a: things you shouldn't do on thanksgiving weekend; b: the things you should.

1a.  catch a cold as you drive eight hours.  it's nice to think that it's allergies but you're probably going to realize it's not the next day.

1b.  pretend like it's allergies and even when you realize that it's a cold, have a good attitude about it, because really? it's just a little cold. there's nothing that you can do about it or take for it, so drink lots of water and rest as much as possible and just make it work.

2a.  wear flip flops on the legendary slippery front stairs while trying to bring your stuff in, have your feet go out from under you, and come down pretty hard on your tailbone.  freak the fetch out, worried about the baby (even though you know somewhere very deep inside that everything's okay because you came down on your tailbone and your big padded butt is nothing if not helpful in such a situation), sob uncontrollably, and text your husband over and over with no response as you wait for your mom to get home.

2b.  lay down, call the husband instead of texting, believe him when he assures you that women all over the world have been encapsulating and protecting babies since we had to run from lions (an apt comment; we're really such wusses comparatively).  nurse the SERIOUSLY bruised tailbone, call the obstetrician that mom knows in town and wait for him to call back, realize everything's okay and then feel the baby faintly kick as if to say "finally, mommy, i told you that i'm fine!" and talk to the ob and thrill inside when he hears where you hit and says "GOOD!"  watch and wait and rejoice again as not one tiny part of the things he said to watch for have come to pass.  watch the clock as 12, 18, and now almost 24 hours have passed and say prayers of great thanks for the protection for Baby Girl and for me. 

3a.  worry about Baby Girl's movement, even though she's been moving around a bit (and i know that the placenta is on the front wall, which likely muffles movement a bit). 

3b. eat craisins. Baby Girl loves craisins. eat pancakes. Baby Girl loves pancakes.  rejoice when she kicks faintly early with the pancakes and quite vigorously with the craisins. 

4a.  sit too long without moving because then moving is OW.

4b.  keep busy, making life easier for my also-sick mom, by peeling 50 million potatoes and cutting them into cubes and boiling them and prebaking pie crusts and watch movies in my pajamas. 

5a. think that this thanksgiving trip is so far sort of cursed.

5b. focus on the fact that this thanksgiving trip has given me more food for gratitude than ever, and be grateful for the times that i get to spend with my family that i didn't expect to have, a bed that doesn't hurt my SERIOUSLY bruised butt, and in weather that actually seems fall-like. 

i am grateful, y'all--so much.  i hope you are as well.  there's much to be thankful for, and though it seems cliche, turkey and stuffing only mean so much without that recognition.