Ready

Somebody is ready for MSU football...

GOOOOOO STATE!!

future football player??

why are you taking a picture of my back?



Busy, busy

We have had a busy couple of weeks...
Brian and I went with our Sunday school class to raft the upper & middle sections of the Ocoee River. We left on Friday morning, rafted Saturday & then drove home. There were 16 of us, and we had an amazing time! This was probably my fourth time to raft the Ocoee, but my second time to do the upper & middle sections. We were led down the river by a guide who was been working the Ocoee for close to 30 years. He is originally from Australia. As soon as we got on the river, he turned to Brian & asked him to pray for us. We were blessed with a safe & very fun trip down the water. This was my first time to be thrown out of the raft. Our guide used his experience to throw all 6 of us out of the boat at the end of the last rapid. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of our trip. I didn't even take my camera - oops!

Brian has started P90X. Harrison likes to help him with his workout some nights. Those are resistance bands he is chewing on & he is in a bib & diaper - we are such good parents!

A few weeks ago, Brian & I decided to start looking for a lot or some land in Brandon to build a house on in a few years. Less than a week into our search, we found a lot in our favorite neighborhood. The lot had only been listed for 2 days. We closed on our lot yesterday! I don't have any pictures of it yet. I felt weird taking a picture of it before we "owned" it. It is right on the corner of a cul-de-sac, and there are not any houses built behind it yet. Brian keeps saying we will build in 2-4 years, but he has already started looking at house plans!

Harrison moved up a room in daycare this month. He is now in a class with 3 other babies that were all born the same month as him. He is the youngest & the only baby not crawling yet (which I am still more than ok with). He is sitting up very well & moving from sitting to his belly very quickly. He can push up on his arms & sit up on his knees but he is not putting the two together yet. His new class schedule consists of 2 naps per day. I think he still needs 3 naps considering the fussiness & sleepiness when we get home everyday.

We went back for a 2 week check up after his last ear infection. He now weighs 17lbs 14.5 ounces, wearing a size 3 diaper. He is eating all fruits & vegetables & mixtures. We haven't started meat yet. I am still making most of his food (so easy & good for him & lots cheaper!) He is drinking juice from a sippy cup & some formula/milk too. He is currently taking 2-3 6 ounce bottles & still nursing twice per day, eats a fruit at breakfast & supper, yogurt as a snack, a vegetable at lunch & supper. We started mum-mum crackers a few weeks ago. Now he is doing puffs & yogurt chips too. I have let him try sweet potato fries & regular green beans. He loves feeding himself! Still no teeth....

I will be transferring to a new position at St. Dominic in the next month. I am going from inpatient clinical work (which I have done for 6  years) to part time at our weight loss clinic & part time in employee wellness. I will be completely changing gears, but I am so excited about this new job!

Between all this, we have had Pappaw come for a weekend visit. Nonna, Ninny & Grandaddy Bill for a day visit (to bring more cute clothes that Nonna has made for Harrison) A birthday dinner for Pops. A girls night at Easely Amused. A boys night at the Braves game. There's always something to do!

First Trip to the Beach

We took Harrison to the beach for the first time this week. I think Brian and I packed our whole house for 5 days! We stayed with Brian's mom, stepdad, brother, cousin & her friend, aunt, & 2 other cousins in a condo & my parents stayed in a condo right down from us. I didn't get as many pictures as I should have. I felt like I had to take everything with us everywhere we went, so the camera was left in the room a lot.
Harrison did great! He loved the lazy river. We skipped the big fun slide this year - I don't think he met the height requirement. He was fine on the beach for about an hour before he got too hot. He floated in the ocean & kicked his feet like he knew how to swim. He was a little unsure about the sound of the waves & the water splashing on his face. He was a little angel baby considering his ear infection came back (we just finished meds last week) & we think there is a tooth coming in.

 eating breakfast on the balcony (excuse the bib & diaper look)

playing on the beach

feeling the sand on his toes for the first time

checking out the waves with Poppa

Harrison absolutely LOVED Olyvia! He watched her every second that he could.

We attempted pictures on the beach. Everyone's eyes were shut because the sun was too bright, & Harrison got hot quickly. This is him telling us he is ready for some AC!

sitting in the sand

his beach wear (I couldn't get rid of the tube of Desitin, he cried every time I took it away)

We took Harrison's pack & play with us. He slept in it well for naps... He woke up about midnight the first 2 nights crying & ended up in bed with us. The next 2 nights we just started him in bed with us. I didn't get a picture of it, but the last night he definitely took up his share of the king size bed! He ended up sideways in the bed between Brian & me.

We had a great trip - not as relaxing as beach trips used to be - but a different kind of fun. Brian & I look forward to many more years of beach trips with our little man. 

New this week

Harrison is getting lots of use out of his high chair these days. He likes it so well that he will play in it after he eats while Brian and I get the kitchen cleaned up!

Harrison is sitting up some. He can't sit up by himself yet, but if you put him in a seated position he will stay there. He loves it! He will just laugh & talk & throw his arms around. Of course, everytime we try to video him doing it, he stops. There is something about that red light on the front of the camera...

We have Bible school this week at our church. Hopefully Harrison will have as much fun as Brian and I usually do!

Swimming

Brian and I took Harrison swimming for the first time this weekend. He fell asleep on the way to the pool, so he was sleepy when we first got there but he quickly warmed up to the water.

Harrison had so much fun splashing in the water. He especially liked chewing on his float! Ha! We were at the pool for less than an hour, but he was a tired boy when we got home. This is what I found when I got home from the grocery store.

Hopefully Harrison will have this much fun in the water when we go to the beach in a month.

6 months

We had our 6 month check-up & shots Friday. Harrison is growing like a weed despite the recent issues with reflux...

Stats:

17 pounds 1 ounce (50%)

27 inches long (75%)

17 inch head circumference

eating: rice cereal at breakfast, lunch & supper and carrots, squash, peas, or green beans at lunch & supper - we got a little behind when we had to cut out food for 2 weeks, we will start fruits this week

drinking four 5 ounce bottles per day & nursing 2-3 times per day

size 2 diapers

wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes, but transitioning up to 6-9 month

still with dark blue eyes & brown hair that is longer in the front than the back

loves to bounce in his jumperoo, not so much in a doorway jumper; loves any music & lights

 still rolling from back to belly & trying to get his knees under him & sticking his booty up in the air - somehow he is scooting around in circles

starts out sleeping on his back but ends up on his stomach when we go to wake him up in the mornings

sleeping from 8:00-5:30 or 6:00; only waking up when his reflux is acting up which is usually when we introduce new foods every 4-5 days

He will go to sleep on his own if you lay him in his bed, but I can't quit holding him until he is asleep because I love when he tucks his little head into my neck & goes to sleep

laughing & smiling a lot; he loves when his daddy acts silly

still drooling a ton but no teeth yet; he goes through 5-6 bibs a day with drool

He is definitely one of the best gifts we have ever been given, & it just keeps getting better!

Chicago

Brian, Harrison & I went to Chicago on Friday to visit friends & see the city. We flew out Friday morning at 6:35 from Jackson to Memphis to pick up our friend Neal, then we flew from Memphis to Chicago where Clint picked us up. We had to get up really early Friday & Harrison was very confused about why he was awake at 5:00!

The Darby's live in Roscoe Village. Friday after we arrived, we walked down to Roscoe Avenue & ate lunch, delicious tacos! Then the boys went to a golf store while the girls put the babies down for naps. That night we ate deep dish pizza from Gino's East on the rooftop deck. Saturday, the girls went to a few stores in the neighborhood & the boys went to watch the Cubs play the Yankees.

my boys before the game

The babies played most of the day inside. Harrison's favorite thing about the trip was definitely the exersaucer that bounces!



After the game, the babysitters came over & all the adults went out to dinner! We had several suggestions for steak houses. We chose Benny's Chop House because they had a reservation. The food was delicious!! Our waiter was great & made wonderful suggestions for our meals & desserts. I highly recommend the smores cheesecake if anyone ever goes there. It comes complete with a giant roasted marshmallow on top. 

Sunday morning, we lazed around the house for a little while. Then we went to visit the Museum of Science & Industry, which was really cool. It had lots of kid activities. There was a huge model train & an indoor tornado. The most interesting part to me was the U505 submarine from WWII.

Harrison slept through the first part of the museum.

Sunday was Father's Day & Clint's birthday. We celebrated by eating at a Spanish tapas restaurant, which was incredible! The boys had too much fun at the restaurant & fell asleep on the way home.

Monday morning, we rode into town with Clint (who was on his way to work) & walked around downtown. We ate breakfast at Lou Mitchell's. I had banana pancakes & Brian & Neal had french toast. Everything was so good! Next we went to the Architectural Boat Tour. It was kind of a dreary day so Harrison & I rode on the inside of the boat. We still had a great view of all the buildings in downtown Chicago. Our guide was very knowledgeable & provided us with lots of history.  Brian took lots of pictures, but I won't bore you with pictures of buildings. Instead, I will show you what a good tourist Harrison is!

We ate lunch at Portillo's, Chicago dogs & beef steak. Yummy!

and visited Garrett's popcorn

Monday night we got another babysitter & had an adult meal in Little Italy. I think we covered all of our bases as far as types of restaurants to experience in Chicago! We had such a wonderful time. Our hosts were amazing! Harrison was a very good traveller! He even sat in a high chair for most of his meals at home.

This big boy is 6 months old today! He is getting too big too fast! We started peas yesterday, another food he loves! I think he is going to be a good eater like his parents! We go for a check up & shots on Friday, I will post 6 month stats after that.