How do I begin to describe the last week in our lives?
WONDERFUL.
This is what life is like having a healthy baby???
Since June of last year Harrison has battled 10 ear infections, several colds, pink eye 4 times, pneumonia/bronchitis and suffered with gastrointestinal issues for 3 weeks.
This is day 8 of his longest stretch of being healthy in 9 months. With this being said he totally different baby... We now know the meaning of happy and healthy. I am not going to lie---in the last 9 months we have certainly have seen him smile and laugh along with accomplishing several milestones...but in those 9 months was a long and tough road for us all. There was days and days that went by that he wouldn't do anything but cry or cling to us---there were times, we didn't know if we had what it took to be parents.
But, you know what? We may question our ability to get through things...but look where we are now and where we started out---apparently we are a lot stronger than we think we are. Together Doug and I make a great team, we couldn't raise this amazing little boy if didn't have each other.
{16 MONTHS}
Yes, the little red chair made another appearance for his 16 months photos. Harrison LOVES this chair (so much daddy needs give it a little tune up from all the love).
I just love photographing him lately (well always). He is so animated in photos---he just makes me laugh. His expressions are so unpredictable and so memorable. I almost bought him a shirt yesterday that said, "Take a picture, it lasts longer." This is certainly the case.
On top of being so photogenic---Harrison is busy, ALL THE TIME.
At 16 months he is walking 50% of the time and crawling 50% of the time. These percentages are changing daily as he is becoming more confident on his feet. But, along with building confidence comes bumps and bruises. Right now Harrison is on the mend from a tumble he took in our dining room on the hard wood floors. He ended up with a goose egg on his right eye. To make matter worse, the poor guy ended up skinning up the same eye when he took another tumble down the slide at Pip Squeaks (and indoor play place for children) on Saturday.
With walking improving, we are also beginning to notice a preference for his right side. Which, you wouldn't think would be a cause of concern, because we all have a dominant side. But, actually at this stage (age), Harrison should have equal strength on both sides---most children don't have preference for left/right until they are two or three. With this said, we checked in with birth to three and they are going to have a physical therapist come in and observe Harrison to see if this preference is any cause for concern.
It seems everything has changed in these past 8 days... I looked at Harrison just yesterday as he stood next to an 18 month old---there was practically no size difference! I actually just bought him his first size 4 shoe (which is what a 9-12 month old typically wears). They are little on the big side, but his feet have definitely grown, I am not convinced that he will not be in size 3 forever. Size wise he is wearing 6-12 months and 12-18 month clothing. I am wishing his legs would even out with his torso so he could get out of 6-9 and 6-12 month pants. All the cute stuff I have been finding in the stores lately is calling 12-18 months. I am so excited to see his growth chart at our April (15 month) appointment. Right now we estimate his length at about 30 inches and his weight at or just above 21 lbs. Way to go big guy!
This means he must be eating well right? Well, with any toddler, his days are up and down. Sometimes he eats, sometimes he doesn't. Doug joked with me the other night that Harrison was on an all fruit diet, the day before it was an all veggie diet. Really, he isn't picky when it comes to food, it just if he really wants what you put in front of him or not (right now the only guaranteed food he will eat is yogurt. We have resorted to putting Whitney Dog in her kennel at meal times so he isn't so tempted to "accidentally" drop his food on the floor. We have also not given up Harrison's morning bottle--which means he does get at least 6 ounces of milk a day. Well, regardless if he eats a little or a lot, he is doing well size wise and most of the stuff I read said that parents tend to over-react in thinking that their child is malnourished or not eating enough when in fact most toddlers do in fact get enough nourishment. In 5 days Harrison will be restarted on regular whole milk---his body should be able to process lactose efficiently again.
