Staying at Nana's House

Dear John Patrick,

You had to warm up to many, many people this visit.  But I don't think you warmed up to anyone as quickly as you did to Nana Roberts.

From our first day at her house, you were by her side more often than not.  Somehow she got you and you got her.  I loved it.

And I was glad for it because we stayed at her house for almost a week.

Your dad and your Gram cooked.  This was far more impressive to everyone else than it was to you.  But no worries, sweet boy.  Nana has cheerios.

 

 

In fact, one evening, you and your cousin Jamie sat and watched your daddy cook a delicious three course meal while eating cheerios.

You also loved playing at Nana's house.  It's not so much the toys -- although she does have that awesome garage (shhh, it's a secret, but we got you one for Christmas) -- it's more the family to play with you.

But I so loved seeing you and Uncle Jon playing with this toy.  Your sister used to play with it with Uncle James.  It's why I got you one for Christmas.  If I thought I could get away with it, I would trade out the one at Nana's for the one I got just so that I had the one your uncles have played with.  Only I think that makes it pretty special to Nana, too.  So my real plan is to simply mention often and loudly that the one you will get for Christmas was bought because of the picture I have of Uncle James and Sydney.  Because it was.

I also love the contrast between your uncles.  Uncle James showed Sydney how to work the ramp and then took a step back so that she could do it all by herself, without an adult influencing her.  Uncle Jonathan got his own car and played with you, side by side, so that you could do your thing, but he was doing his, too.  They are so alike, those two men, that sometimes those subtle differences get lost.  Uncle James was a great uncle.  So is Uncle Jonathan.  I wish you had them both.  I'm glad you at least have Uncle Jon.

So another holiday gone by and new memories made at Nana's house.  I love that we were finally able to stay there again after an almost three year hiatus to preserve Nana's health in the face of baby and toddler germs and immunosuppressant drugs.

I'm glad that you had the chance to make your own memories with your Nana, your Gram, Uncle Jon and Aunt Rachel, too.

Because that's what Thanksgiving is really about... the time with family.  And you had so much of that this week, at Nana's house, at Gram's house, at Grandma's house, at the Lang's and at The Great Aunt Peggy's.

And I suspect it will be very important for you to always remember that Thanksgiving isn't really about the food... you were just going to have goldfish and cheerios anyway... and you will come to resent this turkey and cranberry based holiday like I used to if you ever tell yourself that it is about the food.  It's not.

It's about the family.

Love,
Mom