In just a little over four hours, we'll be heading to my grandmother's farm for another family Thanksgiving. We've done road trips with Sam before, true, but not with this awful teething stuff being so much in force. He's one unhappy camper, I'll tell you. Baby Tylenol helps a smidgen, and Orajel makes him scream and spit. Frozen teethers? God forbid; the cold sensation on his mouth makes him wince and whine. We picked up some Hyland's teething tablets today, so I'll let you know how those work.

We encountered a new problem with this trip: the guinea pigs no longer fit into the car with us now that Sam's in the backseat. Even if we could cram them next to him, the poor things would be in terror the entire time. They hate the car as it is; add in a very vocal baby who likes to throw things, and you've got two twitching, shaking, crying rodents who regret ever being born into this world.

I found a clerk at the library who was willing to "pigsit" for the weekend. Of course, it was pretty tricky to get them to her in the first place (picture tiny temporary holding bins and disassembled housing), but we're in the clear now.

My cousin's children will be quite irate that we didn't bring our pets with us this year. Little Madeline has drawn pretty strong associations between Eric and the pigs. Last year, the moment she saw him, she started heading for the room in which we usually sleep, crying, "Piggies! Piggies!" Poor thing needs a pet of her own, methinks.

We won't even be staying in that room this year. The addition of Sam made us rethink our plans. Grandma's beds are old, very soft, and small - not ideal for safe co-sleeping at all. I also want to assure myself of a retreat should Sam's gums send him into full-blown meltdown. That's unlikely, as much as he loves being around my mother, but it's a distinct possibility, and one I don't want to ignore. Mom thought of it, too, and agreed that we should probably stay at a hotel instead of with Grandma.

(Mental note: Did anybody tell Grandma? I haven't spoken to her...)

So we're planning on leaving this evening, staying the night near Pittsburgh, then heading into West Virginia early Thursday morning for the Traditional Family Buffet Outing. We'll stay overnight Thursday and Friday, then take two days to come home. Should be a fun trip! I'll report back when we return.

This year, thinking of my blessings for which I'm thankful will be no difficulty at all.

Sam.
Sam's wonderful birth.
My renewed relationship with my mom.
My wonderful husband
The way Sam looks at his daddy, and the way his daddy is beginning to look at him.
The way I feel when Sam's nursing on my lap, and the house is clean, and Telemann's on the radio, and all is right with the world.

Happy Thanksgiving!