A thankful heart

Cora spent the holidays asking for, and sampling, every one's food.  The kids and the extended relatives all thought it was wonderful that Cora was well enough to spend this holiday with them.  I cooked, and cooked and cooked some more for all the eagerly awaiting hungry people, and it paid off.

This past week has seen so many changes in Cora.  She loves turkey but doesn't like the pieces if they are too big.  She adores stuffing and pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes.  She, however, doesn't like the cranberry sauce.  That's okay though because its wasn't my favorite either.

With her increased awareness of grown up foods and the variety of taste that they offer, she has slowly started to wean herself from the baby foods.  Its truly is more of a sensory issue with Cora than a taste issues and I am so thankful that I had the foresight to be giving her tastes and textures of different foods all along.  While she still has a difficult time eating anything that is solid feeling, she is getting the idea of what teeth are for and her molars can do great work with many foods.

She is changing.  I see a maturity finding her and creeping up on the baby behavior.  She is losing her baby inpatients and starting to show toddler awareness and curiosity.  Cora will point and sign for someone to explain what has caught her attention.  She will look at you for the sign, and then practice the sign. She will listen intently as you show her and explain to her what the object is and what it does.  Gone are the days of spontneously grabbing for what has caught her attention and in its place is a child who looks and listens with an intensity that rivals my own.

I see these changes and part of me is saddened.  Not by her progress, merely for the loss of the baby days and the baby ways.  In its place is a blossoming and learning that comes with time and age.  I am filled with a thankful heart for these changes, despite the accompanying sadness, and any mama that reads this knows exactly what I am describing. 

This mama's thankful heart is filled with gratitude and wonder at Cora's changing ways and most of all , it is filled with overwhelming love,happiness and excitement for the upcoming Christmas holiday.  Cora is caught in moments of acting like a normal child and these moments become treasured, just like the memories of her first true Thanksgiving. 

With that we are both enjoying this holiday time with thankful hearts....and Cora's normal working one beats on with the rhythm of life and in time with her curiosity.  Yes, we are very thankful indeed.

Big sister Emily found a way to make horsey riding more fun...and Cora agrees with her!