I am thankful that I am late getting rid of Christmas

I wanted to do thankful earlier this weekend, and just couldn’t. Real life happened, and I’m thankful that it did. (one)

Because real life? It matters so much more. Most of the time, anyway.

This party lets me be thankful even when I’ve messed up Lizzi’s (so thankful for HER as are all of you because duh, she’s awesome and amazing and her own lovely self) rules. I’m thankful that I’m late, because being late means that I spent time sleeping this weekend, that I discovered a new show, and that I spent much of my time being present, lazy, and here (that’s like six thankfuls already but I’m going to keep going).

The show? Orange is the New Black. Emily recommended it and I’m completely hooked. I didn’t even know that Netflix had original series but OMG they are so giving HBO and Showtime a run for it.

Thankful too, for the Denver Broncos doing well because OMG WE MIGHT go TO THE SUPERBOWL!!! YAY John Elway and Peyton Manning (or as my friend J says, Pey Pey)..

That my hand, although still very swollen icky ugly weak and lame and sore…is getting better.

It is getting better.

I am thankful that I am late getting rid of Christmas. I mean, I’m NOT ever getting rid of Christmas, but we’ve had to keep our Christmas tree up for Tucker this year, longer than I expected.

Tucker did not want to say goodbye to Christmas.

So, we didn’t. We kept our tree up until tonight. Every day, for the past 10, or 12, or I can’t remember, we have said “Christmas is over.” Those words made Tucker cry, so Christmas wasn’t over here, until today. It’s still not all the way over either, because, for whatever reason, our neighbors still have their outside lights up. All of our neighbors (for real and isn’t that sortof weird??).

And so, we keep our outside lights up, too, because of them. Because of Tucker. Screw being the first to take the outside lights down, especially with a kid like ours. I’d rather them stay up forever.

I’m thankful. Tucker helped break more ornaments. I mean, he helped to take some off the tree. He helped, and that is what is big, because until tonight, he was not ready to admit that “Cisspass is opah.” Over.

Also?

Tucker suddenly almostlikes almostcounting.

One. Counting. It sounds small, but it is hugebig when your kid is four and a 1/2 and has never told anybody how old he his. I remember trying to teach him to hold up one finger, when he was one, after seeing a video of a baby doing that and thinking it was adorable. That Youtube baby aside, Tucker mostly COUNTING to 14 using both hands is a huge thankful.

Two, and seventeen, is that you guys got The Our Land School, even though I didn’t do a very good job of explaining or telling you about the between perfect-ish and now. Thank you to every single person who got it. Thank you for seeing that we need a school that will be ideal for every kid.  I’m thankful for you.

Two hundred. Thank you for making me think that the Our Land School is not only not crazy, but needed.

Eight, or 327: We had great play today. Great. Play. Tucker was a doctor, fixing a sickly poor monkey. He took monkey’s temperature, gave him a shot, and took his blood pressure.

 
I think the monkey made it.

I’m thankful for IRL friends, who invite us to play at amazing indoor playgrounds that leave my son sweaty, tired, and happy, even when he’s sad that it’s ending.

That he was sad when we left, because it mattered.

That his sadness didn’t last long and that he was soon asking me to dry his tears (and OMG look at those lashes).

We play hide and seek. Tucker, allofasudden, gets “seven-eight-nine-ten” or “sebebniten” and tells us to hide. Or hides.

He says “hewe we awe!” or “whewe awe you Tu-uck!?”

He’s playing, he’s talking, he’s him. Sure, he’s behind and there are things … but he’s so present. Here. Playing. Interacting, messing with his friend. He’s messing with his friend, and his friend is messing with him. That they are messing with each other is all of the things.

Tonight, he let us take the tree down, helped, and wrapped himself as a gift in case we forgot that presents and presence matters.

This particular gift was for me.

I had to ask “Oh no? What is this?”

Tucker: “It’s Tu-uck! Mommy present!”

Me: “Tucker is the best Mommy present ever and my favorite one for every day and all of the days.”

Tucker: “Your turn.”

I’m very thankful.