Giselle

We drove to Philly on Sunday to visit friends and family. Harry got to hang out with PopPop and Aunt Toni and his best friends Dominic and Belle while Kevin and I lunched with my high school chums. Usually just Shelly and Melissa, we actually had a party of 9 this year.
It is always nice to catch up with everyone, and hopefully we will make it to Baltimore for a mid-year gathering in late Spring. I may be getting together for other events prior, including a trip to see Giselle, probably at the Academy of Music. As the case may be, I tend to see the same productions over and over. I am beginning to think it is not just by choice. It is the forces at work. The last ballet I saw was Giselle at the Kennedy Center. I mentioned to D'Lynn that this was years ago. It was, in fact, nearly 15 years ago with Leanne. And I drove! I was an adult! We were in college! And that was 15 years ago. Crazy.
Saturday I turn 33. I have hardly remembered that it was my birthday, so I hope Paul is not offended that I forgot his as well (I was reminded in time but still no gift to speak of). I think I will take us rock climbing at Sport Rock. I usually buy a gift for myself as well, or do a little something, so I think that is what it will be this year.
I started celebrating for myself when I was 16. I think my mom took her gifts back that year, so rather than be upset, I ordered myself a dozen yellow balloons. I made myself happy, and it's been a tradition ever since. Back then I would get upset if things didn't go my way. They always had when I was little, so it was hard to accept as I grew older. I eventually learned to just not expect things. I do my best. My overall goal is just to not be disappointed. It works for me. And actually, these days, mostly all I hope for is time to relax! I have so much more time to hang out with Kevin and Harry now. For the most part, I am doing what I want to be doing and I have the things that I want to have. But a trip to the movies or a day of rock climbing would be awesome...at least until I can teach Harry to climb (I so cannot wait!).

Tuesday Night. The Rules.

Mommy: Okay, I have to go upstairs now. You aren't going to sleep with me here.
Harry: You have to stay here with me in my room. That's the rules.
Mommy: Oh, really?!
Harry: (big dimples and grin)
Mommy: Good night, Harrison. See you in the morning!
Harry: (More dimples and a big yawn)

Wednesday Night. Same Thing.

Don't get me wrong. I love to cuddle with Harry, but he doesn't need me to get to sleep, and I don't want to create an obstacle that doesn't exist. Plus, I was sick and didn't want to breathe on him more than I had to. I escaped by saying I would come back to check on him at regular intervals. During one such occasion, Harry wanted me to sing a song. I tried his Top 5 favorites but he didn't like any and cut me off with "My no like that song" each time I got 3 words out. Actually, more like 2 1/2 words. So, I decided to tell a story orally. The grand tradition of oral story-telling. Well, I figured Good Night, Moon would get shot down. The only other option I had was, gasp, "Twas the Night Before Christmas." This appealed to the tike and at the end of each line, with big eyes, he asked "Then whah happened?" or "whah happened next?"

Yes, Virginia, I guess there is going to have to be a Santa Claus. My entire family has accepted that we were not going to bring Santa into Harry's life (or they at least play along, and Santa still goes to PopPop's house) but I was blind-sided by our well-meaning neighbor asking a million and one questions TO Harry regarding whether he'd sent letters to Santa, or emails, or when he was expecting he would show up, or whether we'd made a visit....Ugh! I quickly and hopefully subtly added that "Santa goes to PopPop's house" since, well, "We are never home on Christmas anyway." You know what? I think I give up. Maybe it is the Christmas songs that have been playing in my car for teh past two weeks. Or the cute little tree that I just saw, that is just slightly taller than Harry. That's not to hard to set up. And I just recently learned that all trees die. I did not know this. I KNOW MANY THINGS BUT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM!!!!! Jews get trees. I think we might too. Just be happy about it, okay! But no one is sitting on Santa's lap. And just to add a little variety we may refer to him as the "Jolly Old Elf." (Don't worry, I am sure that won't last long either.)

So, Harry didn't have any answers about Santa, but he did tell Trey that he was going to Uncle Kris's for Christmas. He said he would see Casey. He also said he would see the babies. He also told Trey that PopPop was coming to his house and bringing his swingset and his blue car. Then, before running off, he told Trey to be careful with his outside lights because they were hot.

Reflections... Looking back on another holiday weekend, as things really set in for the mayhem that becomes and continues to be, Christmastime.

This year was particularly quieter than it seems to have been in years' past. We did the annual trek to South Jersey and back on Turkey Day. This year, we brought with us happy news of the healthy arrival of the Wagner Twins (see photo below), instead of Kim's special recipe Cranberry Sauce (please note, that contrary to popular belief and request, her version most certainly does NOT include the ring impressions from the inside of the can).

We made it up in record time for the third Thursday, and without event. Harry was elated to see everyone at each of his stops, regardless of the fact he had seen most if not all of them just 2 weeks prior for Dom'nic's birthday bowling bash. Only 3 stops in total (4 if you count going back to pick up Bailey), and we were home again that evening with time to spare for ourselves.

I still think the quote of the trip was:

"... Harry please don't hit Bailey with your potato."

Quality time spent together for he remainder of the weekend; a jaunt to Ikea for some new shelving to get the new playroom together, a sunny afternoon hike on a new trail that'd been under our noses this entire time, and even story time at the bookstore with Lance.

Reflections of a different sort this evening. We're in the process of migrating the home computer from an old Dell PC o a new shiny iMac. One of the greater tasks and intended uses will be compiling the multimedia efforts that are doing so well documenting Harry's existence... and by default our own.

Imported the photos from the year so far, and it's amazing. When they get pulled in, they each flash up on the screen for abut a half a second each, in something vaguely representing chronological order. It's increadible to see this pass in front of you so quickly. In the course of about 15 minutes, I vividly was able to re-live his year so far.

I had this happen once before, when I pulled my own pictures from the recesses of the Dell, which at that point had been comprised of the 2 laptops worth of photos accumulated while still with the Capitals, and anything else I had come up with at home over the last 4 years. That was one thing. Those weren't really that important... lots of hockey & BMW pictures culled from the web... but interesting nonetheless.

These were important. These were the memories, however fresh, that even for a fleeting second, were right at the front of the brain. I could immediately recall waht was going on in the background when I took that picture, where I was standing when Kim did, or what I was likely doing while she was out with the camera.

Things that seem so long ago, like swimming lessons at the Rec Center. Things that seem like they lasted forever, like Harry's cast, that went flashing by in a matter of a minute or so. These are the things from my own childhood that I can't for the life of me recall.

Kim's always been on me for not being able to remember anything about being a kid in my family. I don't really know why I don't recall as much as she does, because we do have pictures to prove that I indeed was once a kid... it's just that the peripheral memory has never been there, so to have it thrust upon you, even if it's only images of the last 11+ months, it's an incredible feeling.

It'll be even more interesting when I get some time to load the previous years' pics...

"oneuhponatime"

...as in: "oneuhponatime there was daddy bear, mama bear and baby bear."
Translation: "Once upon a time there was a papa bear, a mama bear, and a baby bear."

Harry reads to us now. I am so proud! He hasn't memorized the words, and he isn't reading the letters, but, more important, he tells a story based on each page...and each page is a new story that begins "oneuhponatime."

When it came to Goldilocks he remembered her name, he knew the bears made "oatmeal, " went outside, "Oh, no!" Goldilocks breaks the chair, etc..."The End." He even stopped to ask what I thought would happen next. "What happen next?" Shoulders shrugged, one palm in the air.

In Curious George and the Rocket Ship he noted the "Spaceship" and commented that George received a letter...he even counted "5-4-3-2-Blast Off!"
Yes, this is a proud moment indeed.

One more reason I am glad I'm not flying anymore.
And the kid was 22 months old. That is more 2 than 1.
Fine, nurse in public. Whatever.
But if you are unhappy with the way an establishment handles your public exposure, is it fair to the rest of us to have a couple of dozen boobs thrown in our faces? Why not boycott the establishments instead? No one wants screaming kids in Starbucks anyway.

Heartbreaking

I took Harry for is flu shot on Saturday. He didn't want to go to the doctor. He wanted a different doctor, one that wouldn't look at his leg or make him lay down.
I told him he would see a nurse and I could hold him. He said that was okay. However, wouldn't you know he got jabbed in his "bad" leg. He told the nurse "My leg hurts" and then he told me "My can't walk no more." Physically, he could walk just fine. And I am sure his leg did hurt. But he convinced himself that he broke his leg again. He was very distraught on the way home, and once he got there only played with his "broken leg toys" which included puzzles and a keyboard. He stayed in one spot on the floor, even when Noah came over to play. He even begged Noah to get his Mimo since he couldn't move. "Please. PLEASE get my Mimo. PLEASE." Sigh. I wanted to cry myself.
Luckily, with the help of some pizza and Noah playing with his toys, he started running around and giggling. Thanks to the Coltons for fixing Harry's leg!

As for the PTSD issue...it is upsetting. Especially for me, since Harry won't let me wear anything remotely resembling a lab coat, no matter how cold I am!

Motivation

I left the house today at 8:30 with eyeliner, stockings, a skirt and heels on. Polished ones!
Meeting for work you ask? Nope! Meeting for preschool! I pulled out all of the stops, and was almost ready to offer a $2000 bribe for a playground shade. (Harry's money of course). I wasn't sure if it would get us in, or if we'd be black balled. It's a fine line.
It is not that we are just crazy and obsessive...every preschool around here has a wait list! And to find one that offers before and after care, allows diapers, and doesn't teach kids about Santa is harder than getting into Yale. But, we have been on the list at this school for a while. They THINK we will get in by August or September. Cross your fingers!

