Til the turkeys come home to roast

Danny told me the lead-up to Thanksgiving was going to be better this year, they had figured out a system and he'd mostly handed it off to an underling. Then he became Chief Operating Officer (congratulations, Danny!) and turkeys officially became his problem again. So once again, we are counting down the days until Thanksgiving, when he will get to reclaim some semblance of his life, the kids will get to see their daddy again, and I will get to stop single-parenting. But in the meantime, we've been keeping busy. It certainly helped that my parents were here to visit.

We had a pre-Thanksgiving thanksgiving (doubling also as a three-way birthday celebration for Danny, my mom, and my aunt Lori) on Monday. Somehow, magically, work finished up early for Danny that day so he was able to join us.



It was the most Chaplin family in one place since last Thanksgiving, and I felt very thankful. I love watching my kids love and get loved by their family more than just about anything else in life. It makes me so happy to see people I love love each other. That is one of the more vapid sounding things I've ever said, but it doesn't stop it from being true. Sadie in particular basked in the love of her family on this visit. Passed around from one adoring set of arms to another, she was an absolute delight, despite being up two hours past her bedtime. (And believe me, when we're at home with just boring old mom, she is very punctual about letting me know when it's bedtime.) She especially enjoyed her two great uncles. I don't blame her. I find them quite entertaining myself.



On Wednesday I needed to go to Sacramento for a CDFA meeting on climate change and agriculture and to see a guy about some flies, and thought that the two hour trip would be a whole lot more fun with some company, so I convinced my parents come along for the ride and take Jack to the California Railroad Museum. He was an outstandingly behaved boy at the museum, threw zero tantrums, made friends everywhere he went, and kept his pants dry on a very long car trip. I think all involved agreed the day was a raging success.



Wednesday was also Sadie's nine month birthday. Nine months! I should have put together a whole post just to mark that occasion, but then, I should have taken at least one photo of her to mark the occasion, but I didn't. I didn't even realize it until I had put her to bed. Poor neglected second child. As a second child, I really thought I would do better. But man is it hard to pay as much attention to everything the second time around! I get it now, mom. Here is Sadie at 9 months and 1 day (with 4 teeth and more on the way):

She didn't seem terribly upset that I had forgotten her birthday.

She is getting to be extremely active, rolls over and sits up the moment I lay her down, even when she's clearly exhausted and wants to sleep. Diaper changes are becoming a rodeo-worthy event. And just today, she suddenly started crawling. Like it was no big deal, like she'd been doing it all along when I wasn't looking. The way I found this out was that I put her on one side of the room and the next time I turned around, she was on the other, and approaching the fireplace grate that would certainly come toppling down on her as soon as she barreled into it. I yelled "No, Sadie!" -- somewhat feebly, knowing that neither would she heed me nor could I get over there in time -- but Jack came to the rescue. Not by picking her up or pulling her away from danger, just by inserting himself between her and it. He ran over and plopped down between her and the fireplace and she reared back on her knees and threw her arms around him. It was one of those moments you know you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Jack is good with babies. He takes care of Sadie and baby Rita every Monday morning, much to our nanny's delight. He never complains when we bring him places where there are no kids his age but only babies, he truly seems to enjoy himself. And he's only stealing toys from them like half the time. The rest of the time he's running to get them more toys. You'd think he's too young to be so nurturing, but there he is. Friday night we went to our dinner club that has suddenly become baby club and he turned on his usual charm. Baby Anders took to him right away.

Sadie was a little more aggressive. Her primary way of interacting with people is by grabbing their faces and she doesn't really get that while big people find that adorable, babies are not so into it. Oh well. She'll learn.

And that got us through another week. T-minus 3 days to Turkey-Roasting Husband-Having day! I can't wait!