Saturday, May 30, 2009

Busy Times

So it has been another busy couple of weeks here...I know I say that with every post, but it is just true!

The boys have continued to bond...
Harrison is still perfecting the crawl...
And growing out of clothes faster than I can get him into them...This is a favorite from Grandma...The hat adds a little something to the shirt, I think!
Such a happy boy!
The boys wrestling...at this point we have to pose these pictures, as Harrison can't quite get up onto Michael...but it is a good glimpse of my (very near) future!!!
Michael got to enjoy an apple...I think it is still out in the yard somewhere!
On May 22 we took Harrison to the cardiologist for the preliminary check-up (the same thing we did with Michael at this age). The doc said his heart and lungs sound great and he was a little too busy to do an echocardiogram without sedation. Since David's condition will likely not affect the boys until puberty (if it affects them at all), and since Harrison's heart sounded fine, the doc decided sedation would not be necessary and we would wait to do the echo until he was about a year old. So that was good. They weighed and measured him, and I guess our system is pretty close because here are the stats from that day:
Height: 27"
Weight: 17# 10oz
So, he is still a happy, healthy boy!
What a grin!
TEETH!!! Still only two...but I think we are getting close to having one on top, too...
Cuties...
Drooly...
Getting the big bro's shoes...
Sheniah went on a student council trip last weekend...I think it was a little exhausting, because this is how she spent the last of it!
Harrison is starting to like eating a LITTLE better...he has now had (in addition to rice cereal) applesauce, bananas and pears.
On Memorial Day we went to spend the day with Alison and the kids so Brandon and David could go fishing. Everyone had a great time...
The kids really enjoyed playing together...Michael kind of trashed Wesley's room, he was so excited about all the "new" toys!
Harrison's famous talking/grinning face! For some reason he often sucks in the top lip to smile, and closes his lips completely to talk...this is the mixture!
I don't know if I've been feeding the baby enough...2 fat rolls on the back of the neck!!!
Michael, on the other hand, does not have a fat roll to be found anywhere!
The boys...
More wrestling...notice how Harrison is always on top and seems to be winning?!?! I think this will be the case with the boys and little Michael against the big boy!
But they're still buds!
CHEESE!!!!
I really do feed the children...apparently on this day it was just not fast enough for Michael!
See? I even got a picture of the boys eating together!
One of David's friends from work has a son who was in love with Thomas the Train. He has since grown out of the little character, so Michael was the very excited beneficiary of about a zillion trains and even a train couch...too cute!
The couch is just the right size! Except of course for Harrison!
I'm telling you...zillions of trains!!!
Daddy feeding Harrison...
Daddy showing Harrison how to eat! It is so funny...no matter how hard you try, when you are feeding a baby you have no control of your mouth!!!
So David decided to just hide it from me the rest of the time!!
More happy bathtime shots...poor Michael...it seems like each day he gets less and less room in the bathtub as Harrison grows and becomes more active.


Of course, a couple of new videos...
First is Michael and daddy reading together and Michael talking...
And here is Harrison laughing at daddy...

Okay, that is it for now. I have a great shot of Harrison's teeth that I need to post. I will try to later today or tomorrow.

Love to all...

Monday, May 18, 2009

Fun Family Times

Another busy few weeks have come and gone. Lot's of new experiences, and of course, fun familiy times...
Unfortunately, some of the pictures are out of order again since I had pictures on 2 cameras again.
Oh well...


The boys like to bond in the morning in Michael's bed...



And Harrison really enjoys Michael's stuffed giraffe from Grandma...

The basketball is very interesting, too!



Love the giraffe!

The chunky, drooly boy in the bath!



Michael had a bit of a diaper rash last week, so he got to spend most of the day in big boy underwear...


flexing his muscles...

and in the buff...






Happy boy...


Drooly boy...


Moving boy...He has really started to perfect the crawl...


