The Kelley Family: One...Really?

Harrison officially turned one on Sunday, November 28th...but that should be no surprise to you as I have been blogging about this big day for well, the past 12 months.

Yes, if you are wondering...I have accepted the fact our little boy is on the verge of toddler-hood. In just four more months he will be considered a toddler. When did all of this happen?

So much has changed in the last year I don't know where to even begin!

If Harrison was blogging he would say, start with food Momma. So, at Harrison's request food it is. There isn't anything this child will not eat, including dirt, rocks, sticks---what can I say? HE IS ALL BOY! If Harrison had to pick a favorite food, it would be berry flavored yogurt bites. We are working on getting him to each three square meals a day...we do pretty good throughout the work week, but fall off the wagon on the weekends. Bottles are down to 2-3 a day---we are working hardest on weaning the night bottle first, which is usually the last to go. Don't ask me why...I am just determined to put that bottle to the wayside first.

When Harrison isn't eating he is on the go---ALL THE TIME. He is getting steady on his feet and is able to stoop down and pick things up as well as balancing on his knees not holding on to anything. I think he could stand alone if he had a little more confidence in himself. He is afraid to let go of whatever he is holding on to. He actually stood outside in the yard while kitty watching, but panicked when he realized he was on his own.

Falling is a daily thing...probably at least a good 5-6 times per day with at least 3-4 times with a hurling (I am not going to breathe) cry. I was just to blog about how graceful his falls have become until tonight he was pushing his riding toy and fell face forward into the wheel...this one left a mark.

Communication is getting better EVERYDAY. This part is so amazing. Harrison can say Ma Ma, Ah-ba ba, Uh-Oh, & pa pa pa. I don't think he has a specific meaning for any of these words yet--but whether they mean anything or not, I just can't get enough of it. He is also learning to kiss, mimicking his lips to yours.

Sleeping/bathing and dressing have all become an issue over the past month. Mommy and daddy have been walking around sleep deprived for the past few weeks--we have the bags to prove it. We aren't really sure what is going on..we presume teething...but he hasn't made any visible progress on that. As far as dressing, Harrison absolutely hates anything to do with putting on his coat and shoes (and mittens are the WORST) to go outside--it's a daily fight. From a bathing standpoint that has been improving slightly over the past couple of days. If you read the post below you know we are dealing with screaming and crying the ENTIRE bath. Apparently what I have read online that this can be typically normal at his age and this bathing protest could last several weeks or longer. NOT what we wanted to hear.

Playtime. Harrison is learning to push cars and loves to be swung upside as well as being tickled. His belly laugh is absolutely contagious.

I think by all standards we are dealing with a typical one year old and I don't we could ever ask for more than that.

Here are some photos from his birthday Sunday...

Present opening started at 7:30 am. It's not that Harrison couldn't wait...Mommy couldn't.

Tackling the package...

Getting some help from daddy.

It's Farmer COOKIE Monster!

Harrison's attention span is minuet as minuet can get---Daddy helped Harrison un-warp Kiss Me Elmo and a Minnesota Vikings board book. This all added to the pile of loot he accumulated his his birthday party.

After present opening Harrison asked daddy if he was old enough to drive yet?

Next we got dressed to go visit the NICU.

Take a look at these tiny CROCS! I have waited 12 long months for his feet to get big enough to wear these...They are still ginormous on him, but incredible cuteness X 100!

We piled in the car and headed to La Crosse. Harrison napped.

Next stop... NICU.

We dropped off the book(s), Guess How Much I Love You? We used to read this book to Harrison most everyday during his hospitalization. (I have the book memorized). I also made preemie sized fleece tie hats for the babies to wear. This was our way putting ourselves back into the shoes where we were last year. During Harrison's NICU hospitalization we received gifts from other NICU graduates. It was a welcomed re-assurance that we would make it through all of this...and here we are ONE year later. We wanted to make other parents feel the same way.

After the NICU stop...it was time for Harrison's favorite thing...FOOD.

After Chicken Nuggets and French Fries, it was time to play.

We not only played in the gym Harrison enjoyed several games of Whack a Mole and he fought daddy for Pac-Man controller.

COOKIE, COOKIE, COOKIE, COOKIE, COOKIE, COOKIE, COOKIE...

Back at home we sang Happy Birthday to Harrison over frosting filled cookies. Harrison had not 1, not 2, but 3 birthday cake smashes. He only had one cookie smash---SEE BELOW!