Sunday, November 24, 2013

46/52



"A portrait of Harrison, once a week, every week in 2013."


45/52


"A portrait of Harrison, once a week, every week in 2013."

I don't usually write anything on these posts. I just like the picture to speak for itself. But just in case you're wondering why I'm photographing my son next to port-a-potties...there's a house going up in our neighborhood and Harry was mesmerized by the diggers. Glad we captured this moment because now the diggers are gone, and every time we drive by Harrison says, "oh no big digger". So. Stinkin'. Cute!!!!


44/52



"A portrait of Harrison, once a week, every week in 2013."


43/52



"A portrait of Harrison, once a week, every week in 2013."


42/52



"A portrait of Harrison, once a week, every week in 2013."


Monday, November 4, 2013

Letter: 21 Months

Dear Harry,

I planned on saving these letters for your birthdays (and half birthdays) because aside from moms, most people don't keep track of how many months-old children are much past a year. But there are a few things that I just couldn't wait to write down for you until you turn two. You are changing just as fast as (if not faster than) ever before and I know if I don't pause for a moment and write some of it down, I'll blink and you'll be graduating from high school. Seriously!

Oh sweet boy, you are so funny these days. You run around, love trucks, want to read books "again, again, again........again", recognize family in pictures and LOVE love LOVE rattling off the names of everyone you know and love. My favorite is when you wake up in the morning and we hear you saying "a dada, a mama, a baby" in reference to a photo hanging above your crib of your daddy and I holding you when you were just three weeks old.

Trucks are pretty much your favorite thing right now. We got this book called "Dig It" from the library and you practically know it by heart. When I turn to the page about the dump truck you say "mess" because it's dumping a pile of dirt into a big mess. Watching you soak up the world around you, and all the things we are teaching you is such an incredible gift. I've heard people say that kids are sponges, and I'm sure I've uttered the phrase myself before...but until now I don't think I've fully experienced it. You recognize animals in books, both illustrations and real photographs...you can say the sounds they make. You say "wuv woo" for love you (melts my heart every time) and you are starting to remember the words to songs like the ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle. Pretty much anything we say, you repeat the last word of the phrase, even if you don't know what it means.

Some of my favorites from this weekend - you finally said "gamma" for grandma (which up until now has been "bumpa" or "gampa" for both grandparents). Pretty sure it made your grandma's day!! And the way you say yogurt is hilarious. When you're done eating yogurt you say "bye bye yogurt". You also love coloring with my whiteboard and markers, "cuh-cuh" is how you say color. Your teacher Mrs. Mulu is "moo-noo" and you really purse out your lips in a pucker when you say it.

As with every stage you've been through so far Harry, I just wish I could bottle these little moments up and keep them forever. Hence the hundreds of photos and videos I've taken of you. And lots of letters and blog posts just trying to capture a snapshot of what it's like having you around.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a million details. The mad face you make with your eyebrows and lips, the time outs you've had to have for being disobedient, your love of "may-mo" (Mater from Cars), Curious George, and Elmo. Your obsession with the Disney Big Block Singsongs. The way you call any superhero or action figure "man".  Listening to you rattle off your friends' names from school (especially "ai-ay-uh" for Kailea).

I tell you a lot, but I hope you never forget the fact that you are my BLESSING. God has had such great favor on us to give us the gift of being your parents. Your daddy and I find more joy in parenting you than anything else in this life. I am so thankful that you are YOU sweet Harrison. You are the greatest blessing I have ever been given. I mean it from the deepest part of my heart. You must have put the connection together between sneezing and the words "bless you" because whenever I tell you that you're my blessing, you tell me "ahhh-choo"! So sweet!

I will try to add some recent photos to this post sometime soon. But for now I just wanted to pour my heart out a little - regardless of how rambling it is - because someday I want to be able to go back and read these letters myself...and for you to be able to read them too. No matter what happens in the future, no matter what challenges we face as a family or how hard life may get (because life is hard, really hard, sometimes) I want you to know how much I treasure being your mom. How much you have changed my life for the better...how much God has used this gift of being your mama to make me more like Him and reveal to me how much He loves his children (you and daddy and I included)! Because of you I pray more and trust in Jesus more than ever before. You are my BLESSING Harrison Levi!!!

No matter how much you grow and change I will always be your mama and I pray that God will bless us both with many years to come filled with laughter and joy that just abounds even more than either of us could hope for or imagine!

Love you sweet pea,

Mama