So, I believe I had said in my last post that I would try to get around to a new post every two weeks...hahaha! I should have known better! I am writing this while Harrison takes his evening nap before we get him his bath and help him on his way to dreamland...I probably should be doing laundry!
To bring everyone up to speed, Harrison will soon be FIVE MONTHS OLD! It's so hard to believe! And what's even more amazing is how much he's changed in these last 4 1/2 months! He has such an adorable personality...with the exception of being unhappy when he's sleepy or hungry, he really is just a happy little boy! He loves to smile and laugh at Josh and me and we love finding new ways to make him smile and laugh. It's what they call a "win-win" in the corporate world...hahaha!
At his most recent doctor's appointment (which was yesterday for his immunizations...YUCK!) he weighed 14 lbs. 14 oz. and is 24.6 inches tall. He's growing into a stong boy! The doctor even commented on how strong he is! He coos and babbles all the time, loves looking and reaching for the dogs, will sit up with our help, and is SO very close to rolling over from his back to his tummy. Oh, I did forget that he doesn't particularly like tummy time...he gets grumpy then too! His pediatrician says it's because he's such a social little guy!
He is great with holding things, and tries to hold his bottle while we're feeding him. When he wakes up in the morning, he loves to lie there for 15-30 minutes just taking in everything. He'll "talk" to himself and chew on his thumb until he greets Mama or Daddy with a big grin! Our mornings consist of a few shows from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Jungle Junction while he's having "breakfast." Below is a photo of him watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (his favorite of the three):
We LOVE waking up to this little guy! It never gets old and ALWAYS puts a smile on our faces!!!
He usually wakes up happy from his naps, but certainly not always! He's like his mama: if he hasn't had enough sleep, he wakes up in a baaaad mood!
If he had it his way, he would never wear clothes and would just sit around all the time in his "underwear" and slippers like his daddy :-)
In the beginning, his bouncer was too big so we had to anchor him in with a blanket, but now he can hold himself up and we don't have to use it anymore...he's getting stronger!!!
He loves his daddy!!!
Trying to give Daddy a hint at what he wants when he graduates...wink, wink!
Getting ready for a spin around the neighborhood!
Enjoying a day at the park...he really does love watching the trees.
Maybe he'll be a forest ranger one day!
A boy and his puppy dogs :-)
Sometimes there are accidents along the way...usually involving Daddy...hahaha!
Just a swingin...
In the beginning, when he first started taking regular naps, this was his favorite place to take a nap...he would sometimes sleep 3-4 hours in his swing. Now, we're lucky if he stays in it for more than 30 minutes! Ahh, the ever-changing life of a little boy!
A very happy little boy :-)
Did I mention he LOOOOVVVEEESSS his daddy???
Getting ready for bed...really likes taking baths!
We've celebrated a few holidays with Harrison. Below are some pictures from St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day.
"I've left ye a pot o' gold in my diaper, Daddy!
Hee, hee...Happy St. Patty's Day!"
3 weeks old
Easter 2011
8 weeks old
"Good grief, that basket is bigger than me!"
Mother's Day 2011
10 weeks old
Father's Day 2011
16 weeks old
We are both so happy to have celebrated our first Mother's Day and Father's Day!
We have been blessed with the most beautiful gift our Father could bestow on us, and we are so grateful to Him for this blessing!
Well, that kind of brings everyone up to speed with Harrison. As for me, I decided I would not be returning to work after my maternity leave. I really couldn't imagine going back to work and not getting to spend time with Harrison each and every day! Although being a new mom is tough, I wouldn't trade it for any other job! Another reason I decided not to return to work is because I've had some health challenges and have been diagnosed with arterial stenosis. I'm not sure what the future holds, but I have faith that God will help to see us through this and that the doctors will be able to help me manage this disease.
I just turned 36 last week, and Josh was out of town training at Port Mugu Naval Air Station in Ventura County. I was feeling really down that he was missing my birthday, when, to my utter surprise, he showed up at the house ON MY BIRTHDAY! He came home early from training (he wasn't doing much by the way of training, so they let him come home early) and completely surprised me! That was the 2nd best birthday present! Of course, the first is having my little man in my life!
The next few months will see Josh doing a lot of training. In fact, he will be away from home for two weeks out of every month leading up to his deployment. I hate that he has to be away so much, so we will just have to make the most of the time he has here with us!
Josh received his HAC (Helicopter Air Commander) certification last month! I'm so very proud of him! Four years of training is finally paying off!
Awesome, huh?!?
We've decided that Harrison and I will be moving to NC while Josh is on deployment. We will be driving to NC beginning October 17th. Josh's dad will fly out to California, then Josh, his Dad, Harrison and I will all make the cross-country trip - along with all of the furry kids. Josh will then have a few days home to visit with family before heading back to California to ready everything for his deployment which will take place sometime later in the year. We've put in an offer on a house back home and are waiting to see if our offer will be accepted (it's a short sale). We'll keep the house here in California, but figure since the house prices in NC are so great right now, we'd be better off buying rather than trying to rent...we wouldn't even be able to find a place to rent for the amount we'll pay for the mortgage.
Well, I better get upstairs and help Josh take care of Harrison. Before I sign off, I'd like to ask everyone to pray for Brandon, my cousin, who deployed last weekend to Afghanistan. He and his wife, Jess, are expecting their first child in November. And also, please pray for our friends Matthew, and his wife, Emilee. Matthew stepped on an IED last month...God was watching over him! He has his life and all of his limbs, but has major damage to his right foot. Just this past week, doctors performed surgery to piece back together his foot. His has a long road of recovery ahead of him, so please include him in your prayers.
And I would appreciate prayers for our family, also. Please pray for God's protection as Josh continues his training and for God's protection and guidance while he is deployed. And for God's healing upon me - although I've been told that my condition is irreversible, I know that anything is possible with God! And please pray for little Harrison to continue to grow and develop well each and every day!
Love and Blessings to everyone!