Sam I Am

Harry has made friends with a new Ty stuffed dog that has been in his collection since before he was born. He is a super soft brown and white beagle looking dog that Harry has named Sam. "This is my friend Sam." Sam joined us for dinner and story time, but even though Sam was hungry, Harry ate is cookies. Sam is cuddled up next to him right now.

Oh, and as for the pronunciation of Sam, it ain't Jesse Jackson's version. He sounds a bit more like John Houseman, explaining how Smith Barney made money the old fasioned way.

This is pretty much the first toy Harry has named. Baby was Ernie for a while, but so was everyone at that point! Maybe Harry will also provide us with a name for his sister, who, unbeknownst to me, is arriving shortly.

He's a music man

Success!

Yes, Kevin finally posted!!!!
Just kidding...I meant to give an update on the success of the big boy bed. Somehow I actually managed to wake up at 5:30 today and I was downstairs when Harry awoke an hour later. I heard a tiny little "help me" and was relieved to hear that, since he didn't make a peep all night. I went in and he was all smiles, sitting on the end of the bed with his guys.
Mommy: How was the big boy bed, Harry? How did you sleep.
Harry (in typical fashion): Good. My do play-doh now.
Now, if only potty training will prove as easy!

It's been a while since I've posted much, which is not to say there hasn't been anything going on, or worth mentioning. On the contrary, things have been so busy the last few weeks, that getting something down in writing has unfortunately been far from the top of the agenda.

Harry's been very much 2 lately. s you may have heard, 3 of the other kids at daycare left for pre-school in a 3 or 4 week period recently, so now it's him and an infant. great for plenty of one-on-one attention all day, but as we were discussing today, it seems like this has gotten him nothing but his way, with no need really to share, wait his turn, or anything that remotely resembles a need to have manners. This has obviously carried over to everyday life at home, or it likely wouldn't have come up.

The fact that we can safely say that I'm at least as stubborn as he is, makes for some interesting "discussions" about when and which jacket needs to be worn, as the weather is beginning
to turn... you get the idea.

However, then there are those moments that really show how much his brain is growing and absorbing... my vocalized frustrations with assembling his new big-boy bed from IKEA today were immediately met with him running in from 2 rooms away...

"wha' sa matter daddy... my come and help... my help you."

While he certainly seems to be able to throw his version of a meltdown/tantrum on a whim, he also seems to be able to rationalize certain things when he feels like it. Kim was gone for more training for the new job this past week, and every day that I showed up to pick him up from daycare at the end of the day, I could hear him shouting a little louder that "My mommy's here!!!" from the other side of the door, only to be a little less diisappointed each time that it was still only me. Fully expecting the tears to flow and the uncontrollable wails to begin, it was reassuring that he was dealing with it all in his own way.

Of course, the screams of excitement when we made the clubhouse turn on Friday afternoon, and Kim's work car was back in its rightful spot in the driveway didn't come close to those that filled the house when he saw her inside!

So tonight's Harry's first night in his twin bed. Luckily (depending on how you look at it), he hadn't napped at all for the whole weekend, and had done quite a bit, so he was exhausted. At this moment, he's been fast asleep in essentially the same spot. It'll be even more interesting to see what happens when he wakes up tomorrow... if he calls us from bed (over the monitor) or comes to the stairs...

Doing what he does best... being 2.

Harry turned 2.5 years old on Sunday.
I had him telling everyone "It's my half birt-day!"

Since the 2.5-3 year olds are in a separate class at The Little Gym, I had decided that 2.5 was a magic number. Boy was I wrong! They only separate these kids because they have to!

I realized Harry would probably not be potty trained, and he might not be reading novels, but I thought he would suddenly follow directions and cooperate. Apparently I like to kid myself. He does these things as well as Bailey. That is to say, he hears and understands, but he picks and chooses what he wants to do.

I don't make him wear a jacket if he doesn't want to, but this seems to be a problem for Kevin and Menike. Other issues arise spontaneously, but for the most part he is good. He is more advanced then he was at 2, but there was not a magical change that happened overnight. It's all gradual. Duh. I should know this.

Harry is getting bigger. He walks up stairs half of the time without using his hands and has good balance. He knows how to pause Tivo (rather than just un-pausing) when it is time for dinner. Letting Bailey in is old-hat. He is happy to stay in the yard by himself (it's cold out there! I sit at the door and watch).

Here are the Babycenter.com updates:

Your 29-Month-Old

Your child is becoming increasingly good at matching words with the objects they describe. She can name a few body parts, some colors, and even a friend or two. You can help her improve her verbal skills by giving her details. If she says "Dog sleep," for example, you might say, "Yes, Spot is curled up and fast asleep on the chair." She can't imitate your complex language patterns just yet, but she's learning more all the time.
Yes, we have always done that. Now we encourage him to ask for things in proper sentences. "More Mimo" doesn't work anymore. We suggest "Mommy, may I have some more Mimo, please?" and in return we get "Mommy more mimo please!" Often I just say "Use a sentence" and, suprisingly, he has never, to my knowledge, asked what a sentence is. Collective Unconscious? I am becoming a disbeliever in that. I think we pass things on without realizing it.

How your toddler's growing: Your toddler is probably able to put on a piece or two of clothing by herself and name a few body parts. She may also be able to identify a color or a friend by name. As she grows more aware of what others are thinking and feeling, she'll become more interested in interacting and playing with other children instead of just alongside them.
Shirts happen. Gloves happen. His new Crocs end up on his feet, too. I still think we are a ways off from getting his pants up. That seems more complicated.
Harry can name all of his friends, body parts and colors, and he likes to play WITH other kids...which is why I am bummed he has no one to play with at daycare. I encourage Hunter every day to just start walking already!

How your life is changing:
Conversations with your baby are a wonderful opportunity to help build her verbal skills. For instance, if she says "Car go," you might say, "Yes, that red car is going down the street very quickly." She won't be able to imitate your bigger words or complex sentences just yet, but she's learning from your example.
I love having conversations with Harry. It's like talking to a foreigner. It's fascinating!

Parent Tip: Toilet Training Will Come in Time "If your child isn't toilet trained yet, don't get upset. My son wasn't ready until he was almost three, and then he really got into it. It might help to give him a book or video explaining the process — that was useful for us." — Lizzie
Harry knows when he's going and how to use the potty, he just got board with it. Honestly, so did I. Diapers are easier!

Have a good weekend. I am off to buy my Select Comfort Sleep Number bed tomorrow. Let me know if you have any information on this. I have slept on a lot of beds and this is what I am going with. Bye Bye neck pain!

Funny Phrases

I have ducks in my tummy! :-) (Harry's belly was growling)
He's my best friend. (That would be Dominic).
I like him. (PopPop)
Grandmom loves me.
I love my Mommy!

Insight

Harry made his 4th plane trip of the year this weekend. His 5th overall. He is a regular pro now. Thanks to his new Crocs, which he picked out for himself in his favorite color brown, he was able to get his shoes off, put his rollerbag on the belt and walk through security all by himself. He did puke 3 times on the way to Chicago, but hey, who doesn't sometimes. Besides, we think it was ice cream related.
On the way back, after an hour in the terminal of Harry running around in circles making airplane sounds with his little airplane up in the air, we finally headed home. There were a few other kids on the plane as well. One was crying, which Harry pointed out. This was followed up with "He wants his Mommy." Interesting.

By the way...congrats Meg and Riley on a great run! Me...I did not run. I just wasn't into it to begin with, it was 37 degrees, and my IBS flared big time. Oh well. One of my new team members at work also did not run due to an injury 3 weeks ago. It's fun, but at this age, you really do need to train!

SOMEONE PLEASE TALK ME DOWN OFF OF THE LEDGE!!!!!

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE HAD A FULL BLOWN PANIC ATTACK, BUT I THINK I AM GETTING CLOSE AT THE MOMENT. I AM FLASHING BACK TO A JIMMY BUFFET CONCERT...OR WAS IT PHISH? THERE WAS ALSO A VERY HOT HFSTIVAL WHERE I WAS SURROUNDED BY LOTS OF VERY TALL PEOPLE. AND THE RAFTING INCIDENT. NOW, I HAVE THE CHICAGO MARATHON. REMEMBER THAT MARATHON I HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR? PROBABLY NOT, BUT I JUST DID! YES, I HAVE BEEN IN DENIAL. I REFERENCE IT OCCASIONALLY BUT I DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.
Okay, deep breaths.
Chicago Marathon is in 2 days. I haven't run in about 2 months. I was doing well, got up to at least 10 or more miles...then Harry broke his leg, I got braces (they hurt!), started a new job, had IBS flares, had too much work training, have a 2 year old that I want to spend all of my free time with...But marathons are fun. I want to run! I want to finish. I want to know how to get to the finish line from the 13.1 mile marker!
I need to go pack. My flight leaves in 2 hours.

Some fun anecdotes over the last few days...

This past Saturday night was Harry's first extended foray into an evening hockey game at Verizon Center where got to see the opening night pomp and circumstance that is Washington Capitals Hockey (Thanks Tamar for pumping up the volume louder than necessary). Although the advertised moon-bounce seemed like a good idea and selling point, the DC101 tent kept Harry's hand firmly planted over his ears throughout. Trooper that he was, made it through the opener, the dark arena, the loud music, the player intro's & subsequent crowd roaring, and was then completely entranced by the game itself. Somehow I managed to cover his ears when the horns sounded at Alexander Semin's 1st goal of 3 that night, without even spilling anyone's drink... a moment I was dreading, but somehow overcame. Net effect was, he had a blast and actually made it through to the first intermission, the debacle that was the parking garage when trying to get out early, and even stayed awake for the 9th street tunnel. Harry loves tunnels.

