Hang your pantookas.

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the countdown to Christmas is on.  The holiday season has officially begun! Of course, if you ask retailers, it began two months ago, but in this house, it began on Thursday.

Thanksgiving was late this year, which means that when all said and done, less than a month of holiday madness before the big day.  Our Thanksgiving was quiet and delightful. We spent it at Grammie and Grampie's house--just us two since Daddy had to prepare for opening at midnight.  We got there early and stayed late.  Grammie had snacks all throughout the day, and we grazed until the turkey made its debut sometime in mid-afternoon.  

The first thing you wanted to do was watch 'Rudolph' with Grampie. Following my own tradition of watching them with him, it's now your turn.  You're obsessed with the Grinch who you affectionately call "Mister Grinch", but that hadn't been on yet, so you made do with Ruldolph.  You did some helping in the kitchen and some helping yourself to the spinach dip Grammie made. It was reaaaally good.

When you weren't chowing on snacks, you were upstairs setting up the 'camp' that G&G had made for you.  Your own little bed, sleeping bag, and plenty of 'friends' to hang out with.  Took you awhile to warm up to it, but eventually you gave in to the comfy.

Grammie made an awesome potato leek soup which I'm pleased you tried, liked, and ate the entire bowl of.  You also like rolls. A lot.

Soon it was time to take our leave.  You went the whole day without a snooze, and we weren't even to the highway when I looked back and you were passed out.  I had to pull over to fix your little carseat strap.  The turkey coma officially set in.

Friday brought a beautiful day for us to take advantage of.  Having worked all night, Daddy needed to get some more uninterrupted sleep, so off we went to the Festival of Trees at the Kora Shrine in Lewiston.  We've gone the past couple years and it's a sight to behold!  We got there right at opening, which meant we were the third kid in line to see Santa.  You said you wanted to see Santa.  I was skeptical.  We have not had good luck with Santa the past couple years.  That did seem to change this summer though, when we visited Santa's Village and you blew us away giving Santa a high five AND a hug.  But that was like eons ago, and I thought it'd be a stretch to imagine you would be ok with going near Santa, let alone sitting on his lap.

You proved me wrong, my sweet boy.  When it was your turn, you went right up and when he asked you what you wanted for Christmas, you nonchalantly replied "All the toys."  Sounds about right.  This bodes well for our annual picture with Santa, Gabby, you, Nolan and Buckley which happens next week. Stay tuned!

After Santa's visit, you got to go 'fishing' for a present. A few lessons with Daddy this summer proved valuable as it only took you two tries to hook and reel in!

The rest of our time was spent exploring the exquisitely decorated trees and eating popcorn.  Not a bad way to spend a Friday.

The Friday night after Thanksgiving is always the tree lighting.  It's a cute townie thing to do, made fun by the arrival of Santa by firetruck. Cookies, cocoa, and horse drawn wagon rides.  So much fun.  

After the tree lighting, we came home to anxiously anticipate your favorite holiday classic thus far--the cartoon version (of course!) of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas".  I think we've only watched it about 37 times since Friday night.  It's a favorite of Grampie's, mine and now yours.  You even sing the song, which is sort of hilarious because when you don't know the words you simply say, "Something, something...Mr. Grinch!"  As kids, your aunt Meara, Grampie and I would crack up at the Trim the Tree song.  "Hang your pantookas on the ceiling...pile panpoonas on the floor..." and so forth.  Glad to see the tradition lives on.

Saturday we had, as you called it, a very busy day.  Playground, hike with Gabby, Target to return, not purchase!, and finally a couple of wreathes for the doors.  You needed to have a good snooze because we were heading to Freeport for the horse and wagon ride there. So much fun.  The Clydesdale's that are used are impressive beasts.  Apparently this is their 6th year doing so.  They are 9 years old.  Gentle giants for sure.

Freeport is a magical little village at Christmastime. It's so beautifully decorated as you constantly stated.  "Look at all the pretty decoration!"  

And so this first real weekend of the holiday season was pretty wonderful.  We have so much to look forward to in the coming weeks.  More Santa sightings, pictures, train rides, tree decorating, and maybe some festive snow to make it all come together.   I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am just through watching your delight and joy.

Thankful.

It's Thanksgiving eve and we're home watching the deluge of rain beat down upon the cars, street, and yard. There's a giant pool that's formed and is slowly expanding in what normally is our backyard.  I'm thankful it isn't snow.

We took the day off, you and me.  Spent the morning in our pjs, being busy. A Thanksgiving craft and chocolate chip cookies.  What could be better? The top turkey is one carefully constructed with your hand, with some guidance from me.  The bottom one? Let's just call that free-range.

Thanksgiving is so late this year, which means soon everything holidayesque will be bearing down upon us. Wait, let's be real, it already is, and we've spent the week listening to Christmas music. Helloooo, Johnny Mathis!

In reading the past two Thanksgiving posts before composing this one, I find myself still just as thankful for all those things today as I was then, with maybe a few additions.

Right now, I'm thankful for my hand therapist, who has helped me, in a short amount of time, regain much use of my finger and hand after the "incident". It's allowing me to make the apple pie I'll be bringing for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  I'll be careful slicing those apples.

I'm thankful that earlier this morning, I let Gabby outside to go pee and noticed the rear passenger window was WIDE OPEN because SOME little boy I know likes to have his window down while we ride home to "feel the cool air on my face", thus rendering the car seat and most of the backseat quite soaked.  Why am I thankful for this? I'm thankful I caught it when I did and didn't get any worse. 

I'm thankful for the upcoming holiday season, and you being at an age where I think you're finally and truly going to enjoy it.  We've got so much planned, so many fun things to see and do.  I can't wait to let the magic of the season envelop us and whisk us away to all things North Pole, Santa, and Christmas.  The other night, we went down to Freeport, to see the tree lighting at LL Bean.  As we were driving down Main Street, the holiday lights twinkling all around, you breathed in and said "Look at all the pretty decoration! Christmas is everywhere!" 

I'm thankful to have a job that gives me these days to enjoy...not only Thanksgiving but also the day after, and the flexibility to take the day before, today, off. Five day weekend, here we come.

I'm thankful for our family, near and far. 

I'm thankful for friends, both old and new. I'm thankful for your little friends, too.

Last week, we had the first snow of the season, and we did play outside.  I'm thankful I captured these moments of you and your pal.

I'm thankful for Pooh and 'Yore' and that they still exist.  I don't know what we'd do if we lost them.  And I do so love that when someone asks you who they are, you say "Classic Pooh and Yore."  Classic Pooh indeed.

 I'm thankful that for the most part, you stay in your bed, in your room, all night.  Thank you.  Please continue to do so!  And I'm thankful that you still take afternoon naps.  Please continue to do so!

So, on this dreary Thanksgiving eve, with much to be thankful for that is mentioned or not, let us enjoy the day tomorrow, quietly spent with Grammie and Grampie, indulging in the feast, and looking forward to all the wonders ahead.  

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours...