My First Thanksgiving

By Jonah Thomas Cavanaugh

I knew this wasn't going to be a typical Thursday. Auntie Eliza, Uncle Gerard and Cousin Hugo were visiting us. I think they live very far away, but when they arrived, it seemed like no time had passed since I'd last seen them, except that Hugo is bigger, sitting up. I mean, he's still a baby compared to me, since I can stand up and have taken a couple of steps all by myself. But, he's still fun to hang out with. Hugo and I were very busy, as usual, pushing board books around the living room floor and chewing on blocks. Obviously, as babies, we still had a lot to do, even though it was Thanksgiving! Like looking out the window pointing to birdies, sharing my sippy cup and inspecting almost every piece of Tupperware, sucking on them and spreading them around the house. But, Mama and Daddy and Auntie E and Uncle G just sat around most of the day staring at us with these goofy looks on their faces, smiling a lot and laughing. I think they were cooking some big dinner, but mostly they just looked at us or hugged us. All morning I kept pointing at my turkey card from Auntie Dani, asking to play with it. I was dying to chew on it and slide it around the floor and tear it up. FINALLY, mama let me have it. Then, we went for a little walk in the strollers. I showed Hugo around my neighborhood and he was really happy when the supermarket cashier said nice things to him. I knew he would be! My friend, Ken, stopped by with his friend, Robin. Ken's cool. We hang out sometimes when Mama and Daddy go do stuff. As usual, Ken took a lot of pictures of me and Hugo. He's always doing that. After that, I had some lunch. Mama kept talking about the turkey that I was eating for the first time ever, but I just kept shoveling things in my mouth like I always do. Then, I got very, very sleepy. Apparently, Hugo was sleepy, too, because I think he was already napping. After a nice, long nap, I woke up and Dad came and got me. I hugged him and snuggled with him, but soon, I was ready to resume my work and show Hugo how to read books and stuff. I'm not sure if he minded when I got so excited and started patting and hitting him. I just couldn't help myself. He's so cute and nice. I just wanted to put my hands on his face and in his mouth. Who wouldn't? While we were playing on the floor, all the grownups ate a lot of pie and ice cream. I mean, they ate A LOT! No wonder they started getting tired for bedtime even before Hugo and I did! Pretty soon, Hugo had to go because it was his bedtime, and I knew that meant my bedtime was coming soon. I listened to some lullabies and read some books with Mama and Daddy. Daddy gave me a bath. Man, I LOVE taking a bath! It's so fun to splash around in the water. SO fun! After that, I got very, very tired and wished Dad would hurry up putting on my pajamas so we could read The Bear Snores On, my current favorite bedtime read. Then, Mama came in and snuggled me into her arms and I nursed and felt warm and safe and cozy and sleepy. I would say it was a pretty darn good Thanksgiving. I hope they are all this fun!

Video Explosion

Hi Folks - Just a note to let you know there are a bunch of new Jonah video's on Flickr as of a little while ago. The cutest one can only be viewed by Flickr friends, so if you don't have a flickr account, log on and sign up. It's free and fun. Once you've signed up, send a friend request to "mattycav"

Hope

The noise of celebration woke Jonah tonight. There is lots noise in my neighborhood, in our building, at a time of night that is usually very quiet. Voices are carrying through the streets. Horns are honking. Music is blaring. Jonah doesn't know that there is cause for celebration. When I went to him in his crib, he seemed scared and confused to be awake at this hour. It took quite a while to calm him down, to reassure him that all is well, to soothe him back to sleep. I have a feeling it may be several hours before things really quiet down around here. The celebrations may wake my baby again before the sun rises over this city. But, Jonah doesn't know that history was made tonight, and may need to be held close, reassured that everything is OK. He doesn't know that tonight begins a time when there is finally, finally real hope for erasing prejudices among people. That we have tangible and overwhelming evidence that the people of this country want things to change for the better. I was moved by Barack Obama's words tonight in a way that I have never before been moved by the words of a politician. As I sat rocking Jonah, I wondered how will I rise to the challenge of service to my country, as we were tonight asked to do. There are many things we can do, but, as Jonah stretched and yawned in my arms, as his breath slowed and deepened into sleep, I realized that I am already doing it. I am mothering a son. And, at the beginning of a new era. He will grow up in a world that has known a black president and seen women run for both president and vice president. But, it is not Barack Obama who will guide Jonah through his young life, ensuring through example that he will have empathy and compassion for other human beings, regardless of race, gender or anything else that we have until now used to separate us from others. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways that I can be of service to America, to our world, but right here, right now, my service is my motherhood. Every day, every minute, every second, to ensure that there is one more gentle, kind, sweet, loving, caring and compassionate man in the world, I am giving it every fiber of my being. ~ Nicole

Amazed

Today, Jonah was sitting on the floor in the living room playing with a coaster. He would pick it up and slide it through the slats of the baby gate, then reach through and pick it back up again off the floor on the other side of the gate. I sat down on the floor facing him the and watched his game for a while. At one point, I picked up the coaster and said, "Here Jonah," holding it out to him. He smiled and took the coaster from my hand. Then, I said, "Give it to mama?" and held out my hand. He slid the coaster through the slats and into my hand. We went back and forth like this for a few minutes, with him smiling and bouncing each time we passed the coaster through the gate.

Later, I was changing his diaper. Sometimes, he doesn't like to have his diaper changed. I think it's because he hates to be confined to the changing table, now that he is so good at getting himself around. So, I do what I can to make it pleasant and help cheer him up. There is a small, plastic toy lion that I keep near the changing table. Jonah likes to hold it and "talk" to it and chew on it when he's getting his diaper changed. Today, when he started to complain as I lay him on the changing table, I picked up the lion and said, "Here's your little lion friend" and made the lion "walk" through the air into Jonah's hands. Today, I made kissy noises at the lion. When I did this, Jonah held the lion toward my face. I said, "Can mama kiss the lion?" Jonah smiled and held the lion up for me to kiss. I hurried to finish changing his diaper because I couldn't wait to pick him up and squeeze him tight, my amazing, sweet, smart, growing little boy. ~ Nicole