Coop's First Thanksgiving -

It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us and we are kicking it off strong for Cooper. We decided that instead of staying home by ourselves for Thanksgiving we would go visit some of my family in Tallahassee. We made it a day trip since Seth has to work on Black Friday. It was such a long day, especially for Cooper but I am glad we made his first Thanksgiving a memorable one.

The Perfect Weather

Up in Tallahassee the weather is much cooler than down in Tampa. On Thanksgiving, the humidity was still here and we were looking forward to going somewhere that felt more like fall. Since me and Seth are from the Midwest, we miss the change of seasons. Being in Tampa, the weather is basically the same all year: hot and humid. We will get a few days of cooler temps but they don’t last long. So, going up to Tallahassee was something we were looking forward to. Plus it meant that Seth could wear his flannel and so could Coop.

We took pictures outside to get some shots for our Christmas card and it was absolutely beautiful out. Cooper played in some leaves and with some pumpkins. He looked adorable in his blue overalls with his flannel.

Enjoying Family Time

Because we live so far from our families, it means a lot when we are able to get some family time in. We were with my cousins and some of my aunts and uncles to celebrate. Cooper spent time with some of my younger cousins and got to be with his great aunt and uncles.

My uncle was given 2 of the seats from Wrigley Field when they did some remodeling and he uses them as display on his porch. My family has always been big Cubs fans and I am glad that Cooper saw these seats. I am always hoping he will be a Cubs fan like me, but chances are he will end up a Red Sox fan like his daddy. Even so, seeing him sitting in those seats is priceless. These are memories that I know that he won’t remember, but I will.

I am especially glad that Cooper can experience the holidays for the first time when he is a bit older. He will be 1 in about 6 weeks so the holidays are much more fun now that he can move around and his little personality is coming out. As Seth would say, Cooper is fun now (as opposed to a fragile newborn – lol).

A Season of Gratitude

This time of year is when everyone takes a look back at the year and starts reflecting on all that they have to be grateful for. Thanksgiving is the holiday that highlights gratitude and it is a shame we don’t spend more time out of the year focusing on what we are grateful for. I try every day to think of 3 things that I am grateful for but I don’t always do it. Yesterday, I really thought about all that I have to be thankful for despite the trying season my family and the world is in.

I am thankful for Seth, Cooper, and the dogs. I am thankful for my entire family and all of their support. I am thankful that I have a roof over my head. I am thankful for my family’s health. I am thankful for all of the friends that I have. I am thankful that I live in America. And, above all, I am thankful that I have love in my life in every form.

It really is the little things that we overlook and take for granted. I want Coop to know that Thanksgiving isn’t the only day we should be thankful or show gratitude. It is a practice that we all should work on day in and day out. When I express my gratitude more, I am happier. So, I plan to continue my season of gratitude well beyond Thanksgiving and the holidays to set the example for Coop.

All in all, I think he had a wonderful first Thanksgiving and I know we can’t wait until his first Christmas! #coopsadventures