Harry and I spent Columbus Day visiting the lands of my youth with pop-pop Magoo. We started off at the new home of the PHBA, which Harry quickly warmed to (pun intended, it was much hotter than I expected when we arrived in PA) once he was offered a cookie by the Rad Man. The new space offered a great running-around room, and many doors to promptly close himself behind (thankfully none actually DID lock on him). We then took a spin through the Unionville countryside, or what's left of it, and collectively pointed out as many horsies and cows that we could find... However no sheep or piggies on this trip. Point of note that when we finally spotted a bull, Harry promptly noted "Benny!" which lead to an immediate explanation to Mr Magoo of the extended cast of Dora The Explorer. A healthy romp in the park, a long tricycle ride ride around West Chester interrupted only by a stop at New Haven Pizzeria, a thorough search of Dean Street looking for "My Meghan," only to conk out for good on the way back to drop Magoo at PHBA Headquarters (he didn't want to wake little man, so he snuk out of the car). He's such a good sleeper.

Back to school on Tuesday, but as may or may not have been mentioned, over the course of the last month or 2, 3 of the 4 kids at daycare have gone off to pre-school, leaving Harry as the lone big-kid with only baby Hunter to impart his ways upon, at least until Hunny's infant sister begins her tenure. I picked him up Tuesday, only to be greeted with a pronounced scowl and subsequent pout for the better part of the ride home (can't image where he got that lower-lip from). When pressed, he finally ceded "my miss my friends." Kid's got a big heart.

Today however, was much better. At pickup time, he was all smiles and extremely chatty. We discussed the events of the previous few days, and came up with the following summations:

Did you have fun today bud?

(big smile)

So yes, you had fun today?

My have fun at hockey games...

You liked the hockey game?

(HUGE smile)

Did you have fun at Magoo's?

My have fun at hockey games...

My like poppop m'goo.. my give me cookie. he go home.

Did you like the cookie?

YEAH! white cookie.

What did you see when we were up there?

Horsies... 'n' cows. no piggies sheep. no my Meghan.


So tonight, he's in the tub and playing with his new bar of soap (compliments of some hotel). He's a bit distraught as the previous bar was a leftover from the last Disney trip, and had been engraved with Mickey's face. This one was smooth, but he decided that he was going to draw Mickey on himself with his fingernail. Pretty resourceful I thought, but somewhere along the line, he changed his drawing.

Who's that bud? (assuming to get 'Mickey' as the answer)

My drawing mommy... and daddy... and ME!

Excellent!

and uncle Kris!

Uncle Kris is on your soap?

YEAH!!

That's very cool bud, I'll be sure to let him know... you should thank him for the hockey tickets next time you talk to him.

My have fun hockey game...

That's when I get to have the big smile again.

Dancing Man

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN!!!!!

No O-Pops

Kevin and I have been a little bit concerned that everyone has left Menike's to go to preschool! These days, it's just Harry and Hunter. Hunter turned 1 in late August. He is not walking yet, but he is trying, and he was doing a great job of stealing Harry's soccer ball today!
It may sound backwards to some of you, but Kevin and I LIKED that Harry got to spend the day with 3 older kids. I personally think it has increased his vocabulary and helped to make him more mature. He is cooperative at times, and follows directions and knows what is expected of him at certain times of the day. Plus, he LOVES playing with other kids. He likes running, and imaginative play, and dancing and singing and playing music. Other people choose to have a nanny for their kids, and yeah, that would be easier, but I think going to Menike's each day, and meeting different people and having activity around him has been better for Harry.
Now that Menike has a hand for each kid, she seems to be taking more outings. Normally this would concern me. I think I am over that a bit. Kevin has seen the kids walking down the street and says they seem orderly. Menike walks them down the street or to the park. At least twice they have gone to the bank. Harry likes it because he gets lollipops...normally. Today they were out, but the manager promised he would have more tomorrow. Luckily, I had two in my purse, one for Harry and one for PopPopJohnny (Menike's husband. Harry calls him PopPop. He has more PopPops than I can count.) They also went to the library and read books. Yaaaay! So, as Kevin expected, Menike anticipated Harry's need for entertainment and has planned accordingly. Renee is coming to visit on Thursday and Friday. And Renee's sister, or "My sister" as Harry calls her, starts next week. She's a baby. Curious to see how this works. Mostly, curious to see if Harry will accept Hunter as a big kid now. Hunter has always been the baby. Hmmm....

Honey, I'm Home!

It is 12:38 and I have been home for some time now. Yet, I had a site visit today. I left my house at 8:40, got to Georgetown Hospital early, finished adding my numbers to my new (as of June) cell phone, met with co-monitor, finished visit...I am home. Home! No more airplanes! (for the most part).

So, I explained to Harry today that now I don't take airplanes to work. I work in hospitals and Doctors offices like Dr. Wimberly. Kevin added that now I am part of the Evil Empire. Way to get the kid to like doctors again!

This is a big transition for me to only have local travel. I feel like I am working one job now instead of two. But on top of that, I don't have the added stress of making sure every moment I spend with Harrya nd Kevin and, yes, even Bailey is quality time. Our time together is still vitally important to me, but Iam more relaxed about it. I am even making a concerted effort to leave teh house for social calls with other people- voluntarily! Neat, huh?

Been meaning to post about this lately, but Dadcentric.com covered it pretty well.

I have a question. When men become fathers, do they undergo some hormonal change? Is there some change in their chemical makeup that causes them to go from guy's guy and man's man to something akin to sensitive ponytail guy?

The Crying Game

Quite frankly, yes (well at least the 1st part).

Coolest save the date card yet...




Sorry Meg.

Stop & Go

Harry seems to be picking up quite well on the red means stop, green means go concept (we work on it every morning on the way to daycare), however today was a very clear indicator that he still needs some convincing that turning on red is actually allowed.

No green daddy... Daddy No Green... NO GREEN DADDY... DADDY STOP NO GREEN!!!!

Kid's quite a learner...

I Am Superman

First, let me tell you my new favorite Harry word: Sushi. I still like how he says "Harrison McDermott" and "Mommy," but "Sushi" is right up there!

Also, I learned today that life has a certain symmetry to it, and this has nothing to do with folic acid.

Messy Again

Harry had just gotten to the point where he doesn't make a mess at dinner anymore. We don't even need a pack of wipes on the table. I don't even need to change his shirt after eating chocolate cake! But, alas, he has decided he wants to drink from lid-less cups. The requirements are:

1. water only
   
2. drink must be outside or in his highchair.

At least these messes help me clean the floor! And, truth be told, he does get most of it in his mouth.

Now, moving on, I am so psyched about destination weddings. Looks like next year we will have a wonderful week at the beach in Charleston, followed up with a week in Maui. Yaaaay!!!

In other save the date news: April 22, 2007 we will be having a tailgate party...in our backyard! I am so excited! I came up with the idea for Harry's birthday, since he loves cars, and we like to socialize at our own parties. I guarantee a good time, but I do not guarantee your chips will be in a bowl. This year's party theme will be "Go, Harry! #3!" There will be a banner. And most likely free T-shirts and souvenir cups for the first 200 guests. Coem ready to play touch football. Oh, and according to one David Lynch, Sunday is the forgotten party day.

As for the job...so far, so wonderful! I am still trying to get a grasp on the fact that it seems I will now be working 1 job instead of 2. And on top of it all it is in a field I love (neuroscience).

Yaaaay, everything!

Your toddler's development (29 to 30 months)
By the ParentCenter editorial staff

It has been a while since I have commented on any of these milestone pages from Baby Center, so here is an update on what Harry has been up to...

Milestones
By now your child should be able to put on an article of clothing and name about six body parts. She might also be able to balance on one foot for a couple of seconds or identify one color.
Harry can put his shirt on no problem. And he can get gloves on and get his feet through pants. He seems to have trouble pulling pants up, or may just not want to do it. I am not sure. He can name all of his body parts and has for some time, and this doesn't seem advanced to me. He also knows all of your basic colors (primaries plus pink, purple, black, white, etc. I doubt he knows chartreuse). He can also balance on one foot for a short time. I have noticed though that to go across monkey bars, he definitely needs a spotter. He either has not yet grasped the concept or is not at the right stage yet to release only one hand at a time!

Greater curiosity about others
At this age, she might be able to identify one friend by name. And as she grows more aware of what others are thinking and feeling, she'll become more interested in playing with other children.
One friend? Are you kidding me? Harry remembers Hannah and Ledi's dog, Thunder, by name after meeting him once. If you mention one family member, such as Dominic, he asks about his sister Belle, too. He recognizes people from baby pictures. He knows voices of friends on the phone and what Sesame Street characters are singing songs. Harry also loves to play with other kids. Once again, this does not seem all that advanced to me.

Encouraging creativity
Messiness is an integral part of children's artistic play, so don't worry about the disorder and clutter that seem to go hand in hand with her creative endeavors. When she's done with a project, you can teach her that cleaning up is part of the game. Even though her artwork might not look like anything but scribbles, admire and respect it and you'll give her the confidence to keep expressing herself.
Harry likes to visit his framed artwork in the bathroom. Even though the drawings are old, he recognizes them as his. He recognizes everything that he has drawn (I have papers everywhere). He also cleans up a lot of the time. He has had to do this in gym class for well over a year, as well as at school. You aren't supposed to start a new toy until you put the first one away. If you expect that things will get done, I think there is a greater likelihood that they will get done.


Talking to your toddler
You can help build your toddler's verbal skills by expanding on what she says. For instance, if she says "Car go," you might say "Yes, that red car is going down the street very quickly." Model the bigger vocabulary and more complicated sentence structure she'll grow into shortly.
Harry speaks in sentences now. He sings entire songs. He still uses "My" instead of "I" about half of the time, but I confess I think it is cute.
Twinkle, twinkle little star, how my wonder what you are...

Beyond Please and Thank You

I think the parents rolled their eyes in unison last week when we learned today would be Good Manners Day at The Little Gym. The 18-30 month olds are called Beasts for a reason! Other groups have names like Birdies, Good Friends, etc. but the 2 year olds are Beasts. Well, they must have all been planning to prove us wrong, because everyone in the class cooperated today- even Harrison!
Even though Harry knows his first and last name, he was quiet as a frowning mouse when asked what it was at the start of class, but he did do everything that was suggested after that...from putting bells away a second before it was asked, to group run and forward rolls and basket hangs and hoola hoops to actually sitting by himself in the circle and clapping along and singing with the group! It was amazing and well worth every penny we have spent on 3 semesters of classes!
Could be the balanced breakfast he started his day with: oatmeal, banana and OJ. Harry even had 3 granola bars after class...and drank water! The kid even crunched on some peppers at dinner (no TV if no dinner...and we are sticking to it!) and he has been putting his things away and taking care of Bailey when asked (for the promise of a $1 weekly allowance...he knows what money is now so we are going to humor ourselves and try to teach him its value).
Oh, and he asked twice today to use the potty! He has got to be up to something...

Now that Harry's letters have finally made it back on his wall (okay only took about a year), he not only knows that it spells H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N, he knows that's his name, and can add his own rendition of McDermott on the other end...

quite impressive if you ask me.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT


NBC should not have chosen to air Veggie Tales.

The Best Revenge Is To Live Well

Due to a signed confidentiality agreement, I can not release specific details, but let's just say I received an interesting phone call yesterday. It was rather bittersweet. But it did prove the old saying is true: The Best Revenge Is To Live Well.

Who's your...Dad?

Doesn't quite have the same ring as Who's your daddy does it? Neither does a 2 year old running through the house saying Mom? Dad? Over the past couple of days, that is what Harry has taken to calling us. Mom and Dad. No more sweet sounds of Mommy! Daddy! Rest assured, we are protesting until he is at least 5.

I WENT THERE, MOMMY!!! :-)

Many people are surprised to learn that Harry has already been to Disney World---let alone that he has been there THREE times! People ask if he gets anything out of it. People ask why we didn't wait longer. People ask weren't you already there this year? Well, he has a blast. We went the first time because we needed a vacation and wanted to go to a place we could enjoy and not worry if Harry screamed. He had so much fun before he was a year old that we went back just after his 2nd birthday. He loved it all once again, and that was before he knew any of the characters. Now he watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, has Stitch sneakers and wears Buzz Lightyear Pull-Ups, so he knows who's who. I took him as a single parent this time, but it was still a blast, even though we missed Kevin. When we got back, Kevin commented that Harry sounded like a different kid. I think it is because Harry's new experiences broadened both his horizons and his vocabulary.
Harry and I left out of Philly so that we could travel with my family. There were 16 of us in total: 5 kids, 11 adults. Harry and I drove up to the airport Sheraton on Thursday. We chatted the whole way. When we got close, I told him to look for Island Avenue. He said okay and said there'd be frogs. Frogs? I asked. Coqui! was his response. Coqui Island! This guy misses nothing. Coqui is a frog from Dora the Explorer that lives on an Island.
We got to the hotel and had dinner with everyone before heading to the pool to jump in and flip into the water. First, I noticed a major mistake I had made. Snoedel was missing from our group! I ran back to the car and found him in the middle of the parking lot! Luckily, no one had run him over in the course of the hour he was out there! Whew!
So, we flew Southwest and got to Orlando at 9:30 AM. Went to our Disney resort. Waited for our bags. And waited. And waited. Harry wanted desperately to get in the pool...but only with me. Kayla wouldn't do. None of us had bathing suits, but we at least had a few swim diapers. I held Harry in by his arms and ended up soaked while wearing jeans. Yuck.
Dinner at Chef Mickey. Lots of characters that Harry was only comfortable saying good-bye to. He was very proud of that, however. After all, it was a big step. And he did come close to an actual interaction with Dale. He was happy to interact with humans, and was also proud of himself when he said hi. I said Hi, Mommy!
Next day Harry slept in after getting a cold. We missed breakfast with the princesses, but he was well enough to go to Animal Kingdom. He rode some dinosaurs, played with a water bottle fan, and enjoyed the safari.
Next day we did Magic Kingdom (I may have reversed this). Harry insisted we all ride the train first, and half of the group did. That half of us missed the Space Shuttle launch by about 3 minutes. The other half said it looked like a bullet shooting into the sky!
Harry rode the Indy cars and walked around. I found a cool play-doh like substance called Mars Mud. It's awesome and occupied him a lot.
Dinner at Ohanas at The Polynesian was, well, annoying. Harry cried the entire time. But, he did it while sitting on my lap with his head over my shoulder. I was able to finish my dinner a nd escort him out...at which point he perked up and actually went about singing for the rest of the evening (his repertoire includes Twinkle Twinkle, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Row Row Row Your Boat and ABCs)! Instead of strangling him, we hopped on a boat, went back to Magic Kingdom, rode the traina nd got some ice cream. Brown. It started raining, Harry didn't want to see the parade so we headed back to the shuttle buses (his absolute favorite part of the trip). We somehow managed to score 3 seats on the crowded bus. Adults tend to feel uncomfortable about having an open seat when others are standing, but Harry put his head on my lap, strectch out and fell asleep. Luckily people thought he was cute and I had no less than 5 offers to help me get my things off of the bus, which I accepted.
Didn't mean to spend the whole next day at MGM, but we did. Harry mostly walked around. He found a cool sorcerer's hat at the store beneath the big sorcerer's hat. He looked adorable. He went to the Stunt Show with everyone, but it was very loud and he held my hands over his ears for 3/4 of the show before I left. He liked it, but he doesn't like loud noise. The next day when we were watching the hotel channel, he was thrilled as could be to see the stunt show on TV and exclaim I went there, Mommy! I went there! He sounded like a little Will Ferrell, excited that he knew Santa.
That night we left early and played at the pool with the Decker kids and Toni & Dom, but not before my dad went on Tower of Terror. We convinced Harry to tell everyone PopPop screamed and cried. Of course, it wasn't a joke to Harry. Harry was worried that it made him (PopPop) feel bad and feel sick. He is a very considerate child...when he is not hitting me and screaming Get Me Out Of Here! from his stroller. The kid loves to walk and run. He will "Take a Break" and sit in the middle of the pavement every now and then, but mostly he walks the entire day. He loves it.
AFter a quick trip to Epcot where we watched O, Canada! and rode the Maelstrom, we headed back to the hotel, back to the airport, to BWI and home again. Harry had fun, we enjoyed the family time, and I realized I could take Harry to Dinsey pretty much by myself...even though the family support was invaluable...especially from Kayla and the little kids!

Signs on 95

Nothing like driving up and down I-95, DC to NJ, to really show me what time of year it is. Now that I don't have a school year to keep track of the seasons, it gets harder to make the distinctions. In fact, I almost went out of the house in white pants the other day! I was still on vacation...but Labor Day had passed. Horrors!!!
while in College, I often made that trek up 95, and I really got a glimpse of what was to come. Trees in Philly brown a little earlier, the air gets colder. I cringed when I noticed yesterday as I drove my dad home to Cherry Hill and returned to Alexandria with Bailey. The trees were browning!!! Misery is soon to follow. Bye Bye daylight. Hello 19 layers of clothing that I can't move in. Cold and dark suck.

Updates on Harry's 3rd trip to Disney later, once I recover from the exhaustion. He had a blast, as usual!

Practice Makes Perfect...as blogged on SeeMommyRun.com

It's interesting- the more you run, the better you become at it, as is the case with most things. But with Pilates, the more you do it, the harder it gets. Therin lies the paradox (has anyone read Prep? I've been looking for a reason to use that last line. Need to remove it from my head and pass it on to you).
I guess the thing is, when you do Pilates, you learn how to do it better, and you focus on different things. You learn new skills so that you advance. Hmmmm...
I've been telling Harry lately that the more he practices something, the better he will get. Usually he believes everything I say. If he doesn't, he matter-of-factly says "Mommy Do It." He doesn't get hung up on the fact that he can't, say, wipe his face with a napkin (even though he can). But, Harry does get excited when he perseveres and succeeds. "I did it!" he says with a sparkle in his eye.
I suppose, as with Pilates, life will get harder. I was thinking Pilates was the exception to the rule, but I suppose not. I just never thought about it.
While watching a Baby Einstein DVD a few years ago, I realized a Solar System is named such because the planets revolved around the sun. My brother-in-law, a science teacher, was appalled that I didn't already know this. Perhaps I did, but it doesn't come up in my day to day pharmaceutical research.
Another thing I learned today, while watching Franklin, is that sometimes people get mad at you, but that doesn't mean they like you any less. I'll ignore the fact that this may indeed change as we age. I will pretend that it is true: everything we need to know in life, we learned in kindergarten.

How Sweet He Is

Harry and I were talking on the way home from school. He asked if I went to the dentist for my braces (I had). He asked if I had Band-Aids (wax. I did). He asked if I felt better. How sweet and thoughtful is he? Great memory too! Of course, he has much more storage space available than the rest of us...

3 Words:

Thai Yoga Massage

Okay. So....yeah. Harry is going to Disney World for the 3rd time on Friday. Yeah. Disney. Again. I'm either the best mom on earth or a complete nut. DON'T answer that!

4 weeks in/4 weeks out

Today is the 4 week anniversary of when Harry got his cast off. The doctor said that it would take him as long as he was in the cast to be out of it and return to himself again. Well, he has stopped walking. He is back to only running. And it has gotten a lot harder to convince him not to jump until Dr. Wimberly (aka Noah Wyle) says it is okay. His next check up is in 2 weeks.

Not Ready To Make Nice

I had a whole diatribe planned to discuss the Dixie Chicks new album. To be honest, I don't have time to be witty- even though my planned pool day finally brought the rain (or at least gray skies and some drips).
Basically, I like their new CD a lot. I was at the DC show a few years ago, right after they made their comments about being embarrassed George Bush is from Texas. They seemed a little embarrassed at the show (being in DC), and I was semi-shocked to be going to it, seeing as I voted for George W. twice, but a high school teacher once told me that an open mind is a sign of intelligence. Granted, this teacher was sleeping with several students, but the advice was good. I am always open to what other people have to say, sometimes to a fault. Yes, it is true whether you believe me or not! Plus, I still like their music, so why wouldn't I go? I already bought the ticket. And their comments weren't nearly as bad as JBJ being onstage in his pro-Dem T-shirt. I don't care how the guy is voting, and besides, I'm at a show---TO FORGET ABOUT POLITICS!
Anyway, as I recall, at my bridal shower when we played the "Newlywed Game" one of Kevin's pet peeves about me was that I listed to the Dixie Chicks way to loud. At the time, I thought they were the greatest. All girly girl power and choppy blond hair. I'd listen to them in my convertible on the way home f rom work in Delaware or Virginia Beach, wearing a tube top to try to erase my tan lines and singing "Ready to Run." But soon, those same old songs didn't apply to my life much. And as I drove around the deep south, the Chicks weren't getting much air time anyway. Except in Ohio.
I procrastinated a bit but finally bought their new CD. Then I procrastinated a bit more and finally listened to it. I love it. And since they've grown up a bit as well, the lyrics again match my place in life...especially the lullabies to their kids. And as for their not being ready to make nice, I'm glad. They are still "mad as hell" and they are right: it's too late now anyway. So they may as well stand by what they say, for as long as they believe it to be true. But if they change their minds, that's okay too. Differing opinions is what maintains balance and keeps this world moving forward.

Sand Immersion Therapy

1st, let me start by saying, kids are so predicatable.*** Human behavior in general, is, I suppose. At least, when you stand back and observe it is. And I stand back and observe Harry a lot. "Watching me , Mommy?" Of course!
Kevin mentioned in a previous post that Harry has an aversion to sand. As does his father. Over Memorial Day his love of the ocean won out, but 1 day out of his cast in OBX, the ocean didn't have the same appeal...and the sand had NONE.
Me, I LOVE the sand. I love the beach. And since my husband is not the biggest fan, I need a beach buddy. You would think a little boy would be all over digging holes and building "beach castles," but my little guy thinks it's "dirty."
My new mantra has become "It's not dirt, it's sand." Look, this shiny new truck I bought for you LOVES the sand. Let's pour everything from your sandbox onto the picnic table and make some roads. Let's strip you down, turn on the hose, dump buckets of sand on the patio and make some houses. Yes, with windows and doors.
Fast forward to last Friday: Harry sits on the patio in a pile of sand shoveling dirt onto his feet and building roads.
Fast forward to yesterday: Harry rolls around in sandbox requesting I put the lid on over him (I did. He giggled).
5 day countdown to Cape May! I'll keep you posted...and will try to get Kevin to post some pics of the sand crab.
***Still working out a plan to get broccoli into his belly.

Expired

Nothing makes you feel old like cleaning out a medicine cabinet. What do you mean Bailey's ear drops expired 6 years ago. She's only, like, 5 years old! Or Kevin's face lotion that expired in 1997. Kev- I threw it away. They probably don't even make that kind anymore. Or those Benadryl that I must have purchased in high school. Why would those be expired?
Time certainly flies, doesn't it? Usually I deal pretty well, but the drug thing...wow, I'm old! But not as old as Bailey. She's, like, 64!

P.S. Stay tuned for my essay on why I respect the Dixie Chicks.

MIA

Well, I realize I have not written a single blurb in quite some time. It was hard with little cast man on my lap. And then when the cast was off, it was even more difficult. Harry is back at Menike's now, and almost good as new. I have a little more time on my hands.
I have been officially unemployed since August 9...but I better move fast if I want to have some pool time with Harry and clean the house. I start a new job September 18. Thanks to a former colleague, I quickly attained a position with Novartis in NEUROSCIENCE!!! The job involves primarily local travel and will largely involve psychiatric studies. On paper, at least, it is a perfect fit and exactly what I was looking for...without actually looking that hard. I am going to have to find some way to balance out this good luck!

Kim finally got a chance to go out with friends tonight...

As she was leaving, Harry and I were outside, adn he was very quick to point out to both of us...

"me no crying!"

Later on in the evening, during his pre-bedtie wind-down session at the Thomas table, he very matter-of-factly proclaimed...

"me happy 'gain... me all down wif min cast... me happy 'gain"

talk about warm fuzzies.

It's been almost 2 weeks now since Harry had his cast removed -- I know… no new pictures up yet, but trust me, there are about 300 of them just from the last week or so, and getting back from vacation, and now dealing with a little boy who thinks he's running again -- you get the picture…

Regardless, Harry is most certainly BACK.

Not only that, but while his body was casted up and being held hostage by a few pounds of Gore-Tex, cotton batting, and a veneer of Fiberglass, his brain was very obviously in maximum overdrive. The vocabulary, recognition, and thought process he's going through now on a regular basis gets to be so overwhelming lately that often times he's having trouble getting the words out because he's thinking too fast.

You may be aware that we spent last week on a very nice (and VERY timely) vacation on the Outer Banks of NC sponsored by Patty & Les with guest appearances by Aunt Meghan and Uncle-to-be Ian, and the Drexel Hill McDermott contingent.

Aunt Meghan and Uncle-to-be Ian are well on their way to being one of those disgustingly "happy" couples. They do their own thing, and do everyone's thing. While Meghan travels the world in the name of education & free trips, Ian travels the world in the name of the Kayak (with incredible video evidence to prove it!!)… they both certainly have their sights set high, and there's no reason to think they won't achieve far more. Best of luck to you both, we're very much looking forward to sharing the big day!

Patty & Les were on the tail end of an extended east coast beach swing, but seemed to have a very relaxing time on their own enjoying the Outer Banks, and who knows, potentially looking to invest in some real estate there?

And as for Harry… he had a BLAST!

From surf-fishing from his puppy chair on the sand, to belly-laughing in the sea-foam, to Mickey in the Morning, to hiding in his house with Meghan & Kim… he was certainly all laughs. Although the pictures aren't up yet (yes I know… they're coming), he did do some progressive "rehab" re-learning how to crawl, creep, scooch, climb up, and eventually walk with assistance.

Since being back, he's been indoctrinated into the "as-yet-unnamed-fraternity-of-freak-bodily-injuries" by Uncle Lynchie, which garnered him, among other things, with a new soccer ball which he's now kicking around the house… unaided.

What better for his first week of recovery than to be able to spend solid quality time with friends & family.

Thanks again to all who have inundated us with more positive thoughts, energy, and spirit than we can possibly repay. It has served us all very well!

well... we're back.

more importantly, so is Harry.

we'll certainly have more of an update to come, but for now let's just say it was a very interesting week, on many fronts. Not the least of which included Harry's literally being "back on his own 2 feet" and his triumphant return to society...

PS --- Happy Birthday Tyler!

Brief update:

"The machine (that takes teh cast off) was very loud, but it was quick. He pretty much started crying as soon as they put the hospital bracelet on him (which we were able to immediately slide off). He cried through the X-rays. He cried on the cast room bed but then they brought him a puzzle. Then they started cutting and he screamed bloody murder until he fell asleep.

His leg looks puffy but not too bad. He has a little rash on his belly and some dry skin. There is no brace. He is really favoring it, but he can sit up, his other leg seems okay, he was splashing all over in the tub, and he even tried walking twice and would have kept going, even though it was struggle for him. He's been a trouper. The walking was teh most amazing thing I have ever seen him do. It looked painful and difficult but he just pushed through. I like to think it says something about his character.
I am very glad the cast is off!!!"

It's Off!!! Woo-hoo!!!

Harry goes to the doctor tomorrow. He might get his cast off. He is ready at this point. "No doctor!" and "I broke my leg" have been transformed to "Go (to) doctor?" and "Doctor fix my leg."

What to do...

