Valentine's Day

We had a very low key Valentine's day. I actually got to come home early since I had an off week from teaching class. Harrison & I stopped at the grocery store on our way home to pick up food to cook for supper. We made the mistake of trying to eat out on Valentine's one year & we probably won't try it again! Harrison had a party at daycare which consisted of him eating only cookies & cupcakes & cheese puffs all day & not taking a nap. Surprisingly, he was in a pretty good mood! Granna & Pops brought him a huge balloon that plays music. He is still dancing to it!

Just a little trim

Last week while Harrison had RSV, we missed our appointment for his first haircut. So, I finally had heard him called "she" one too many times this week & I took the scissors to his hair last night while he was in the tub. For my first time to ever think about cutting hair, really dull safety scissors so I didn't cut an ear off, a wriggling wet baby boy in the tub, & shaking hands from the nerves - I don't think I did too bad of a job.

we went from this...

to this

No, it's not perfect, but much better. And yes, he does look like too much of a big boy now but it was definitely time for a trim!



Sickness

Harrison had a very mild case of RSV last week. Probably caught from one of the 4 kids in his class that had it the same week he did... the joys of daycare! ha! Thankfully, Nonna  could come take care of a sick baby for the week.

The first treatment was probably the easiest because he was curious about this thing we were putting on his face. The rest of them were not so easy! But we got through them & can now return our borrowed breathing machine. He really didn't even act sick all week. He probably just thought he was at home because Nonna was visiting! 

overdue

Well Harrison has been one for over a month now...but here are his one year stats.

Weight: 23lbs 8oz (50%)

Height: 30 inches (50%)

Head Circumference: 18.75 inches (75%)

Clothing size: 12-18 months

Shoe size: 4

Diaper size: 4

Activities: walking! getting into trouble - continually doing things that we tell him not to; playing with cars & his basketball goal; loves riding in the wagon; loves playing with Finn as long as Finn is outside & Harrison is inside; reading; dancing

He is now hugging, kissing & blowing kisses. He is a sweet but independent boy!

Eating: just about anything you give him & everything that is on someone else's plate; will drink all the milk he is given (usually 4 cups a day)

Talking: mama, dada, bye bye, uh oh

Sleeping: still like a champ, 11-12 hours per night, 2 naps of 1.5-2 hours each

No haircut yet, but he needs one!!

Passion 2012

Brian and I have had the wonderful opportunity & blessing to be involved in teaching our church's college-aged Sunday school class for the past 2 years. This year, a couple of our students asked if we could take a group to the Passion conference in Atlanta. Brian & I had never been or really heard a lot about Passion (I know, we have been living under a rock). After we researched ticket prices, availability & hotel rooms, we decided to go. We took 23 people with us, 6 adults & 17 students. I thought for sure I would be in tears by the second day away from Harrison. I have never left him for more than a day or two before. I missed him like crazy, but I absolutely needed the indescribable worship experience I had at Passion. I seriously can not describe how amazing the speakers, songs, concerts were. When Brian & I agreed to go, I knew I would have a good experience but never did I imagine receiving the experience that God gave me. I think 45,000 people in one place, lifting up the name of Jesus is one of the most incredible things I will ever witness on earth. I can't count the number of times I cried in those 4 days - tears of joy & sorrow, but mostly joy.
We were asked to bring socks & towels to donate to the homeless people of Atlanta. These poor college students donated 36,000 towels & 156,000 pairs of socks. The focus this year was on slavery. There were several videos we watched that had statistics & interviews of people who had been slaves. Currently there are 27 million slaves in the world, which is the highest number ever. The students at Passion gave $3,066,670 to end slavery!! In 4 days!! Granted, there was one donor in attendance who gave $500,000, but still! How amazing is that! The very last day, the Passion workers took up an offering to help offset the cost & to help with Passion Vancouver in March & other world tour locations. The students donated again - $148,000!
The speakers we saw were Louie Giglio, Beth Moore, Franchis Chan, John Piper, Christine Caine. All were awesome! Beth Moore was probably my favorite. The concerts/singers we saw were Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, David Crowder Band, Lecrae, Charlie Hall, Hillsong United, Matt Redman, Kristian Stanfill. I will admit to not staying at the late night concerts but for a few songs. Our first session started every morning at 9am, the last session every day started at 11:30pm. That makes for a long day for this mama who is used to going to bed by 10 every night! I hung in there as long as I could. I can't decide who my favorite was music-wise because they were all amazing! It was pretty cool to be in attendance at David Crowder Band's last concert.

inside the Dome during one of the sessions

the hand put up outside the dome after the donations started

with a few of the girls standing in front of some of the bags of socks

We are so very glad that we got to bond more with our students who went with us. I definitely hope they want to go to Passion 2013 (hint, hint). If they don't, Brian & I may sign up to be volunteers!!

Christmas Celebrations

I have been on a little blogging vacation...
Normally in my family, we celebrate Christmas & my grandaddy's birthday on Christmas Eve. I have kind of messed that up for the past 2 years. Last year, Brian & I were just coming home from the hospital with Harrison & this year we decided we wanted to be at home for Christmas morning. So we traveled first to Brian's grandmother's house & then to my grandfather's house the weekend before Christmas. Harrison was not very interested in opening presents this year. He didn't even like the bows or wrapping paper. Needless to say, most of our pictures are of him whining because we were trying to make him sit still or occupy him with opening a present he didn't want in the first place.

playing with the antique rocking horse he got

trying to run away from the presents he had to open

crashing on Poppa's shoulder after all those presents

We spent the next week & weekend (Christmas weekend) around the house. We attended our church's Christmas Eve & Christmas day services for the first time since we have been members. Harrison attended the Christmas Eve service with us. Brian had to take him out at the very end of the service during our silent communion when Harrison started throwing a fit for a cup of grape juice like everyone else was getting!

playing with part of the Christmas decorations - Brian & I listened to these things sing & dance about 100 times!

using the rocking horse to get closer to the tree to take ornaments off of it

We decided to open our stockings on Christmas Eve since we were getting up to go to church Christmas morning. We only had one service where we usually have 3, so we wanted to get there early to make sure we would have a seat. Harrison wasn't too interested in anything in his stocking except a new sippy cup (once he figured out it was empty, he didn't really like it anymore) & 2 new pacifiers. 

telling us his cup is empty & he needs something in it

On Christmas day we went over to Brian's mom's house to eat supper & open presents. Harrison still wasn't very interested in opening anything.

peeking in his stocking that we kept shoving at him

trying on new boots, the wranglers that go with them are a little too big

reading his new book with Pops

We had a wonderful second Christmas with Harrison! It was definitely a lot different from last year. I am sure next year will be completely different than this year. Maybe he will actually sit in Santa's lap without screaming & try to open a few presents!! We also will be able to start his Elf on the Shelf next year and talk to him more about getting 3 presents like the wise men brought to Jesus the day He was born. He got a really great book from his daycare Christmas party called What Is Christmas that talks about the real meaning of Christmas. We are keeping that one out all year long to read!



walker

Harrison loves to push things around while walking behind them. He took his first steps by himself this weekend at my grandfather's house. He has a couple of walk-behind toys that he loves. When we visited my other set of grandparents this weekend, we found him enjoying the original walker...

He originally went after the tennis balls, but quickly found out there was something better! We all had a great time watching him "walk" around the house!