Top Reasons...

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving*:


I love the holiday season. As soon as Halloween is over, I feel it is time to start warming up to the Christmas season. The holiday music comes out and I start planning my Christmas baking strategy. I scheme, plot, plan and analyze the calendar from just about every angle to maximize the time we spend with our families. No scenario is off the table if it buys us a little more time to spend with the family we don't see often enough. I love just about everything about the season. The food, the family, the snow, and the stories. However, for the first time I felt differently tonight at our dinner table after the following occured:



1. Amelia currently finds it super funny to put her feet on the table while she is eating. Honest, I'm working on it, but no amount of buckling her down, scooting her in or moving her chair is effective. If you are seated next to her at the table, I'm sorry in advance.



2. Both kids are in an "off" eating phase. Some times they are super hungry and clean their plates. Some times their not. We are definately in a NOT phase.



3. Amelia usually is an enthusiastic eater. In the last few weeks she has slowed down for a variety of reasons (typically happens at this age, she is cutting molars). However, in the last few weeks she has started taking the food from her plate and looking at it before annoucing "DON'T LIKE IT!" before throwing it to the floor. (Again, sorry! in advance)



4. I've been trying to make some of the typical Thanksgiving food for the kids to get them warmed up to Thanksgiving fare. So far, we don't have any takers on anything except dessert.



5. Both kids have realized they can use their feet to push the kitchen table back and forth towards each other and rock their chairs back wards. As we have them sitting across from each other (divide and conqueor: it is our family motto), the table is pushed back and forth between the two. It can be a real challenge to get the food to your mouth with the table in perpetual motion in an unpredictable pattern.



6. Bickering, etc. Oooohhh the bickering that never ends. We now fight over the color of the plates, the forks/spoons and the food on the plate. The grass is always greener y'all. The grass is always greener.


7. No meal is complete without Wililam leaping from the table trailing a line of crumbs, yelling "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" over his shoulder. What really makes the moment is when he adds, "WHO WANTS TO WIPE THIS TIME?"

8. Conversation? What conversation? The kids are done eating in roughly 8.26 minutes. If the kids are done eating, we have only moments before things start to fall apart. Less if the kids don't like what is on their plates. I'm not sure we know how to hold an adult conversation anymore**. I'm not entirely sure anyone has table manners anymore.

9. What little conversation there is revolves around vehicles, construction and William's day. What number is Thomas the train? All over that one. Who is Dizzy and what does type of work does she do for Bob the B.uil.der? I got it. What did we do after lunch? I can probably fill you in. While talking with my mouth full.

10. The spilled milk. There is always spilled milk. Occasionally spectacularly spilled milk.





I could probably go on and on - but I wouldn't want to scare you away entirely. Or lose our invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. It was just tonight, I was a little horrified when I realized I have a very short amount of time in which to whip everyone into shape. Now I'm wondering if anyone will enjoy their meal with us and our miles of "entertainment". We are a show you won't want to miss!






* Really, I love Thanksgiving.
**Get your mind out of the gutter! You know, talk of the weather, inquiring about jobs, movies, etc.