How do you entertain an active 2 year old in a body cast? Well, he does most of it himself. There's Dora and Joe and Steve (the two latter gentlemen are from Blue's Clues), there is a lot of Play-doh, a pen and his notebook...and his "guys", his entourage (Snoedel, Baby, Blanket), are never far behind.
I do my best to entertain as necessary. There are bike rides, car rides, trips to "the ice cream store"...today we brought out the rocking moose (think rocking horse) and hopped back on the hippity hop. We chat and sing. Harry sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star now. Harry entertains me with animal sounds. "Cocka-Doo" comes with chicken-like arm movements. There is moo-ing and "Ooooh-Ah!" to imitate monkeys. And naturally, the walrus says "Coo-coo-cho!"
We play catch on the steps. We swing at the park and go for wagon rides when it is not too steaming hot. And we visit Menike and friends to say "Hi."
Some of my friends stop by, we wait for presents in the mail (some of which I ordred at this point, but it's still exciting!), Kevin plays hockey and I have been doing a better job than usual of maintaining my marathon training. Harry "swims" and flies aroudn the room, shouting "up up away!" Still, we really hope the cast comes off in 1 week!

Quoth the little trooper...

"ny broke nmy leg"

Counting down the days... August 3rd is the first potential removal day.

Keep your fingers crossed.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has kept Harry in their thoughts this past week, stopped by to visit, sent distractions for him to play with and called to see how we are all doing. We think it is due to the generousity of our dear friends and family, and Harry's spunky spirit, that this has not been nearly as difficult as you may have imagined. Hopefully the next 8 weeks will fly by as quickly as this one has!

Today in Harry's World...

Harry made it home from the hospital around 2 on Sunday. He is adjusting very well. I think we all are. It has certainly helped to have so many good friends and family fly in to assist, swing by to say hi, and share so many wonderful presents. Harry has lots of Play-doh, Aqua-Doodle pages to color, puzzles, paints and even a laptop from Uncle Bryan & Aunt Anna.
Harry did lots of giggling when Hannah and Ledi stopped by yesterday, he played with Aunt Jenn & Uncle Kris, and he spent the day with Mommy and Grandma Patty "jumping" from the sofa to his green balance ball, going for wagon rides and drumming with his plastic tools from Lance's birthday party (that he missed...Happy Birthday Lance!).
Harry was exhausted at the end of the day yesterday...but not from pain! He hasn't had so much as a Bubble Gum flavored Tylenol since 7 AM on Sunday! He's just been partying too hard!
After a few episodes of Dora today I think we will head over to Menike's to visit friends and get out of the house. Lance & Lola are supposed to visit later, and then Grandmom tomorrow. Aunt Meghan may even come for a visit, once she make sit off the Great Wall!
And so...if you have the urge to say "let us know if there is anything I can do" the answer is YES! You can come visit. Even if it is just for ten minutes. It breaks up the day, just like when you see someone you know for two seconds during marathon! The thrill lasts for miles!

Boo-Boo

As some of you already know, Harry broke his leg on Friday and is now in pretty much a body cast.
No. I am not joking.
I got a call on Friday (while in Atlanta!) that he hurt his knee after running into the sofa. Kevin picked him up and took him to his doctor, who sent him downstairs for X-rays, who said he broke his femur and was sent up to Ortho. Ortho shook their heads, apologized and called Children's Hospital in DC.
Kevin held things together and got Harry checked into the ER (through rush hour traffic on a Friday). Harry was pretty calm. I talked to him while at the airport for about half an hour. He said he fell. Possibly slipped.
When I got to Children's at 8PM Harry was waiting for more Xrays. He has a spiral fracture to his femur but no other broken bones and no other scratches or any bruises whatsoever. The doctors said it was very possible he did hit the sofa or maybe jump off of it. His bones are otherwise healthy and it is unlikely that any 2 year would have unhealthy bones.
Harry was checked into the hospital on Friday at midnight and had a cast put on around 1:oo Saturday. The cast is from below his under arms down one leg and to his knee on the other, just to keep everything stable. (There is a small area to diaper him, in case you are wondering.)
He threw up a few times Saturday from the anesthesia but drank orange juice (he was very specific about the type of juice) and soymilk and had a peanut butter sandwich before leaving the hospital in a wagon Sunday at 1:30. Yes, the Britax car seat costs a fortune but guess what? He fit in it with his cast and we didn't have to wait until Monday to come home in an ambulance. He will even be able to go to the OBX in August…not for the beach but for a change of scenery and some company.
He will likely be home for most of the potential 8 weeks he will be in the cast. He is in pretty good spirits and can sit up and play (kind of). The cast is fiberglass and not too heavy. He is positioned so that we can hold him on our hip, actually. When he sleeps on his back his legs are bent up in the air.
It is a big chunk of life for a 2 year old, but the doctors insist he will adjust just fine within 3 days. Most of his problems so far involved the IV being stuck to his hand and the lack of juice allowed post-op. He has yet to ask about the cast. He is sleeping soundly in his bed now and refuses medication, even the chewable Tylenol he loves (bubble gum flavor). He last had morphine at 7 and seems to not have any pain.
So, that's the long of it!
Hopefully it will all be over before we know it!

Out of commission for a while...

For those of you who haven't heard, Harry broke his leg on Friday morning... Femur (big bone - biggest actually) in his left leg. When Last I saw him (ran home to pick up some things for another night's stay in the hospital), he had just come out frlom his anesthesia, and now has a cast from just under the knee of his good leg, across his chest & pelvis, and down his broken leg to the ankle.

We'll be like this for the next 6-8 weeks.

Heading back to Children's hospital in DC now with Pop-po, and grandma Patty is on her way in from Chicago as we speak.

More updates to come I'm sure.

Thanks very much for all of the calls and offers of support... we'll be getting back to everyone shortly!

Disconnect

I think I have figured out why I don’t feel like “a mom” – or at least, why I didn’t. I think the answer is that my life is segmented. When I am with Harry, I am focused on Harry. When I am at work, I am (in theory) focused on work. I take care of chores and personal matters at separate times as well. Harry doesn’t run errands with me. But, now that he is getting older, I find I am better equipped to take him to places like Baja Fresh to pick up Tacos, or to the food store, or on a business trip (to Philly). I think I feel like a mom now. At least, I seem to dress like one. ANd my purse is full of crayons, dinosaurs and pint sized paper money.

Insight

While sitting on the sofa with me and Babynoodleblankie last night during our July 4th BBQ, Harry tells me he's shy. It was all very matter of fact. He had had his full of partying and was now content to hang out on the sofa with his security items and chill. I can't say whether or not he is shy. He is often the center of attention, but he also can take a while to warm up to new things. Regardless, at that point in time, I think his assessment was accurate.
He also decided fireworks are too loud. He tried several times to give it a go and take in the noise, but he thinks he will like them better next year.
Harry knows the difference between fireworks and fireflies. Fireflies are "orange." He wants to start catching them soon.
Harry still wants to drive my car and he also wants to go home. Hmmm. Home seems to be at the beach, and I t hink Dominic is there. That is all of the insight I have at the moment.

Why is it that days "off" tend to be so much more hectic & busier (albeit more productive) than most?

Yesterday's in-week holiday began with continued hacking at the leftovers from Sunday's "micro-burst" storm, with some significant help from Sully's chainsaw. We made relatively quick work of things to get rid of the big stuff, but not without discovering a massive infestation of the biggest carpenter ants I've ever seen, who were none too happy that we were interrupting their morning.

Plenty of sawdust later, and the back patio is back to its own state of normalcy, however with even less shade than before. Harry then helped with the hose & scrub brush to clean off the extra seats for the evening barbeque, and then promptly went down for a 2 hour nap (!?!).

Too hot to even go to the pool, instead we prepped for the evening festivities with some serious Play-Doh and water coloring (rudely interrupted by said water all over the floor instead of remaining neatly in its bowl), and the rest of the afternoon spent on the couch appreciating the merits of conditioned air.

Sure enough, as the first guests arrived, so did another thunderstorm. Good thing we got the yard cleaned up in time… got the chairs hosed off… got the seat-cushions dried in the sun… take your pick. That said, we finally got some serious use out of the front porch, as everyone enjoyed the lightning show and cooler breeze. With a pair of fraternal, curly-haired, Harry-aged twins, and expectant moms nearly outnumbering those not (Jenn woulda put them over the top), a slightly different vibe at the party, but great fun for everyone nonetheless.

Admittedly a late night for Harry, he did very well sharing toys, and refraining from meltdown… Bailey even managed to convert a few new friends to allow her the use of their laps!

We didn't actually make it out for any fireworks, but in retrospect, probably had a better time with everyone without.

Crazy storm blew in out of nowhere at about 6pm last night... Very high winds & horizontal rain.

Lots of limbs down in the neighborhood, inlcuding 2 rather large ones in our backyard, but somehow both missed the house, and everything ele for that matter (including coming about 6 inches shy of the neighbor's jacuzzi!).

No power for about 5 or 6 hours, but all's well now.

No real damage to speak of, and no injuries.

Interestingly enough, Harry was still up, so he got to see the entire thing (save for the limbs actually falling), including me running in the rain to move the cars across the street just in case more of the big tree decided to come down, and even went outside to splash barefoot in the puddles afterwards.

The whole thing lasted only about 30 or 40 minutes, but it was certainly a strange feeling. Usually safe & dry inside your home is THE place to be during a storm, but with the big tree in the back moving in ways that it really ought not to be, we're all very lucky all that came down were 2 pieces.

Happy and safe 4th to everyone...

Beach Bug

So, we are staying home for the 4th. We are all working on Monday. Grrr. Normally we would go to the beach. Harry must have picked up on this, because he has been packing and planning for the past 3 days! He packs a bag and some toys, hops in the car and heads "to the beach." If he has a friend with him, Renee for instance, he even passes snacks back to her. Wow. I really need to stop cursing in the car and eating french fries, and instead start helping Harry pack for OBX!

