THANKSGIVING IN VERMONT

We've been gone a week, Vanessa, her Daddio and I. We bundled up more gear and clothes than you can imagine and headed to Vermont, via San Francisco and Connecticut. Vanners is proving herself to be quite the little traveler, even during the crazy holiday season.

We left 85 degree weather and sunset beach walks and drove 3 hours to spend the night with Granny Ernestine in San Francisco. Vanny slept the whole drive. The next day, after an excellent night's sleep, we flew across the country. Vanny slept pretty much the whole first flight - 6 hours. We landed in Connecticut at midnight. There had been no delays, no barfing, no screaming during take-offs or landings. In fact, after the 6-hour flight, one passenger went "on and on" to Jack about how well Vanessa had done. There were several other babies on that flight - destined for Thanksgiving reunions themselves, no doubt - but they all cried. Sure, there was a monkey screech or two, but no tears. The man complimenting Van's behavior concluded with, "You are obviously very good parents." We should have invited him to Thanksgiving dinner!

We got to stay with Auntie Cyndi, Uncle David, and cousins Daniel, Matthew, Matt and Andy. They had graciously adopted a 9 week old puppy - Lorenzo - the day before we arrived. The little critter was so happy to see Vanessa he nearly wet himself, but he's already house trained, so he nipped her ears instead. Vanners felt certain she knew his language since her golden brother speaks Dog. She got down on all fours and scrounged around for 'Renzo's chew toys. He was already on all fours, so he lowered his head to the floor and barked at her, puppy tail wagging. She chortled back, and the two were clearly relieved there was *someone* at the party who they could relate to. The rest of us felt a little like outsiders, really.

I took photos of 'Renzo on Auntie Cyndi's camera - I'll ask her to email me some for the blog.

Auntie Cyndi and Uncle David rolled out the red carpet for us, gave us the honeymoon suite, made us fabulous meals, and stocked up on Number 4 diapers and wipes. Grandma Patty drove down from Vermont. Auntie Anne and Auntie Cyndi arranged for there to be a veritable Romper Room of toys for Vanners, as well as a Pack-and-Play, high chair, car seat, snow suit, giant box of board books, and even stacks of baby clothing.

It also snowed for us. How they arranged that, I'll never know.

On Monday we made a few visits to some Connecticut VIP's. First off, we went back to my hometown of Suffield to reunite with home-girls, Tara, Lisa, Wendy, and Ellen. Ellen and I have known each other since kindergarten. After 17 years of marriage, she and husband Bob had their first child, Robin. See handsome baby Robin with his mama, here.

Ellen hosted our get-together, baked us lasagna, and surely must have been to a spa for some kind of makeover before we arrived, because she looked stunning for someone who has an 8 week old baby. While we caught up on Suffield gossip, Jack thumbed through our old yearbooks, concluding that we have aged pretty well. Thank goodness he didn't come right out and say we looked like geeks in high school...

We left this reunion and headed to Hartford to visit Auntie Anne at work. You see, she changed careers and took a new job as an oncology nurse one month before I got pregnant. She happened to take a job at the same place where late great brother Michael received cancer care. Anne's coworkers love her almost as much as we do. They have been following the stories of Vanessa. Before Anne screwed up the courage to ask for a day off, they told her she was taking not one but two days around Thanksgiving. This is a very big deal for health care. Vanessa thanked them in person. I also got to thank my brother's oncologist, Stacy Neurenstone, for taking care of Michael for 13 years before he died (6 years ago). And now she's Anne's boss: What a small world we live in.

That was Monday. Tuesday we headed to Vermont with Grandma Patty in the snow - the 4 of us and all that gear jammed into her little Subaru with studded snow tires. Grandma rented a ski house for our family Thanksgiving reunion. We managed a teensy weensy bit of shopping along the way, then stopped to introduce Vanessa to Uncle Tom.

Vanessa waited in the car while I knocked on the door at Uncle Tom's. He let me in and greeted me with, "Well, let me give you a big hug! Congratulations on having a baby!" Then, as Daddio came up the front steps with Van, Uncle Tom covered his eyes until she came through the door. Then he opened his eyes with a ceremonious, "There she is!" She loved him instantly.

Unfortunately, my camera was packed tightly somewhere in the Subaru, so I can't post a photo of Uncle Tom with Baby Nessa. He got out a green plastic steam shovel and a small soccer ball, gave her a 5 dollar bill for her birthday, and let her play with his adopted teddy bear son, Snookums. I did take several pictures of Vanessa with cousin Snookums and Uncle Tom using his camera, so I hope to get copies for her baby book.

