Thoughts from a First Thanksgiving

Dear Colt,

I'm probably going to write you a lot of letters over the next few weeks. It would be hard not to, seeing as how in just 17 short days you're going to be ONE year old! That means anytime I think to myself "this time last year"...you will be part of my story.

Your first Thanksgiving this year was a blast. I kept thinking the whole time how different it was compared to last year. Last year, we didn't dare travel more than 5 miles from our city in case we got the call that you were making your arrival. We were already 2 hours away from you, but to think we might be 2 hours and 15 minutes was just too much to bear.

Last year your due date was December 4th. So at Thanksgiving, we stayed in town instead of going to Missouri to see Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa and Aunt Linda. We had a wonderful week last year, relaxing at Mimi and Papa's house, decorating for Christmas, and standing in line with friends at 3:00 in the morning for Black Friday shopping. The whole time, we kept thinking about how those few days would be so different for us the next year.

This year, you're here. And not only are you here, you're becoming your own person and moving where you want to move, doing what you want to do, and clearly NOT doing anything you don't want to do. You're more than just a baby we can share our holiday with and be thankful for, you are a PERSON. Already. One year you're not even here, the next you're running 14 people's holiday plans.

This year, we had to make your own plate of food at BOTH Thanksgiving dinners we attended. When we went out to eat over the weekend, we ordered food for you instead of sharing. We shopped 'til we dropped for your birthday and Christmas presents. We followed you around GGrandma and GGrandpa's house without so much of a thought of the football we (I) were missing. We took turkey-induced naps together. We strolled around the mall, making sure to leave whatever store YOU weren't interested in. We clapped everytime you decided something was exciting enough to clap about. We imitated your faces trying to get you to show them off again. Daddy put up the Christmas tree as a surprise when we got home, just so he could see your face when you saw it.

Your Great Grandparents are so enamored with you. They think everything you do is adorable (as does most everyone else in the family). They were SO happy we traveled up there this weekend to see them. Great Grandpa calls you Colt 45, and whenever we ran into his friends over the weekend (even when he wasn't around) they said "this must be Colt 45" and proceeded to tell us everything about you. He talks about you to everyone, you are his pride and joy.

Your Great Grandma is equally as proud of you. She would like to hold and kiss you all day if she could, but now that you're almost 1, you have no interest in things like that. So instead, she followed you around all weekend. This is the same woman who has a hard time getting around on the best, most relaxing day and there she was in a crammed house full of people following you with energy we haven't seen in her in years. She also cooked two meals while we were there, and she hasn't been able to cook for us in a long time. You put energy into her body and soul!

And her reward was great. On Saturday night, after one exhausting day for you, you snuggled in her lap and let her feed you a bottle. You stared at her as she sang to you (I'm pretty sure she sang "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder"), and then you sat quietly as the two of you watched the "Lawrence Welk Show" together. You clapped for all the songs, and she sang along to you. It was a memory I hope is as clear to me the rest of my life as the moment I met you is.

YOU are special, you are loved, and so many people give thanks for the joy you brought to our life that it made your first Thanksgiving one of our family's most special. Thank you for being here, for being you. Thank you for giving me more to be thankful for than any one person deserves.

Happy Thanksgiving, Little Man.

Love,
Mommy