Harrison's communication has improved in leaps and bounds (yes in the last 8 days). He "talks" all the time. Most of what he says doesn't make sense, but this babbling is HUGE for him. My favorite time to listen to him is when he is in the bath-tub (he has a whole conversation with himself in there). When he was at Grandma's yesterday he said bird (but has yet to say it again). Right now his vocabulary consists of Momma, bye,bye, and uh-oh. To daddy's dismay-- no consistent "da, da" yet. His vocabulary maybe small, but he is learning to gesture to what it is that he wants. When he wants more food, he points at the food and and says :mmm, mmm." He also points at toys or other things he wants. We feed him a lot of plum foods when we are out (which is basically baby food that he sucks out of package much like straw), if it gets to the point he can't get any more out, he hands it back to you to squeeze it back to the top and gladly takes it back. He understands a lot more than I think we sometimes give him credit for. He does things that just amaze me everyday. Right now we are regularly working on puzzles. At this point in time, he can't put a puzzle together (which is not expected at this age), but if you take a puzzle apart he will place the puzzle pieces to there general areas on the board. This is great---this means he is definitely learning.
The word "NO" means nothing to Harrison. He has become a little terror from time to time. I feel bad, but the only way "NO" means something is when we raise our voices---and we have raise them LOUDLY. As much as it can be frustrating, sometimes I can't be as firm as I should be. Just the other day---he was in the bathroom, he looked at me and then looked at the toilet paper roll and then looked at me and smiled and proceeded to go un-roll the toilet paper---though I raised my voice in saying, "NO" he walked over to roll laughing hysterically (which only made me laugh) and began to un-roll it. I found myself laughing and laughing, which only fueled Harrison's laughing---better luck next time I guess.
In the last month Harrison started to drag a long his blankets---or burp clothes, kitchen towels, basically anything he can find to make his own. In the morning he is waiting with his arms stretched out wide and his blanket dangling off the crib. This morning I put in back in the crib 3-4 times and every time he picked it back up and gave it back to me---it was like him saying, "Momma, I am not leaving without this." He also gets excited when he sees a clean blanket in the laundry basket to one laying around on the floor. The latest thing? Carrying with him (and yes tripping over it, not once, not twice, but three times). There is nothing wrong with being attached to a blanket, heck I slept with my blanket until I was 12 (and yes, I just admitted that), but my concern is becoming attached to a single blanket. Thank goodness my kind Aunt Karen supplied us with 10 plus receiving blankets when he was born that we are switching out periodically.
Sleeping in at 16 months? Did I really just type this? I did, so this must actually be real, right?
6:50 am is the magic wake-up time. I AM LOVE WITH THIS, IN LOVE. We have waited for 16 months to sleep in until 6 am---but 6:50? This is definitely a bonus! Harrison continues to nap both in the morning and afternoon. At daycare they are looking into weaning his morning nap (for his transition to the toddler room), which I am opposed to at this time. In everything I read it says two naps are recommended until 18 month (or earlier if a child shows readiness). If you look at Harrison's adjusted age of 13 months---he is no where near ready for the nap transition. And I did also mention the toddler room transition---which I try not to think or talk about. This scares me to death---why, I don't know. I am so trusting of his caregivers he has now, they are amazing. Last month we did touch base with the daycare about transition (as they start to transition at 16 months), but we found out that a full transition doesn't have to be made until he is 18 months of age---which is May 28th (yes I am counting each and everyday). So with this said, we have time...time to wait and see how he continues to develop and time for mommy to adjust.
A couple of things I forgot to mention...
-5 teeth (a 6th one is on they way)
-he can roll a ball
-gives Mommy kisses
-is starting to run
-he loves to feed us (and Whitney Dog too)
-favorite toy is his water table
We are so excited for all of these changes in 8 days (and yes I am emphasizing 8 again). He is happy and HEALTHY---let is please stay this way.
{I have to admit I maybe a little over-protective at this time. I found myself scooping up Harrison and taking him a way from the other coughing children at the play center on Saturday and secretly wishing I can a economy size of Lysol to spray}.
With this all said---Happy 16 months to our beautiful baby boy---everyday is such a blessing having you in our lives.
Here are few more snap shots from the week!
He found the ice...the ice found it's way to the floor...
One of the few cupboards that Harrison is allowed in.
Being nice to Whitney Dog, he now pats her.
"I'm going to get Mommy!"
Be sure to check the blog later this week for some new photos... Mommy just got a fun new prop from the estate sale down the block---it was a steal at just $15. (In case your wondering I have a $15 rule---I don't spend more $15 on any photo prop).