CONGRATS TO MEG & IAN!!!

So I get this call from Harry's Aunt Meghan yesterday morning, that immediately jumps to the chase…

"How do you feel about a new brother-in-law?"

WOO HOO!!!!

They both claim that this is a blatant obligation for her to come back from China (she was on her way to the airport when we spoke), but hopefully it's a bit more than just that…

Congratulations to you both!

Boy Genius

At teh tender age of 26 months old, Master Harrison can write his own name! I kid you not. He is very proud of this. He says "My name" and, it is chicken scratch of course, but he puts it in the right spot and it takes up the right amount of space. He is very careful when writing it. WHen aske dif this is just his first name or his whole name he will tell you "First Name." Amazing.

My Little Genius

While perusing the book store yesterday for a Mickey Mouse book (would you believe there are NONE? As in, NONE?) I came across a selection of books labelled by age. In the 3-5 category, I came across 2 of Harry's favorite books: Hooray for Harry and Fox Makes Friends. Harry love sthese books. In Hooray for Harry, he notes "No blankie!" and soon follows it up with "Outside!" which is proof to me that he follows the story line. In Fox Makes Friends Harry is very focused on the Mommy Fox, but he also notes that the friend fox makes is not big. I think it is wonderful if Harry is at a 3 year old "reading level" but I al so suspect that most age labels are inaccurate. By teh tiem Harry and most of his freinds catch up to teh age of something, he is long bored with it (think Baby Einstein).
Back to books, Harry still likes Good Night Moon and also Brown Bear . When he sees teh kids at the end of Brown Bear, he asks where Harry is. He is looking at the animals, too, so surely he must be there. Without fail, he always chooses teh little dark skinned boy with the afro to be him. Mommy and Daddy get to be two of the kids, usually Lance, and last night "Lance's Mommy" was a little yellow haired boy. Obviously the child thinks outside of the box. After all of his books, Harry says "The End."

I thought there'd be more time....

When most other parents of 2 year olds, and some older kids, seem to be blogging about how they can't get their kids to sleep...well, we did that. And now we are beyond it. Now, I feel like we are at what I guess is the 5-8 year old level, where the child gets in bed, etc. but then launches a litany of questions at you. Harry says "nigh nigh" but as the door closes he questions "Mommy?" followed by some very calm and well thought out questions...though I am at a loss as to what most of them are about. They tend to long winded. There is a cute little smile attached. A request for another book, which instead of reading to him I leave in his crib. He reads to Baby. Then he sings. Then he suggests his ears hurt. Then his eyes (Duh! It's an hour past bedtime! My eyes hurt, too!). Then he wants to know if I am working. Then he asks about the pool, and Lance, and pauses to think of some others. And yet, I find it all amazing! This is a conscious process for him. He pulls out all kinds of stuff. Eventually he nods off. Sometimes, if the windows are open, thunder or a motorcycle may wake him. "Too loud!" he will say, but he drifts off again. Before you know it, it is morning. He is standing in his crib with Baby, Snoedel and Blankie all wrapped up (not an easy task). I am rewarded with a "DORA-MIMO!". I'l take it!

In a Turtle House

Looks like Kevin beat me to the punch in his blog about our Terp hunt, but I spent my AM hours documenting Harry's life, so I am going to post it! Glad he added all of the cool links I was too lazy to look up though! Oh, and I am up in Boston, where I've been hearing the other side of the Len Bias story. Freaky!

Anyway, here is what I wrote:

At the end of a 95 degree Terp hunt through College Park, followed by a car tour of our old abodes, Harry states the following: Mee Live In Turtle House. As in, I want to live in one olf these college houses. How cute is he? College bound at age 2!

Though yet to donate much to our alma mater, we still somehow receive the Terp alumni magazine. This month (as Kevin already explained) it featured 50 Fear the Turtle statues depicting everything from Kermit the Frog (Kertle) to LAX Terp to a tuxedo clad Testudo. I thought it might be fun to go on a turtle hunt around campus, let Harry run across the mall, up stairs – that sort of thing. Kevin decided that is what he wanted to do for Father’s Day. We had fun. While Harry was initially a little bit worried by the idea of 6 foot statues and has been pre-occupied lately with everything from Swiper to Big Bird eating him, he soon mellowed to the idea and set out chasing them across campus. It helped that they were more like 4 feet tall.

Harry also received a personal tour of Cole Field House, had a photo op by the big floral M, rubbed Testudo’s nose and danced around on the sun dial.
Since it was, indeed, 95 degrees, we didn’t last too long and only captured about 15 of the said turtles. We headed home and hit the pool (after the nudie sprinkler dance, of course).

The pool. One of Harry’s favorite places to be. Of course, he is completely oblivious to the fact that he cannot swim. He slides off the side, jumps in cannonball style, Nestea plunges…He has no fear whatsoever. Luckily, I think he may start swimming soon. Yes, I know he is not 4 but I swam before I was 4 and so do a lot of other kids. Harry likes to put his face in the water. He can even lay flat in the water and lift his head up after a few seconds. I am going to keep at it, and also work on directing his arm motions and leg kicks. He may have been 1 before he walked, and he’s still not reading books on his own (though he does take a few to bed with him) but he is definitely swimming! I just hope nothing traumatizes him during this process. That would SUCK!

I have been busy with work lately so I have been lagging behind other updates. We’ve also been busy with leisure activities. Harry went to Sesame Place last week with Dominic, Isabella, a little boy named Joseph whose mom works with my dad and a whole slew of mini-Deckers. Harry's favorite part of teh day was hanging out with Dominic and his least favorite part was Oscar.
“Big Bird No Eat Me!” was the phrase of the day. It has a range from almost panic to matter-of-fact. Harry was okay with the monsters generally existing, he just didn’t want to be up close and personal. Instead, we hung out in the wave pool and floated on the lazy river, which Harry fully volunteered was "A River."

The weekend before we went to a birthday party at Frying Pan Park for Ashton’s 2nd birthday. He is a friend from The Little Gym. Alana from gym was also there. Harry had fun running with balloons, helping open gifts, and enjoying a big wagon ride where he sat calmly with his hands clasped. He is still very much into transportation. He also liked the piggies on the farm.

Harry also enjoyed his flight to Chicago (flight there, not back!). He hung out with Grandma Patty and enjoyed playing with Grandpa Les’s toy cars. He wheeled a little wooden train all over the house. And he played tag (or something!) with “MEG-GIN!” I was able to see some friends and check out the King Tut exhibit at the Field museum while Harry hit the zoo with family. We met up again by “The Bean” and enjoyed the rest of the weekend together. We waited for Kevin's mom to get her car so we could follow her. When we told Harry we were waiting for her so we could follow her because we didn't know where we were going, he suggested "A Map!"

Oh- and Menike is back! Harry still prefers “No work!” but he is once again in very capable hands…and eating a range of wholesome foods!

P.S. Was on the phone and also watching Failure to Launch when I editted this. It may be chaotic but such is life. Anyway, the movie...looks liek you can be a great parent. So great your kids never leave home. Hmmmm. Something to think about.

Going on a Terp hunt!

Bleated Happy Father's Day to the newest members of the ranks, as well as to those of you who've been doing this for as long as you can remember (or perhaps even longer).

For our outing this year, compliments of the University of Maryland Alumni magazine TERP, we found out that there are about 50 Fear the Turtle statues all over the College Park area, and even more all over the state. We decided that it'd be fun for Harry to see how many he could find, and at the same time give him his first tour of our campus.

We started off in venerable Cole Field House. Ironic perhaps, that the first Terp to write about was the Basketball Legends one outside of Cole, and writing about it on the 20th anniversary of Len Bias' death… didn't know that yesterday, so hopefully not too morbid. Luckily we managed to find an open door to Cole (prominently marked outside "Closed Saturdays & Sundays"), the wows began while we were still in the lobby… not even the main one, just the student entrance by the pool!

When we got inside, it was amazing. Of course there's an Astroturf floor now replacing the old hardwood (something about a new building sponsored by a cable TV outfit), but it still looked, smelled and felt like the gym I knew and loved. We took a walk down to where I used to make a fool of myself with the guys with our face paint & red wigs… walked around in the seats, and then half a lap around the concourse back to Mommy upstairs. It was nice that we went here first. Harry seemed to appreciate it… you could see it in his eyes.

We then hit several other landmarks around campus, I waxed poetic about what used to be here, and that this used to be a that (especially in the Student Union), Harry sat in the M for his portrait while drivers-by giggled and waved. Saw a wedding party shooting candid's on the steps of the Administration building, ran around the fountains on the mall, and generally realized how long it had been since we'd been there on a regular basis (also noting that the LAST time we were there was for our engagement photos!?!?!).



All of the heat and sun and running eventually had their way, and Harry fell asleep in his stroller. Perfect time for a walk down to Route 1 only to find that only a few of the establishments remain. After a quick lunch, we came back around thru the new South Campus. However, right in the middle of it all, remains the old South Campus Surge building (now Susquehanna Hall), with my "KPMCD" still written in the concrete.

We made it back in to the car, took one last spin around campus, past several previous residences, including 4803 Norwich… the "scene of the crime."

Back home to a few nekkid runs though the sprinkler for Harry, and then we decided it was time for a proper trip to the pool. Case in point that Harry's absolute non-fear of the water continues… he loves going under (especially when he's supposed to be sitting on the side for "adult swim"), loves putting his face in the water, and even more so, watching others go under, only to come back up on the other side of the pool! But as soon as it started, he was ready to leave. No need to drag things out.

