Thanksgiving Eve

Jamie had off from work today, so Brenna stayed home with him.

We realized this was the first full day the two have spent together without me... ever. How sad is that? I've been alone with her a million days, and yet they have never spent a day without me!

This morning Jamie and I both got up with Brenna for her morning bottle (at 5 something - earlier than normal), and then we all went back to sleep. At 7:00, I woke up and got in the shower with no interruptions. I did my hair and dressed without anyone to worry about but me. It was surreal. My first thought was, "Today is like old times!"

But then I remembered that today is Thanksgiving Eve, the biggest "going out night" of the year. Which got me remembering/comparing....

Thanksgiving Eve, 10 years ago
My friends and I were sophomores in college home on our first break of the year. After a drunken night out, I dumped my purse over in my friend's car and left behind my keys and other contents. When I realized this at my parents' front door, my designated driver friend had already driven off and I was too afraid to ring the bell and wake my parents up. So, my best friend, Kelly, and I slept in my car in the driveway. My laundry, which I had not yet taken out of the car, acted as our blankets and provided us minimal warmth for the 30 degree night. My mom found us when she went to get the paper in the morning.

Thanksgiving Eve, 5 years ago
I was a 23-year-old "young professional" working in the city. This is the time I will always consider the prime "having fun" time of my life. (I met Jamie 7 months later, so it was a great year!) That night, I met more than 20 friends in Conshy, and we took a school bus into the city. I brought along and introduced my college friend/roommate Dannielle, to my high school friend, Sean. Dannielle and Sean got married last September! But that night five years ago, they flirted like crazy. It was their beginning... Sean called me the next day to tell me how much he liked her, so I didn't tell him that she was dating 3 different guys at the time. Obviously, he won :).

Thanksgiving Eve, Tonight
I am sitting here...alone. Jamie is DJ'ing. Brenna is sleeping. Around 10:00 p.m., Brenna woke up crying through the monitor. I went up to her room and held her as she fell back asleep. When I went to lay her back down, she began crying again. I said, "Okay, Brenna, I'll rock you a little longer." Her eyes flew open, she looked at me and smiled a huge smile and put her head on my shoulder, gripped my shirt/hugged me, and fell back asleep. I realized she's getting manipulative - she just wanted me to hold her, she knew exactly what she was doing. She's getting really funny.

I have to say, today really wasn't like old times at all, but this was my greatest Thanksgiving Eve so far.