My new chair!

Harrison has a chair obsession---he loves playing (on) and pushing around chairs. I think if we let him, he would probably do it all day long.

After months of Doug and I debating which chair to get for him, we decided on this one.

It's pure entertainment watching him take everyone of his toys out of his bin and put them on the chair and then watch as he struggles to try to make it back up in the chair with the mound of toys. I guess he wants us to know these are "his" toys.

And look who is getting a little braver...

 Yes...he is clapping for himself walking--He gets so excited!

On top of Harrison taking more steps by himself, he also has said "da da" several times in the past week and has learned to push buttons deliberately---which included turning on and off his bedroom light from his crib and throwing a ball.

These last few weeks have been very challenging if I have to choose words to describe.

I actually considered taking a break from blogging for the fact it felt like I never had anything positive to report on.

It's a fact Harrison is sick and has been sick for well, several months. But this is real life (if you noticed the caption on the beginning photo) and I can't make our life more colorful than it really is---I tell it like it is.

Today while I was driving I reminded myself how lucky we are to have such a wonderful little boy---and these are just mere speed bumps in his (our) path of life. We don't have any control of what life hands us, we just do our best to deal with what we are dealt and embrace what good we do have.

Harrison is improving slowly and surely. He doesn't have much of a appetite, so we give him anything he will eat---yesterday is was peas. He continues on his antibiotic, inhaler and steroids. He hates the taste of the antibiotic and steroids. We have out smarted him for now putting the antibiotic in yogurt and the steroid in apple sauce. We considered discontinuing the steroids because they can effect the mood--causing extreme crabbiness. But at this time, his breathing hasn't improved enough to stop the steroids, maybe tomorrow. He follows up with his primary doctor on Friday morning.

Tomorrow the plan is sending Harrison back to daycare---the fate of that will be officially decided in the morning.

It may be a long night again tonight---so I am off to bed. Night!

Pneumonia

The "scare" started this evening when Harrison had a coughing attack that he couldn't seem to control. He was crying and coughing with no end in sight. Daddy gave Harrison his inhaler in hoping to find some relief. Things turned around  a bit after that, but not to the point we felt comfortable without him being seen at urgent care.

We tried Urgent Care in Winona---we arrived about 5:30 PM to finding signs hanging saying they are no longer taking any more patients for the night they are FULL. Daddy placed a call to the nurses line at Gundersen hoping they could point us in a better direction. The nurse on the phone suggested that we take Harrison to the Gundersen Onalaska Urgent Care---they see children until 9 PM and won't turn us away.

We arrived at just over 6 PM in Onalaska. Looking around at the population it was the place to be for toddlers tonight. There were about 10 sick toddlers all waiting to be seen.

Finally at about 7 PM we were called back. Harrison was still running a temp of about 100. The nurse said the wait to be seen is still quite a while, but Harrison got a little VIP treatment with his oxygen at 88 %. The nurse said given the way his lungs sounded and his young age we got a room sooner that the rest.

The doctor came and did a full exam--which included getting swabbed for strep again (which thankfully came back negative). Next was a nebulizer breathing treatment. You can only imagine how fun it was holding a mask over his face (it took 3 of us) and it was probably one of the longest 7-8 minutes of our lives---he cried the entire time.

Next we were taken to x-ray for a chest x-ray. This was even more fun than the nebulizer treatment. You would think he would have been exhausted from the all the crying, but he was no where near. The technicians couldn't position and hold him correctly--even with our help. So they went to plan B strapping his arms and legs down and I had to hold his chin up. The worst part? Having to do this twice...they were able to get to right views in the first x-rays.

The x-rays showed pneumonia. That's right after 9 days of vomiting a week ago he now has pneumonia. My guess is that he could have aspirated with all the vomiting and that could be the cause of this pneumonia.

He  started on Augmentin (antibiotic), Prednisone (Steriod) tonight and he will continue on his inhaler regularly.

Leaving urgent care tonight his oxygen was back up to 96%--a much more acceptable level.

It's Daddy's turn to stay home with Harrison tomorrow. Mommy will take Wednesday if he needs one more day and R & R.

It's time for bed. Mommy & Harrison are sick and daddy probably isn't far behind.

Thank you germs.

The Children's Museum {St. Paul, MN}

Saturday we payed a trip to the children's museum in St. Paul. This our first trip to the museum.

The museum was fantastic. For those of you that haven't been there we defiantly encourage you to make a trip, heck, even if you don't have kids---it was fun for us too!

The only gripe I have about the entire trip is a few kids knocking (plowing) Harrison over. And...these weren't his age, but like 7 or 8 and they had absolutely no manners (where were their parents is what I was thinking).

Check out some of the fun we had exploring...

Daddy and Harrison do some ice fishing

next they travel the bridge...