Dinner on the patio, and soapy escapade of sponge-cleaning his new picnic table, and Harry was off to bed.

A great family outing day, perfect for Father's day!

When we last left Harry...
He was seated on the sofa in his dark green race car pajamas, Snoedel on his lap, Sippy Cup in one hand and his Elmo balloon in the other. Elmo visor on his head. Dora on TV. His only words as I left the house at 5:40 AM this morning, locking the door behind me, were "No window." Nope. No anxiety about my going to work today. I prefer it that way.
-Kim. 6/15/06
P.S. Kevin was upstairs taking a 2 minute shower.

Bert-day to you. Bert-day to you.
Instead of Here Comes the Bride, the tune I hear most frequently these days is Happy Birthday To You. I’m not complaining, really. I just find it interesting.I realized the other day that this is the first year in the past 15 that I don’t have 1 single wedding to attend – at least none that I am aware of this late in the game. There were some years that we woudl attend 3 weddings in one weekend. 1 day we attended two weddings in two different states...and I was in one of them! But now they seem to have been replaced.What I have now is a schedule full of toddler birthdays and birth announcements. They are fun. A social outlet, at least. I do miss cake that doesn’t turn my teeth dark green (Ninja Turtles) and sitting down to enjoy a meal. And dancing with my husband. But bouncing around the room with my toddler can be a blast...and don't you kind of wish everyone still lit up at the site of a balloon? It would make business meetings a whole lot more interesting!

Why is it that everyone else seems to know what is and isn't okay for your child, regardless of what you, as daily parent of said child, tell them?

For example… Harry gets up every morning between 5:55 and 6:20. Regardless of what time he goes to bed, that's when he gets up. Regardless of what day of the week, that's when he gets up. Only time this may change is a) travel to a different time zone (evidenced 2 weeks ago on his maiden voyage to Grandma Patty's in Chicago), or b) due to the ever-popular adjustment for Daylight Savings.

Something Kim and I know for a fact doesn't change his wakeup time, is his bedtime. If he goes to bed at 7:30 or 10:30, he's going to wake up around 6. There's really no debate to this. However, direct effect of adjusting bedtime obviously, is quantity of sleep (you can do the math at home). Normal bedtime is around 7:30. Therefore, Harry goes to bed at 7:30, and gets up around 6.

This is a fact of life for us and not up for negotiation… from our perspective. From other's perspective, it seems perfectly legitimate to keep him up until he literally starts into a typical 2YO tirade, at which point he's typically handed back to one of us, and it's duly pointed out that "he must be getting tired." Getting??? It's 11 o'clock!?!?!

For future reference, if you don't have kids yet, or yours are beyond the age of your immediate supervision, take the parents' word for it… bedtime is bedtime for a good reason… COLLECTIVE SANITY.

Another example… Harry's very much a creature of habit (some might note that it's to a fault, but it's early - we may be able to overcome that). When we travel, whether it's to daycare in the morning, or a taxi ride to the airport, everyone has their place to be and job to do. Daycare: always go in Daddy's car, he drives, Mommy waves from the window. Very cut & dry. Gym Class: Mommy drives her car, Daddy drinks coffee in the front seat. Again, not up for negotiation. Deviate from this, and suffer the consequences. That said, a daytrip in someone else's car whilst Mommy & Daddy are at work, not a very good idea. He will be the first to let you know that it doesn't work that way. Trust us.

Another example… Being such a creature of habit, there are plenty of things that he's perfectly content with doing. Matchbox cars. Blocks. Play-doh. Dora the Explorer reruns. Thomas the Train table. Simple pleasures that will keep him happily occupied for hours. Harry's already got quite the burgeoning imagination. He's very good at solitary play, as well as playing with others. Therefore, running all over to see all kinds of things isn't really necessary. The Bear exhibit at the zoo for 45 minutes is perfectly acceptable… sure there's an entire zoo to explore, but these bears are really cool, and look there's a tunnel to crawl through (another 20 minutes down). Mind you, this is one that I'm certainly guilty of, but remember, he's 2. Less is more.

While we certainly aren't the end-all of do-good parents, though sometimes we may espouse to be, please take these and other recommendations under advisement when in Harry's company. Of course friends & relatives want to be the ones having all the fun, and bringing said fun to Harry's attention, and we're hardly wet blankets (okay… maybe I am, but Kim certainly isn't), but its all for the greater good. Our own sanity, Harry's well-being, and just as importantly, for you to be able to enjoy your time with him, while minimizing the 2YO tirades.

138 pics

No, not of Harry, but of Ella Grace. Congratulations Greg & Barbara! And Missy & Todd on their new baby boy (who we have not seen picture sof yet and it's been about 3 days already!). I also had a happy email from another friend, Donna, who was just offered a well-deserved new job and recently T. was as well. After some family stress, it is so wonderful to have so many happy photos and happy emails to come home to!

Sick Sucks.

Apparently Harry and I got sick within about 15 minutes of each other yesterday. As I was in the men's room at work haveing a subtle converation with the porcelain fellow in the corner, my phone rang... daycare. Crap. Harry has a fever and just got sick all over the place... he's sleeping on the couch now.

Wouldn't I love to be sleeping on the couch... long story short, we both made our respective ways home yesterday, Harry after Kim turning around in the midst of a work visit to Baltimore, myself at the hands of an overly helpful co-worker, only to spend the rest of the day on said couch.

Harry has bounced back to his normal self, however I still feel like I got hit by Thomas the Tank Engine.

Trying to keep him occupied whilst still in the throes of nauseaous grog is a bit of a challenge.

Ah... Fridays.

Ups & Downs

He may not be as big as he would like (struggles of late have been about who gets to drive) but I think it is safe to say Harry is officially a big kid. This kid has wanted to be big since he was born, and 2 year molars, scabby feet, a bottle of Motrin and some sun block in his eyes are not going to deter him from swimming underwater, following after “Dom-nic”, fishing with PopPop, jumping ocean waves, driving a golf cart or reciting Good Night, Moon from memory. To be honest, I don’t know which of his antics are the most amazing.
Harry has just a touch of stranger anxiety, but once he warms up there is no turning him off. He would prefer to have Snoedel and Baby with him at all times, but losing one of them has become Kevin and my biggest fear. If they leave the house, we become lovey bodyguards. Some may argue we take better care of those two than our own son, but it is because we fear the repercussions of misplacing one of them, and we also really don’t want Harry to go to bed with a peanut butter covered doll! Needless to say, the two made the trek with us to Cape May this past holiday weekend. “Snoedel here?” is the phrase we often hear, followed up with “Where’d Snoedel go?” (Snoedel is often right next to him).
Since Isabella and Dominic did not have their bikes with them, Harry’s never left the van. He spent lots of time with Baby’s stroller, yelling “Car coming!” and scampering to the side of the gravel roads whenever an SUV would show itself…often three blocks away. He has learned patience.
Harry also spent his non-bike time begging whoever was in site to get him the key for the golf cart. Didn’t matter if anyone we knew owned the golf cart- he climbed in anyway and said "Where's the key?" or "No key." Didn’t matter that he couldn’t reach the pedals, he was determined to drive. PopPop and Uncle Dom each let him steer, and he was welcome to spend hours on end sitting behind the wheel…he just couldn’t get enough of it! And after somehow ending up behind the wheel of my car while we loaded up, he has decided that he can now drive that, too. Again, doesn’t matter that he can’t reach the pedals. That he doesn’t have a license. That his car seat is meant for the back seat. That he is 2! Every time we get in “Me drive.” Very matter-of-fact. After I try to explain Virginia driving laws to him, he eventually gives up.
So, in Harry’s world, Snoedel comes first, then driving, then “Dom-nic.” Apparently cousin Dominic is the coolest kid in the cosmos. If Harry wasn’t yelling after him one of the other little boys was. He is the sweetest boy. He loves Harry and he is so patient, but even a saint has limits! It is funny, though, to remember that Dominic used to be the same way with Kayla. And it is neat to see, once again, how much Harry responds to big kids. That is not to say he and Isabella don’t get along swimmingly. She seems to have just the right personality to get along with Harry: Harry plays with all of her toys and she observes him like a lab rat, as if to say “Hmmm….fascinating.”
Kevin suspects it was the hero worship that got Harry to step foot on sand. Maybe. I think it is his love of the water. He has never liked sand. He hated it at our Disney hotel this year and last. I was concerned before we left (since I LOVE the beach), but luckily his love of the water won out. He isn’t an idiot. He has a respect for the water. He likes to know that I am nearby (an inch away with my hand open to grab him) when the waves come. He doesn’t seem quite as concerned about whether I am next to him when he jumps into the pool though! And he seems okay with it if I am not! He doesn’t mind being underwater and he not only jumps under, he will stand there, squat down and put his head in for 10 seconds. It is amazing! Even though we practiced, this is a giant leap. He actually seemed to want to swim underwater, too. He moved his arms and began to float…but there is a fine line between letting him learn on his own and the trauma of being under just a little too long. We have Josh’s pool pass for the summer, so we will keep practicing.
Practice certainly pays off with Harry. After regular readings of Good Night, Moon, I decided to see if he had been paying attention. Often, he would rather ask about the pictures than pay attention to the story, but I guess he absorbed a little after all. He knows what words come next. He likes to refer to the bowl of mush as oatmeal, but he knows it is “mush!” He also knows when the old lady says “hush,” she really means “Night night.” He seems very proud of himself and happy to play along. I just think he is awesome!