Harry had quite a weekend...

Well, let's back up a bit. Originally, this weekend was to have been another first, but a first for Kim & I. We had planned to go on a little getaway of our own for the Halloween weekend at an estate called Allenberry just outside of Harrisburg, PA. Harry and Bailey were going to spend the weekend with Becky in NJ. However, at something vaguely resembling the last minute, I wimped out. I'm just not ready to leave the boy for the entire weekend at someone else's house without one of us with him.

So instead, the four of us, yes including Bailey, got to spend a nice family weekend together at home and around DC.

We all took a nice ride in the new ride up the GW Parkway to Great Falls, MD. On the way, we decided to swing through Glen Echo Park. That was a bit of a weird diversion... The Park is actually an old amusement park from the early 1900s that really doesn't look like it's that much different from when it closed in 1968, which is odd, as it's held & controlled by the National Park Service... You'd think it'd be in better shape.

So, not much of a hike, which is what Harry & Bailey were up for, so on we headed to Great Falls to hit the C&O Canal Towpath... Harry's first Nature Outing. He was enamored with the crunching of the leaves underfoot, all of the bikers cruising by, and mirrored water. He was quite a hit with many of the other hikers, and seemed to have a blast. Completely tuckered out, he slept most of the way home.

Sunday, Halloween, Harry got himself dressed up in his new Monkey Suit, and we headed downtown for the Marine Corps Marathon. Kim had a few friends running, and it turned out to be a really gorgeous day (better for spectating than for running IMHO). We literally bumped into Tara while at the race, so we got to hang with her for a bit, and found out that I actually knew someone running as well, and was even lucky enough to pick her out of the crowd around Mile 20.

Back in the car for a spin down to Kris & Jenn's for Harry's first tricks & treats... For his trick, he showed everyone how easy it was NOT to eat his banana (a difficult trick for a monkey to pull off) and his treat was an Eeyore with dancing ears!

All this action without a nap, and coupled with the end of Daylight Savings made for an early bedtime tonight.

A wonderful weekend of firsts, including this, my first post in quite some time. Needless to say, I've been catching plenty from all sides on my lack of submissions. It's funny, with the new job and limited hours, I thought I'd have all of this extra time on my hands to do so much more with. I've got to say, I really don't know what I would have done if I was still with the Caps and the NHL wasn't locked out... Would've made for some loooooooong nights.

I know this is Harry's World, and I feel it is important that we keep this website about him. SO, on that note, Harry's mom can fit into her size 2 Bananna Republic Tuxedo pants. Woo-Hoo!!!!

Harry’s ½ year birthday was the 22nd!
I took the day off to take him in for his checkup, and we got to spend the whole day together.
He is the greatest little boy.
He was very brave to get shots, and then very cuddly afterwards.
Everyone at the doctors office loved his hair (the way it sticks up).

Had lunch with Lisa and Jake afterwards at Faccia Luna. Harry smiled the whole time (to my relief!). The boys looked adorable in their side by side highchairs (Jake will be 2 in December).

Played outside later and literally took 100 pictures.

Harry went with me to packet pick up for the Army Ten Miler on Saturday. Again, very well behaved in the Baby Bjorn. He got to hang out with Tara and Sydney at Starbucks, and then we headed back home to see Pop pop.

After his busy day, he slep 11 hours (7PM-6AM) which seriously helped me to prepare for my first race since Labor Day 2003. I am not ashamed to admit, I cheated. I ran 8 miles. BUT- it was mostly because I did not want to hold people up at the end. I have not run in a long time and am rather slow. None of us trained for this marathon. I did okay and am looking forward to pounding the pavement again. Probably not as many miles though. That C-section scar STUNG like crazy afterwards!

So, now the Harry facts:
Height: 27" (75%! He is catching up to his weight!)
Weight: 20# 4.6oz. (still 95%)
Head: 18"
He is currently wearing 12-18 month clothes.
He is not crawling yet, but can move forward commando style.
He sits up by himself and can sit in a highchair, on the floor and at the little table at the doctors with the chair pushed all the way in.
His current favorite toy is his Leap Frog Block from Linda Reis that plays nursery rhymes when you turn it. He turns it after each song. He also still loves his Baby Einstein Lullabye Classics book and Hey! Wake Up!
New foods include plain soy yogurt and organic, wheat free, dairy free, sugar free (relax, not taste free!) maple syrup biscuits, which he quickly learned can not go in his mouth side ways. He can not feed himself with both hands and seems to prefer the left, but he can make quite a little mess with that cookie, which Bailey is happy to take off of his hands when he is through!

