so I made sausage stuffing and covered it with bacon, and he at least ate a little. :) We had way too much food, and to stay off a food coma after lunch, Grandpa Dick took CJ for a stroller ride, Granddad helped me clean up the kitchen, and Scott, Ryan, Jason and Lawrence put up Christmas lights. It was a nice day, and we were glad to have family and friends with us.
The next day, CJ wanted to take Granddad and Grandpa Dick to his favorite park. Oh what fun we had!!!
First Grandpa Dick got dragged around the jungle gym by his finger...
Then Daddy convinced CJ to slide. Last time we went to the park he really wanted to slide, but for some reason he was scared before he did it. This time it only took one slide before he realized it was GREAT fun...
And then he was ready to do it all by himself!
He even got brave enough to do the big twisty slide. The one he started out on was not sufficient after one trip down the super cool and fun twisty slide. He would come down laughing and smiling and sign and say "mo, mo, mo" as he ran back to the stairs for more sliding.
We also had a breakthrough. CJ actually enjoyed swinging. From birth he would last less than three seconds in anything that swings. I think he sat in his infant swing for a total of 2 minutes, and every time we go to the park we try swinging and tears and screaming for mommy quickly follow. But check out this happy little swinging guy...
Then we got to pet a dog and make a new friend...
who thankfully took a picture of all five (six if you count baby) of us.
We had a great long weekend!
