American Thanksgiving 2015

We don't really celebrate American Thanksgiving, but I roasted a chicken today (both as a nod to all the turkeys in the ovens of my homeland and because we have 30 whole chickens in the freezer) and ate it with mashed potatoes and over-salted cornbread stuffing and cranberry sauce. Steve left the house around 8:00 this morning and won't be back until after I'm in bed, so I ate my fake Thanksgiving meal with one child who would only eat the green beans (he opens them and eats the inside and leaves the 'pods') and one child who stood on her seat and howled for more mashed potatoes every time her mouth and bowl were empty at the same time.

 After supper, I got out the Christmas decorations to make sure the kids were really out of their minds excited right before bedtime. The Bairn became super attached to the advent Christmas tree. He selected a location for it and then dragged it away from his sobbing sister and draped his body across it so no one could move it from its correct location until Christmas day. Ellen lost the Baby Jesus from one of the nativity sets (we found him on the workbench), she and The Bairn both draped garlands all over the place, and I managed to wrest the stockings away from them and hang them on the stairs, even though The Bairn is also seriously in love with Steve's (it has a train).

This year on Thanksgiving, I'm very grateful that both my children still nap and that they nap at the same time.  It's a gift.

Also, I'm thankful that Ellen (aka I Always Have Pneumonia Face) has access to 24-hour health care.  She's been to the walk-in clinic twice this week and the ER three times.  She loves the hospital bracelets.

This is what she looks like when she's sick.  She's snuggling a unicorn costume that she refused to let me put away.

Today she seems to be doing much better and she's been sashaying around the house, swinging her arms and wiggling her hips when she walks.  I love the way she walks. She and The Bairn also very enthusiastically helped me clean toilets.  I really love how much they love to help.  Also, I love that The Bairn must always sleep with Chicky Bick (hand puppet) and Baby Bick (finger puppet) on his pillow.  And that he likes me to smell his breath after I brush his teeth to see if he's fully freshened.  And that both kids say, "You. look. maaaahvelous," but it comes out "maaaahbelous" from Ellen.

Happy Thanksgiving.