We are very lucky to have such a great little guy in our lives!

Control!

I was going to wait until Friday to blog, after Harry’s 6 month check up, to post his vitals, but he was so cute this morning!
He is really in control of his body now.
I have had “the flu” for a couple of days and have been trying to avoid him (very painful). Instead of breathing germs on him while Kevin was in the shower this morning, I plopped him in his portable highchair and put it up on the bed in front of the TV so he could watch Baby Galileo. He literally watched it on the edge of his seat. Why is this impressive, you ask? Well, I know you are all aware how much he loves his Baby Einstein DVDs, but I said literally on the edge of his seat. His high chair reclines, but he used his little muskles to hold himself upright the whole time. It was so cute. He is such a little person.
It is so hard to believe he is already six months old! Yet, when you look at him, it is hard to believe he is only six months! His cousins are over a year old and both are smaller than him. Some friends of ours are concerned that their baby is 22 pounds at 7 months (even though he is their third child, and the first was the biggest) but I am guessing Harry is 22 or 23 pounds. He has definitely gotten taller too. Length-wise he fits in 18 month jeans. And he is doing so much lately. Menike calls it “monkey see monkey do” (my little monkey!) but he wants to be just like Sid, his friend at daycare, who is about16 months old. Sid can walk now and Harry is just enthralled by everything he does. Apparently Sid is the coolest. But, I have to admit, it is super cool to see Harry, Sid and Susanna all sitting in a circle singing songs and playing piano. Harry insists that Menike clap the whole time. He is very insistent.
Harry is also very fond of life size Elmo and the airplane swing at Menike’s. The boy definitely has his likes and dislikes…though it is mostly the things he likes that he is insistent upon. His only dislikes so far seem to be sweet things. He would much rather have peas than apples, squash than bananas…certainly does not take after his dear old dad, or anyone in my family other than myself. He also does not like sitting still. He likes to move at all times. Oh, and now that he has learned the international signal for “pick me up” (you know, arms raised) we no longer have an excuse to pretend that is not what he wants. Things are about to get busy! But, as long as it burns off those last ten pounds, I am all for it!

On the Road Again…

Been traveling a lot lately. A bit more than I expected or remembered, but after over a month spent mostly at home, I am not complaining.

I had a few days in Minnesota for CRA Days back in August, and within the past two weeks a few days in North Jersey for computer training, filled in for a site visit in Tulsa for 2 days (not as bad a place as you might think. In fact, it’s OK) and am on my way to Miami until Tuesday night. I missed a lot of Harry time this week. But, with 6 weeks of vacation (soon to be 7, and 8 in 2007) I have Wednesday off to spend the day with him. I try to take a day with Harry whenever I am gone too long.

Lately I have also been trying very hard to recognize that people have their own parenting styles. That is a hard thing to do when so many of us are so passionate about raising our kids a certain way, based on how we were raised, what we read, what we see around us---all for better or worse. I know I think my way is the best way, but, in my own defense, I have a Masters degree is Psychology that includes many hours of Early Childhood Development and Family Counseling. I have also been studying the world around me for as long as I remember. And I talk to people that I think are doing a good job, or have done a good job, and ask their advice. And I know I can get arrogant at times…but I think that would happen less often if I didn’t feel that my every move was made under a microscope- a very public one. I think most people feel it is their right to evaluate your techniques and present you with a full critique. It doesn’t matter if they are a pediatrician and parent of 10 or a high school football player with nothing but an opinion And everyone has an opinion.

So, in hopes of encouraging myself to respect other peoples methods of child rearing and to ease some of my own defensiveness, I thought I would explain a few things about life in Harry’s world.