Of course, he has a lot of motivation...
"Wonder what's in that cup??"

"I can get it..."


"I think this is how you do it..."

"Aha...got it!!"

Chasing after the big bro's toys...

and finding entertainment from the big sis...

Michael decided to read Harrison a story...

and Harrison really enjoyed it...

but I guess he got a little close to touching the book, because Michael had to put up a road block!

The boys love bathtime...

and Harrison still loves the giraffe...but I think it must taste a little funny based on his concerned facial expression...

There's a smile!

Harrison also loves the block from Yaya...

and Michael loves his new toy box from Yaya, too!

Playing with the big bro's car...

It's very interesting to look at...

but even better to taste!


"Tickle, tickle, tickle..."

What a ham!!!

Harrison loves to crawl under the couch...we recently found him like the wicked witch of the west with just his feet hanging out. I didn't take the time to grab the camera then, but I did get a picture of him enjoying his favorite spot, head out...

This picture is blurry, but the grin is cute!

The boys...

Daddy and Harrison...

Harrison and Aunt Alison on Mother's Day...

Brandon's dad and the kids...they all look so small next to him!

Maria and Uncle David...

Great Papou and Harrison...

On May 12, Harrison was 5 months old. We measured him and here are the most recent stats, according to our slightly inaccurate system...
Weight: 17#
Height: 27"
And for comparison, we measured Michael as well...here are his 20 1/2 month stats:
Weight: 24#
Height: 32"

On May 13, David was awarded a Chief's Award for a big bust that happened before his surgery. It was exciting and such a proud moment, unfortunately it is likely his last award as he is going to have to go out on retirement...the Dr's won't let him go back to work as a police officer. He is fine with their decision, though, and just happy he has the ability to retire rather than just become unemployed. It is kind of wierd, though...to retire before you're even 30!!
So, here is a picture of him at the award ceremony.
Later that night I found that Harrison had gotten his first tooth! It was the bottom center left tooth. No wonder he is such a drooly boy!

On May 14, David's family from MN flew into town to be with Papou for his 80th birthday. It was a surprise for Papou, and so wonderful to see everyone. We met at the Greek Isles and ate WAY too much!! But it was great...

Here is Michael meeting his cousin, Londyn, for the first time. They became fast friends!

And here we all are!


Happy Birthday, Papou...this cake tasted even better than it looked...if you can believe that!




On May 15, we all headed off to Blowing Rock to be together for the weekend. It was alot of fun, and I think Papou really enjoyed having us all together.




We got a baby backpack while we were in the mountains, because after about 5 minutes of carrying Harrison around in the frontpack I couldn't feel my hands anymore! He is a big boy!! So here is a picture of Michael enjoying the backpack on daddy's back...

It's a very nice backpack...a smart purchase, I must say...



Then, while in the mountains, on May 16, I found that Harrison had ANOTHER tooth! This one was the bottom center right tooth! Here he is after the discovery, perfecting the crawl...

Bonding with Maria...

We had a wonderful dinner our last night there at the beautiful restaurant...

Bonding with Wesley...
Wesley and Michael had a lot of fun together...they are starting to enjoy each other more every time they get together.

Mom will probably be the only one who appreciate's the following series of pictures, but it was exciting to see the highway we helped build!
Cheeks...


Cheeks Crossing and the sign for The Patterson School and Happy Valley Elementary...


Our old house...I missed ours actually (it is the one cut off on the right of the picture) because I wasn't quite fast enough to catch it as we flew by at 60mph!


The Lowe's they built on top of our old dump at the far south end of town.
Finally, when we got home I decided Harrison was ready to start trying to eat real food. So, here is his first bite of rice cereal.

He wasn't too crazy about it...

but Michael loved the pizza he was having nearby...
And Harrison was happy, even though the cereal was kind of icky!

Daddy and Michael...

Finally, a couple more videos. Hope everyone enjoys...




Love to everyone...