Gobble, Gobble

Uncle Colin and Elijah
The Contenders!

I don't need to tell you that this Thursday is Thanksgiving - unless you are reading this after the fact or you are a citizen of a different, non-turkey-obsessed country.  In which case, it gives you a frame of reference.  In two short days, we will each eat three days worth of calories in the span of a few hours and then lull around in a food coma for the rest of the day.  I do love Thanksgiving!

Thirteen of us will gather around the table.  Actually, the two tiniest will not be at the table, nor will they dine with the same type of caloric intake.  If tradition holds, and it generally does, my son, Colin, will make a valiant effort to make sure there will be no left overs.  He will not succeed.  Either he will admit defeat, or his father and I will point that fact out to him.  However, despite his gastronomic efforts, Colin will not be crowned the biggest eater of the day.  Most assuredly, pound for pound, that title will go to Elijah.  

Eli is the happiest little bundle of energy - until he sees or senses food.  Once anticipated, this grandboy insists upon filling his tummy immediately!  There is not time to finish preparations; there is no point to reasoning with his rumbly tumbly.  Give the child FOOD!  Rest assured, whatever stopgap provisions you give him will not suffice until everyone else is seated.  Keep seconds at the ready.

That is the glee-filled gobbler in his orange bib.  In front of him are four chicken tenders and a handful of fries.  Fifteen minutes and a third of a muffin later, his tray was empty of anything large enough for toddler fingers to grasp.  His smile was as winning at end as it was at the start.  Meanwhile, his elder brothers completed their own few fries and one or two tenders each - and a third of a muffin.  It was necessary to interrupt their chattering every couple of minutes to remind them to use their mouths for other purposes.  Elijah never needs such a reminder.

At a recent birthday party, our youngest grandboy topped off a full belly with cake, of course.  Not even those who blew out the candles enjoyed the sugar as much!  Note to Granmas everywhere:  purple frosting is not necessarily the best color choice when dining in a more formal room in the house, but it does make for great photo ops!

Happy Thanksgiving from this extremely blessed and thankfilled Granma!  I can't wait to see what he will do with pumpkin pie!