1. Yes. I work outside of the home. I went to school for…I don’t know…do we count nursery school? Post high school, it was 7.5 years. I paid for school myself and I worked at least part time for all of it. I wanted an education. I like to work. My career is fulfilling. I think this is a good example to set for Harry: that he can work hard to grow up and achieve whatever it is he wants to achieve. With hard work, anything is possible. I would say that this example would be especially important for a girl, but I think that would be an unnecessary statement. No offense to my own mother, but she stayed home with me until I was 8, and had a flexible job thereafter, and I don’t think it defined my life. Sure, I remember her being home, and I am grateful to have had a happy childhood, but what I remember of my mom being home is that I would play with legos or play-doh by myself while she talked on the phone or did the cooking or cleaning. Hardly quality time. My friends’ homes were exactly the same way.

2. Next topic: daycare. Gasp, Harry has someone else to take care of him during the day! This is true. He has a wonderful care giver who knows a lot about babies and takes excellent care of him. He gets lots of tummy time while he watches the 3 other kids, Susanna, Sid and Nate. No one is more excited than Menike when Harry does something new, such as crawling backwards. Well, maybe Menike’s husband, Danny. This man goes to work early so he can see the kids in the afternoon. He often sounds like he takes childcare courses himself. Great people. And great little kids that Harry just adores. And Harry seems to get the same amount of quality time from me whether I am home with him or he is at daycare. It is about 6 hours. The boy weighs about 22 pounds. I can’t possibly lug him around all day, especially with the condition my body is in after gaining and almost losing 60 pounds in a year. And since we don’t get the sleep we’d like, I just don’t have any more energy for him. This way, he gets quality time from another person for 8 hours a day. He gets 14 hours of quality time instead of 6, and has more people to love him. How could that be a bad thing?

3. My job takes me away on business and I am not home every night. Hey, if you have to work, this is a great way to do it. Nurses have similar schedules when they concentrate their work week to spend more time with their kids. And nursing is thought to be an ideal job if you have kids and “have” to work. On a side note, I think it is sad that some people thing working is something that “has” to be done by some people when in fact there are some people out there who enjoy their jobs. But, back to the subject at hand. I might not get to kiss him goodnight every day, but on the days that I am home, I can pick him up at 4 instead of being stuck in Beltway traffic until 7:30. People often ask me who takes care of him while I am gone. Well, Harry’s dad. Kevin. Remember him? He knows as much as I do. He held and fed and diapered and swaddled Harry before I did. I know both of our dads call to check in on him and see “how he does” when I am away. I think this is hilarious. Except for the occasion when Harry is sent to school in sweatpants, he does awesome. No interruption whatsoever. And how lucky is Harry to get to know his dad as well as his mom? I am so glad that society has changed so much that men are encouraged to spend time with their little ones. And I am so lucky to have someone who is up to the challenge!

4. Another one I hear a lot: How do I nurse when I am traveling? Well, I don’t. Harry has formula, just like most of us did. And it is even better for him than what existed back in the 70s. Feel free to argue with me that he won’t be as healthy or as bright as other kids. Bring it on! I’ve got lots of examples of the opposite being true. But the point is, people have their own choices for not nursing, so listen up college guys. I had blinding migraines and nausea for 8 months of my pregnancy. How could anyone take care of a baby in that condition? When you nurse, your hormones do not return to normal. Mine have, and I am healthy again. Harry is well cared for, alert, and knock on wood has never had a cold. Other people have other reasons for wanting to nurse or not wanting to nurse. BOTH WAYS ARE FINE AND NO ONE SHOULD BE MADE TO FEEL INADEQUATE OR A WORSE PARENT FOR THEIR CHOICE! And that goes to all of the chicks out there who are in agony over all of the peer pressure around them. Been there. Over it. La Leche League is worse than Michael Moore.

5. Harry started eating at 4 months? Yes! He was consuming 40 ounces a day of formula. He almost tripled his birth weight. He had teeth! Yes, he eats solid foods, and he loves it. They are all organic, most of them home made from live, organic foods. Why should he not receive extra nutrients? Even if he was breast fed, why would giving him food have been bad? (this is rhetorical. I am familiar with the arguments). And why is there so little talk about the importance of a healthy diet rich in preservative-free, pesticide-free foods full of vitamins and minerals? After thee emphasis of breast feeding, I guess they are set for life.