That night we met Uncle Marky and the Magic Aunt at the ski house. What a hearty reunion! Poor Vanners had picked up a souvenir cold virus her first day in New England, but she still rallied to see them. The next day, in cahoots with Daddio while I was away, they put Nesserkins in her lionessa outfit - her snow suit - and tested the sled run (and jump) Daddio had built.

Everyone arrived Wednesday. All but one Jennings cousin - Andy - was there. Des, Corey and USMC reservist Barry are college students, Abby is in high school, and Daniel and Matthew are 8 and (almost) 11. Cousin Andy couldn't be with us because he's in the Navy in San Diego, that little walrus. We missed him soooo much.

As you can see, Nessa's girl cousins have really red hair. Abby, on the far left, is Anne's daughter, and Corey is Mark's daughter. Vanessa is my daughter. Abby and Corey look like us except they have cute little noses and nice full lips. Van may get a big Jennings nose and skinny lips, but we'll still tell her she's hot.

In fact, I should report that the Baby GAP finalists have been announced and Vanessa was -shockingly - not chosen. I felt very upset by this, believing that I, as her stage mother, had surely let her down by failing to capture her charisma on film. When Jack asked me how many entries there had been (i.e., what were her odds), I had to say I didn't know, but last year there were 360,000 entries. Even so, when I told the family she didn't make the cut, they were speechless. Jaws dropped. "Did you send in a video?" someone asked. They were incredulous too.

See the finalists on the website: http://www.gap.com/

Cousin Corey brought her childhood development textbook for some light holiday reading. I found it fascinating. Daddio, who was a psychology major, looked up co-sleeping and read the textbook said 90% of the people and cultures of the world co-sleep. North Americans are in the minority for not co-sleeping. I guess we were oblivious of the odds.

Everyone - I mean everyone - played with Vanessa. Even so, her cold made her a bit more clingy than normal. She does detest the nasal aspirator and still lacks the ability to honk her horn, which makes for a truly disgusting booger face. (I got slimed, that's for sure.) Even so, Nanners had a wonderful time and co-slept great.

Here is a clip of our sweet Wahkeenah entertaining two of her most rabid and adoring fans, Uncle Marky, and Auntie Anne in the background. This is a 30 second clip. You have to click on it two times to get it to work (Mom).

Grandma Patty and the Magic Aunt hand crafted our pies (homemade crust of course), and Uncle Marky, Auntie Anne and the Magic Anne ran the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. It was a glorious meal. Nanners sat at the table with us, because Corey figured out how to get us all in one room. Des had a stomach virus and couldn't join us, but that meant we all fit. Thanks, Des.

Uncle Tom read a poem by William Blake, Uncle Scott blessed the meal and thanked God for Vanessa, and I toasted the people we miss and the people we're thankful to be with today. Here's the poem by Blake:

TIGER, TIGER

Tiger Tiger. burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye.

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears

And watered heaven with their tears:

Did he smile His work to see?

Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

I don't know about y'all, but the Jennings family tiger is surely cancer. Thank God Vanessa somehow emerged from-with-despite cancer. Thank you, God.

On Friday after Thanksgiving (which was also Vanessa's 11th month birthday!), Grandma Patty invited relatives from far and wide to come by for an open house. Vanessa go to meet Holland and Jennings cousins. Great Aunt Carol couldn't make it after all due to radiation and chemo aftermath issues, the poor dear. Even Daddio had old friend Jeff Wall and family come by.

Last time I saw the Walls I was laid up in the hospital, preggers. Nanners was beside herself with a 2- and 4-year old around. She loves kids.

We said goodbye to everyone on Saturday morning. This time, for the first time, Vanessa could participate: she learned to wave bye-bye this week! She can also throw a ball and is dangerously close to walking. She even played the piano for everyone a little bit - she stands on the floor and has to reach over her head to tickle the ivories.

We packed up the Subaru and drove 2 hours to the aeropuerto, flew all day, and Granny Ernestine greeted us. She shepherded us to her home where we co-slept like logs. Vannerkins had been a champ on the plane - she even slept through an aborted landing. Eeek!

We are already missing our Jennings family, but have Hoyts on the horizon. Uncle Bobby and Auntie Cindy are arriving next weekend from Tennessee, and Auntie Judi is coming from Seattle a day after they leave. Woo hoo!