Thanksgiving 2011

Lyra has a rule about Thanksgiving: if one Thanksgiving dinner is good, two Thanksgiving dinners is even better. And when Opa and Daddy are around to celebrate their birthdays (November 21 and 26, for those keeping score at home)? Best. Week. Ever.

On Thanksgiving day, Lyra's good friend Zoe invited her over for dinner. Oh yeah -- Mommy and Daddy were invited, too.

Zoe and Lyra discuss how many slices of pie they plan to eat at dinner. A Cool Hand Luke-style contest can't be far off.

The two friends take turns pushing each other in Zoe's special rocking chair.

Zoe and Lyra do a couple laps, knowing that a proper warm-up will aid in digestion. But wait -- looks like Zoe's the only one with an elastic waistband. Rookie move, Baby Lyra!

Zoe flashes her most winning smile.

Thanksgiving dinner is, of course, scrumptious. Grace and Joe roasted a pastured heritage turkey and served it with stuffing and brussels sprouts and other delights. Mommy brought her famous Julia Child-inspired spinach-mushroom dish (courtesy of Oma Lettie) and Daddy made homemade cranberry sauce. Last, but certainly not least, there was pie. Glorious, glorious pie. And apple tarts. With ice cream. 

Up close and personal with the turkey.

After a big dinner (and no nap), Zoe and Lyra hit the playground. But first, they practice sliding down the stairs.

"Hey Zoe -- does your Mom let you stay up to watch The Daily Show? Yeah, me neither. It's so unfair! Us babies never get to do anything!"

Zoe and Lyra have a cute-off. In this contest, everybody wins!

Zoe and Lyra share a goodbye hug. Wait -- is Lyra secretly doing the Macarena?

It was the best Thanksgiving ever!

But wait! That's not all!

Two days after Thanksgiving, Mommy's friend Jan invited Lyra over for a second Thanksgiving meal. Lyra asked if she could bring Mommy and Daddy, and Jan graciously agreed. And so Baby Lyra made her first trip to the boondocks, aka Sugar Land.

Jan's two daughters gleefully pose for a photo; Lyra, meanwhile, is so over these so-called "candids." When can I get back to my Etch-a-Sketch? she wonders. 

On Black Friday, Mommy exercised incredible discipline and stayed home from the malls. The only stop she made was at the Stride-Rite store in Bellaire. Fifty percent off shoes and sundries!

Lyra models her cute new jacket (l) and her new Stride-Rite backpack and sneakers (r). Rock that catwalk, Baby Lyra!