I'm feeling a bit bluesy today. Yesterday I skipped round two of pie so I wouldn't have a sugar hangover. Instead, I'm trying to shake the emotional hangover that seemed to appear about six o'clock this morning. Yesterday was Andrea's first Thanksgiving. I can't believe I didn't take any pictures. Her year of firsts is almost over and didn't even bring my camera! What was I thinking?
I think I was thinking I was too worn out for pictures. I love that Andrea girl, but as much as I love her, she loves me twice as much and then some. If she's tired, hungry, or in any discomfort at all, she just wants me. Yesterday's festivities interrupted her regular schedule and after a short and early afternoon nap
and the discovery of tooth number two slowly emerging through her pink gums, she was my little Klingon. Except she's cuter than a Klingon.
But this seems to happen when we are around lots of people. Okay, this happens at home too. She is always underfoot, hands and knees moving as fast as they can to keep up with my adult strides. I actually love this about Andrea. But at home she will happily follow me and take a few minutes to play on her own as well. At social functions she just wants to be held. The constant holding overstimulates me. Paul was able to take her for some short bouts in the evening while I decompressed, which helped immensely.
When we got home Andrea fell asleep while she nursed and had to be woken for a diaper check. After being tucked in, she nuzzled her bear as we left the room. Paul and I returned to the living room, cuddled on the couch, and watched Star Trek reruns for an hour or so. We're nerds, I know. But thinking about seems to be sweeping away the bluesy hangover that greeted me at dawn. That and this little girl crawling circles around my feet.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving I'll publicly declare that I'm thankful for my family. Extended, immediate, in-laws, all of them. But especially for these two:
And I'm thankful that they are mine forever!