Pumpkins, Leaves, and a Tiger

Since Harrison can now walk and can function pleasantly in public - our Fall activities have been MUCH more enjoyable than last year.

I took H to Gardner Village here in Salt Lake - where we attempted a photo shoot with some pumpkins. I think he may have a future in this sort of thing....get a load of the pose on the right. He is telling me something with those eyes.....

Then on to the ward Trunk-or-Treat where he spent the majority of the evening dancing in the middle of the gym to Monster Mash and roaring like the fierce tiger that he is. His Uncle Heath held his hand and walked him around outside where he just laughed and laughed at all the costumes - never scared - just kept laughing.

And then our little family...with H clutching tight to his little pumpkin from Nanna.

Jordan and I don't really get into Halloween as far as costumes go - maybe next year when we actually go trick-or-treating. But for perhaps the last time for many Halloweens to come, we enjoyed a nice warm night at home handing out candy to scary ghosts, and fairy princesses. I thought Harrison would be scared of some of the masks that the kids were wearing - but he just laughed and laughed. Especially at the the really bloody, gross, scary ones......should I be concerned?

Flowers

At the end of a LONG winter...4/25/08

At the end of a beautiful summer...10/10/08

As a result of 40 or so years of neglect, we did nothing this summer but tear out, dig up and prune our yard. This front flower bed is the only place where I actually put something into the ground. I thought they would never grow - but they ended up being quite beautiful. Not too bad for my first attempt at gardening.

The backyard is a long and tiring story for another day.

16 Months

I went to a baby shower last week for a good friend who is having her first little one. I took a tour of the nursery she had put together so perfectly, watched her open gifts of pink, and listened to stories of others sharing their baby secrets - and I found myself thinking of my Harrison.

I thought about how the first 7 months after his birth I spent my evenings bouncing on a yoga ball with him tightly swaddled in my arms trying to calm the never ending tears.

I thought about my never ending tears.

And then I smiled. A great big you-couldn't-possibly-know- what-I-am-thinking-smile.

And I thought about how this little person - who was so hard at the beginning - makes me smile and laugh every day.

I thought about how he runs around the house - losing his balance more often than not - squealing with joy as I chase him.

I thought about how he is now trying so hard to mimic every word that I say and succeeding some of the time.

I thought about how sometimes I cry thinking about how much I love him.

I thought about how he runs to the door anytime he hears footsteps on the front porch and yells 'DADDY!!'.

And I thought.....I am a lucky girl.

Animals

Harrison likes to line up all his animals on the coffee table and then put them in the drawers one by one. We have tried to catch it on tape but he seems to always get sidetracked halfway through. Tonight we got a pretty good clip of him identifying them - so here you go Nanna and Grandpa - another video clip for you....




Harrison loves his animals. He leaves them all around the house in every nook and cranny he can find. In cupboards, under cushions, on books in the bookcase, under the table, on the chairs, in the salad spinner....you get the idea. He eventually comes back to them all and they are rearranged later on. I love it. Today we went to the bank (of course we can't leave the house without an animal in each hand) and the teller was going crazy because Harrison kept waving his Giraffe and his Cheetah wildly at her. He has a way with the ladies.

H Taking Care of Business

There must be some pretty serious matters on the table for H and Elmo to have such lengthy negotiations over the phone. Harrison's tactics of continually re-greeting Elmo with a drawn out "Hi's", and lazy "yeah" responses are blocked again and again with Elmo's singing and counting retorts. (In other words, Harrison really enjoys talking on his Elmo phone)

Note his most excellent pajamas.



And, for the sake of the grandparents, another seven-hour clip of Harrison walking.