Thankful

What does it mean to be thankful though? If it were as easy as asking Gavin to tell me some words to write on a thank-you card, I'd stock up on stationery and tuck "grateful child" under my belt of parenting successes. Except it's not that easy. There isn't a flashcard for that. There isn't that ONE picture that symbolizes "thanks." How do we teach appreciation?

It's important to teach though, perhaps one of the most valuable attributes we can show our kids.

I know I am happiest when I am most grateful--when I am aware of my surroundings and what exactly it is about this very moment that makes me feel content. Sending a thank-you card might encourage me to express gratitude to someone else, but really? Gratitude is a way of life rather than a lesson on a check-off list. And the best way to teach it to your children is to live it. I'm trying really hard lately to do this. I have bad days. Days I want to cry (and do) and feel that nothing is going right. Some days, I downright FAIL at living with gratitude. But then I'll be lying in bed with Gavin making shadow puppets on the wall before kissing him goodnight. And I realize I have that moment to appreciate after a bad day. These moments can be so small, yet they are everything. Sometimes it's a smile, a hug, coloring a picture, hearing a favorite song, seeing a rainbow, or singing and dancing the potty dance song after a successful pee-pee. I know that last one has made ME very thankful this past month. There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

But if I asked Gavin to explain gratitude, he'd be stumped. He would probably look at me with the same tilted head, cock-eyed stare that I get when I ask my chocolate Labrador if he was the one that made the mess in the kitchen. But if I ask Gavin to tell me what his favorite thing about today was, he'll pause and smile while he thinks, his eyes look up (It's just what he does while he is thinking and about to say something), and then he might tell me how awesome it was to launch himself off his bed into a heaping pile of stuffed animals. Or watch him light up as he recalls the "super big" tower we made out of bricks that was taller than him before he charged it sending blocks flying across the living room!

I want these kind of moments to fill our lives. I know I sure had them growing up.

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So every night, after reading our favorite stories and singing our favorite song of the day, I ask him "What was your favorite part of today?"

It's not teaching thankfulness exactly, but I hope that thinking about the fun stuff will lead him to appreciate the good times we have and eventually learn to be thankful that we have them. The little things.

But for now, back to my evening question. I ask this question for two reasons. The first, I am curious what runs through his mind. The second I think it gives him a good image to think about before going to sleep. Maybe that way he will have happy dreams.

Thanksgiving seems like an opportune time to share a months worth.

Gavin's favorite thing of today is....

• Nov 1: "Painting in the bath."
• Nov 2: "Building with my legos."
• Nov 3: "Making monsters". (we are still making monsters to hang up on his closet--he likes them)
• Nov 4: "Daddy is home!"
• Nov 5: "Riding my bike."
• Nov 6: "Getting Mater juice at the store." (Juicy Juice boxes currently have Mater on them)
• Nov 7: "Nuffing" {pouting}. (Bad answer. Bad day. We just laid in bed quietly tonight)
• Nov 8: "Eating chocolate and pretzels."
• Nov 9: "Squirrels eating my pumpkin." (??? Some days I don't question his answers.)
• Nov 10: "Getting cookie after going in the potty!"
• Nov 11: "Daddy came home!"
• Nov 12: "Eating pizza with Daddy and Ron."
• Nov 13: "I had fun with Matt."
• Nov 14: "Story time at school in a circle."
• Nov 15: "I got a sticker and went pee-pee SIX TIMES!"
• Nov 16: "Painting!"
• Nov 17: "Ummmm, I like hotdogs."
• Nov 18: "Daddy!"
• Nov 19: "I like parades. The clowns and candy were my favorite."
• Nov 20: "McDonalds. There was no pickle this time."
• Nov 21: "Going to the food store with Grandpa and getting Grandma card."
• Nov 22: "Singing Happy Birthday to Grandma."
• Nov 23: "Going to the hair cut store, my Lightning McQueen shoes and playing in leaves. Oh, and riding my bike and french fries. And cheeseburgers." (Today was a busy day)

I then say good night to him and turn off the light. It is at this point that is my favorite part of the day.  I can relax knowing that he is safe and tucked into his bed and that he and I are lucky enough to have favorite parts of the day.

Then other times....I fall asleep with him :)
(Tim sent me this taken with his cell phone one night when he got home)

Yep, I'm thankful.

Now to explain that turkey up there- Everyone in my office was given a template. Basically you needed to take two circles, a rectangle, an oval, and ten "feathers" and create a turkey. Gavin helped me with mine. He sorted colored beads and matched colors. All I did was cut and glue. I think my turkey is headed to Vegas.
Oh, and we "disguised" our turkeys by putting a number on them rather than our names to see if coworkers could guess who made which one.  Again, Gavin picked the 3. I assumed it was because he is 3. But no, he said, " Because I like this number." For the record, we were guessed immediately. Apparently I'm the only one that has stock in feathers, beads, paper, and googly eyes....amongst many other things.