I hope my latest of rants has not offended anyone. I have the utmost respect for people who stay home with their kids, those who nurse every two hours and those who give over their lives to their children. I think it is great that these people are so self-less and attentive to their children’s needs and to do what they feel is best for them. But, just be cause that is how they do things, that does not mean that their way is better. And I hope these people all make their choices because it is their choice, and not someone else’s. I think we all need to look at the big picture. If our goals are to raise happy, bright, well-adjusted kids, we need to evaluate our situations and go from there. Extreme views are often not the best ones.

Common sense and genetics would tell us that kids end up being a lot like their parents. I just learned this weekend that Kevin’s hair stuck up just like Harry’s, and he also was not happy at noisy parties. Harry is the same way. Maybe what we feel would have been the best way for us to be raised really is the best for our kids. And maybe we also need to pay attention to what works for them once we try something out and be open to suggestions. If you are home all day, exhausted, lonely, tired and resentful, why is it better for your kids to be with you? Likewise, if Harry is miserable at daycare, maybe we will need to re-evaluate. Additionally, why is it okay for a dad to be away from their kids but not a mom? Why is it better to work locally and be gone more hours? Why is nursing every two hours better than having the energy to stimulate your child’s mind? And why is it okay to give kids chocolate, Fritos, juice, crackers…blah, blah. blah once they stop nursing? It takes me back to the issue of sterilization. For years we have been over using antibiotics, anti-microbials, super cleaning everything to the point that illnesses like allergies, asthma and Kevin’s mom tells me, Chrone’s Disease have sky rocketed. With our kids’ best interests in mind, we have inadvertently caused them harm.

I hope that if we do something that we believe in that inadvertently harms Harry, we will recognize it and make some changes. Right now, he is as happy as can be.

Before I left, we spent the entire day giggling and laughing and getting tickles and kisses. He is working on perfecting his waving, which he started last week at the baseball game and used appropriately to wave bye to Grandma Patty today. He loves to offer his bananas and oatmeal to Bailey at breakfast (from his mouth). Elmo’s YMCA routine (or E-L-M-O rather) makes him smile. He is really getting into reading and grabbed for “Hey! Wake Up!” by Sandra Boynton this morning after breakfast. That is his routine. Since most days I do not have to be dressed and at an office, I can spend the morning with him making fresh food, reading books, and rolling around on his race car rug. Every night his is in bed by 7. During the day, he gets to experience life.

This is how we do things. My hope is that every one else out there, our friends, their friends- the people we care about- will do what is best for their families. I hope they will think rationally and clearly and make decisions on their own families needs, themselves included, and not listen to the extremists.

Kimberly

Harry's Dad turned 32 yesterday.

Harry got a new schoolbus out of the deal. He was slated to get one soon anyway, but after the old one had recently been unsatisfactorily returned from the Body Shop, and not running very well at all, the timing was impeccable.

So now instead of the vintage, temperamental but character-laden BMW that Harry had been riding just about everywhere he and his Dad went, he'll now be riding in style in the Subaru Forrester of his dreams.

Now many of you seem to be quite distraught with this purchase, as these are surely signs that the apocalypse must be upon us:

1. The year of the car doesn't start with a "1980-something"
2. The car wasn't made in Europe (specifically Germany)
3. The brand isn't represented by 3 letters that many claim stand for "Break My Window"
4. The car has functioning A/C and heat (more importantly you don't get one when you ask for the other)
5. The car can be classified as an SUV or a station wagon... Pick your poison

So whatever your opinion, hold it in high regard, but remember this... Now that we can all fit in a car we're pretty certain will make it to the intended destination and home again, we're all better off.

See you soon, in the new McD Family Truckster!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0929043limeade1.html
One place we will not be sending Harry to school!

On a side note...Harry attended his first sporting event this weekend! O's vs. Red Sox. He wore his orange pants, but we were definitely in the Red Sox section. Seems the Red Sox section was difficult to avoid. Though we are not really baseball fans, it is somewhat appropriate that Harry's first event be at Camden Yards, since one of our first dates was also there, way back in 1995! Yikes! We are old!

Promise to post photos soon! Harry had a great time, though the applause was a bit overwhelming. Or maybe he was just embarrassed to be wearing orange. "Everyone thinks I'm cheering for the bad team!"