And this next one is the photo of the day...fell in love with it

This light on this next picture is really neat---good job daddy!

Hey---it's Itsy, Bitsy!

A look of discovery?

Ahh...our favorite of the day!!!

Face first, here we go!

Time to break...

being silly...

The Lego room was really neat---they had Legos for every age!

Next, we took a hike in the wilderness

and played with some crayfish

and we ended out hike in this exploratory of water and bubbles!

What happened?

Did the fun run out?

Defiantly not.

One thing to remember? Pace ourselves... Harrison was going 100 miles per hour in the Hobbit that we barely made it through any other exhibit. We couldn't do it all in one day! But not to worry, we will be back; we are officially members now! There will be many more fun times a head---and most of all we can't wait for it to be warm enough for the roof top exhibit to be open

I almost forgot, we got to also ride the Carousel at the Maplewood Mall and ate a McDonalds happy meal for lunch :)

Silly daddy!

Rain Boots

I am calling these photos the "miracle" session with Harrison. For months photographing him has become increasingly challenging and frustrating. Earlier this week I tried out a ducky hat and diaper cover that I ordered him for some spring photos. I had planned on waiting to do this session until Harrison would cooperatively stand by himself, but an online photo contest popped up with the designer---I so badly wanted to enter.

I haven't posted those photos, in which I tried 3 times---so needless to say he was anything but cooperative. I swore after that session there would never be anymore studio sessions with Harrison until he was 5. I told my friend Jenna who also does photography ( and who also has an uncooperative toddler) "no more." She said, "When I see it, I will believe it." Well, Miss Jenna you were right---2 days later I am back in the game.

My motivation was this new blue backdrop---which is paper and I absolutely love it (Harrison does too). I have two more colors picked out, so the next pay day can not come soon enough.

Enough with my rambling... on to the photos



The amazing part? He did everything I asked him to do...Look he even posed himself on this little yellow stool (doubt I will ever get this lucky again)

I have no words for this expression!

I don't know why he kept looking up---but this is adorable!

And... remember this cute outfit?

Here it 6 months later...

Yes, it still fits after 6 months....I am waiting for a growth spurt!

A Sunday Hike

Today was a perfect day for hiking.

 Our family---minus me behind the camera

 Daddy wasn't sure the best way to get down---this is one way.

 Harrison giggled the whole way down.

 And one of his newest expressions to share.

This was very good weekend. Harrison's eating, drinking and mood are improving steadily---did you see all of the smiles? This makes me smile. He continues to need to nap for long periods of time and is still not exactly himself, but closer as each day goes by.

Mommy and daddy go back to work tomorrow (we have a lot of catch up on) and Harrison goes back to daycare ---life is resuming to "normal."

Thank you to all of those who were so supportive and caring during this past week. We are so lucky to have such great friends and family.

There is light at the end of this tunnel...

We got a glimpse of our little boy again.

Today was a better day, a much, much better day. There has been no vomiting in the last 48 hours---this such an accomplishment. I finally feel like we are making process and we are now on the road to recovery.

Someone is back up terrorizing the kitties!

Eating and drinking are slow going, but that is to be expected (could be up to 1 month before he is able to eat regularly again). This morning Harrison had his first solid food in three days---apples. He even tried some ravioli and peas for lunch and baked beans and peaches for dinner. Like I said, it's slow going, only a few bites---but a few bites is more than he has eaten in more than a week. Tonight at dinner was another turning point, he took 3 gulps of milk out of his cup without spitting it out. I think the excitement at meal time today is equivalent to Christmas morning.

Look!!! Real food after 10 days!

We also ventured out of the house this afternoon. It was wonderful to get out house---seems we have been cooped up here FOREVER with the exception of leaving for work and doctor appointments.

Harrison ended up getting these adorable froggy rain boots. I actually found a pair small enough to fit his size 3 tiny feet! 

Here he is breaking them in with playtime!

Here is a close-up of the cuteness!

And this isn't what it looks like---we are not forcing child labor----he willing swifffers any and every floor, even carpet.

 And look at the expression...pure cuteness.

We also payed a family trip to Once Upon Child. The trip was quite successful---we weren't really looking for anything until we found this child carrier. LOVE this! It was a steal of a deal at just $35. It will be perfect for summer trips to the Zoo, walks and hiking.

Trying it out!

Harrison also had a blast here today playing with the gazillion toys they had there and he even picked up a Eric Carle board book (he is our FAVORITE author).

We couldn't stay out long today because Harrison tires very easily and he his coordination/mobility is unsteady from being so sick, but it was just good to get out.

It feels so incredible to start a blog entry on a high note and end on one too.

We are looking forward to continued recovery tomorrow. Little by little---whatever it is, we will take it!