Dancing in the Rain: Happy Thanksgiving Braylin

sneaky turkey...

HAPPY 1st THANKSGIVING BRAYLIN!

We could conquer the world, my darlin'.

Dear Braylin,

Today was your very first Thanksgiving. You weighed in at 3 pounds 14.1 ounces. You lost a tiny bit of weight the night before--- but you are striving hard to finally reach that 4 pound mark! You have taken ALL of your bottles in a 24 hour period-- no feeding tube. HOORAY!! Even though you will not remember what events this day held for you, I want you to have NO DOUBT of the many people in the world who were saying their prayers and thanking the Lord up above for you. What an appropriate and special holiday to show thanks for our brand new baby!

This morning I woke up to a cold and dreary sky and immediately turned on the TV so that I could catch a few minutes of the Macy's Parade before I drove to see you. When we were kids, Joe Jerren, Jalee, and I always wrapped up in blankets on Thanksgiving morning to watch the Snoopy balloon float through the streets of New York. It just doesn't seem like Thanksgiving unless you watch the parade. In the years to come, I can't wait to cuddle on the couch and watch the parade with you and Daddy. I also prepared a few side dishes that I will take to Nanny's on Friday. We all know FOOD is the main event of the holiday and the smell of it cooking can always bring back memories of all the Thanksgivings of the past. And In the years to come, I can't wait for you to be able to sit on the counter top and help me cook those holiday side dishes.

As I did these things this morning, I was missing you most of all. Your Daddy and I are so blessed and THANKFUL to finally have you here with us. Healthy. Growing. Ours. You are one special little buggy-poo!

I finally reached the hospital just in time for your 11:00 am feeding. Boy, you were hungry. You sucked your bottle so fast and so hard that you choked. Luckily a nurse was close by and showed me how to MAKE YOU BREATH again! Whew, you scared me! Sweat beads on the forehead, but I kept calm and in control. I guess our love for food in this family is mutual among all of us, even you. Once finished burping, you took a good afternoon nap. Then Nonnye snuck in! She was so glad to see you and could NOT believe how much you have grown. She just can't wait until you grow a little more so she can hold and cuddle you. Anyway, we went and had lunch ourselves down in the hospital cafeteria (love of food, remember). We ate fast and rushed back up to see you. BATH TIME!!!

Though you have had MANY baths, this would be my first rodeo. Nurses have always given me a choice--- give you a bath or feed you--- needless to say I have always chosen to do the one I KNOW you will enjoy. Bath time did not seem like the "happy" choice. I was very nervous and excited at the same time. I was so glad to have your Nonnye on the sidelines to cheer me on, because I was very unsure of my motherly-bath-giving- abilities! You are a slippery little sucker, but I managed to get you clean somehow without too much help from the nurse. You liked the beginning of bath time, but lost patience with me by the end (thank goodness for the heater above you and your pacifier or we would have been in troooouuuubbbblllleeeee). Boy oh boy, you were clean as a whistle once I was done with ya!

After bathtime, it was time for another bottle... and you sucked it down quick as usual (I think you've earned the reputation as the piglet in your room). I burped you, talked to you, Nonnye took some pictures, you got some NEW and CLEAN sheets in your home, and back to the isolette you went! Whew, Thanksgiving day was fast and furious.

Of course, Tom the Turkey had to take some pictures with you too. Someday I hope you can compare him to see just how little you really were. Today was a good day. You light up my life, You've already got your Daddy wrapped around your finger, and you have melted your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins hearts. Thank you and Happy 1st Thanksgiving my Precious. There will be many, many more to come and memories to make.

Love,

Momma