2 year NICU Veteran

January 19 will be a day that we will never forget. This January 19 marked the second anniversary of the second best day of my life.

This date marks the anniversary of long road of fighting.

Here is a poem that means so much to me, I have posted it several times before---but it's worth posting and reading again.



It's the little things that make life worth living,

It's the little things that help us make it through.

I never knew how true those words were,

Until I first set my eyes on you.

I feared because it was too early;

I cried because it was too soon. Yet I underestimated

The strength in one as small as you. You were born a fighter, a warrior;

You would not quit nor move on.

You strove, you fought, you tried, Until your battle was won.

When hope might have faded, When the trial seemed too great,

A tiny child, despite the odds, Fought what was thought fate.

And a little baby triumphed, A baby thought too small to live,

A baby knew that life Is the most precious thing to give.

Need a memory of last year's celebration? Click HERE.

This year we celebrated with cake and Thomas.

 A new pillow for a 2 year NICU Veteran

.

Linked 52: Breakfast

I made 9 pancakes for dinner... apparrently a hit; this was what was left.

And seriously he ate several more bites after this when I sat down eat. This boy can eat!

I couldn't just share one photo for this week's linked post.

Make sure check out the posts of several other (far more talented than I) photographers from linked 52.

Stacey

Michelle

Heather

Andrea

Jenn

Jessica

Amanda

Kristin

Sara

Lesli

Janet

Tracy

Rose

Carla

Lena

Naomi
Rhonda
Tracey
Heather A.

Black & White

If you haven't noticed...I am a huge fan of color photos, but sometimes that black and white just blends a photo so perfectly I can't help but LOVE.

Before temperatures in Minnesota plummeted lower than in Antarctica (true fact I learned this morning on the local news) we played outside.

Honest to goodness truth Harrison isn't wearing any socks in these photos and not by my choice I must add. When I buckled him in his car seat to leave daycare that afternoon I noticed he wore his fuzzy Croc shoes without any socks. Hmmmm, strange I thought... a lot of things go missing at daycare, but I must say this was a first without any socks.

When we arrived home I unbuckled him and set him down next to me and proceeded to unload my bags when I heard a shriek of excitement and he ran and jumped into the snow bank at the end of our driveway. He was sock less, glove less and hat less. I tried to convince him to come inside and he made it as far as the porch and sat down---protesting going in. I grabbed his hat, mittens, boots and the camera. We made it as far as the hat and mittens, but the boots laid next to the door as he ran back to heap of snow.


Someone needs to tell this child that winter has came to Minnesota, he insists on mowing the snow. Fisher Price needs to get a move on designing a snow blower.

Whitney dog enjoyed some rolls in the snow too.

 They really are best friends.

Anniversary

Tomorrow marks two years ago that I got to hold our little boy for the first time without a single wire, tube or monitor connected to him. After 52 days in the NICU, we finally got to bring home our 3 pound miracle.

Words can not ever describe the feeling, the urning to have him home with us. For those long days in the NICU, the hardest part of every single day was walking out of the hospital without your baby. I have always wondered why the main hospital door had to be the door where the happy mothers were discharged from the hospital with their babies. Yes, so not only did we have to leave the hospital without our baby, we also had to walk past the moms and their new babies waiting for the car to be pulled up to leave the hospital and go home. There were days I avoided that door, taking the under ground tunnel or some other route out of the hospital to spare my heart some extra grief. For a long period of time I couldn't go to the store or out to a resturant without having an emotional break-down---there were babies everywhere and I was so jealous of these other mommys and their babies.

Harrison's prematurity changed me as a person...as much as I was mad at God and mad at the world for allowing this to happen; I am now a much more giving, patient and thankful being. I have learned the reality that life is unpredictable and whatever life hands you, you make the best of it. It's always easier said than done, but I am trying to find some good in what I deem bad.

Harrison's prematurity encouraged us to join the March of Dimes---with the hope of someday that all babies will be born healthy. In the mean time we are raising money and awareness so that less babies are born too soon.

Harrison, you are God's greatest gift to us. Thank you for teaching me everyday to be a kid again...life's too short not to enjoy all the little moments.

We are blessed. Happy second anniversary home with your mommy, daddy & Whitney Dog.

Lots of love BIG GUY!

It's Winter...finally.

O.k.---maybe just one more.

Whether we like it or not...(and I don't like it) winter had to eventually make it's way to Minnesota.

Paying a price of shoveling, chapped lips and cold toes is worth it when you capture this.

Notice changes?

I won't pretend to be tech savvy...I am about as far as it from that. But, I am excited I figured some things out lately. I am sure you have noticed the new header to the page. I can finally embed a link: meaning you click on words and it takes you to a link. Hey, folks for me, that is something I can celebrate. (I swear sometimes technology gets the best of me). I have also added pages, located right under the new header. Be sure to check them out. I most recently added March for Babies and will have the information up soon. This weekend spent accomplishment. I also managed to add some photos to the pages in my photography blog (still have lots of add, but it's a start), shoot and edit a cake smash session, go bowling, sledding, shopping, have a lunch outing, played at Chucky-E-Cheese and organized my closet and jewelry box. I am thankful for my half-day at work tomorrow.

Goodnight.

Smurf blue paper

On my photography side I had a cake smash session yesterday. (You can view that session by clicking HERE). After cutting off a chocolaty frosting section, Harrison had a blast with the paper scraps. It was seriously the most fun I have ever seen him have with just about anything. This makes Doug and I wonder if Santa was out down by sticky Smurf blue paper.

As much as I always try to have the camera handy---it was packed away in it's home when Harrison met Smurf blue paper, so I will fill you in on what you missed and if I ever find the time to post the video, I will.

First Smurf blue paper was used a a telescope, secondly it was used to hide under, thirdly it was a blanket for Whitney and FINALLY here is frame of photos:

Smurf blue paper was used to jump on, color and fix...

Seems Harrison thought he could repair the destruction.

Thank you Smurf blue paper for these memories.

Finally time to play again!

If you haven't check out this week linked 52 post, you should: click here.

Now that we are finally on the mend--it's time to start playing and becoming a two year old and mommy again.

Linked 52: COLD

Another week has flown by WAY too fast. This week's theme for linked 52 is COLD.  This couldn't have been timed any better as we Minnesotans just got our second true snow fall of the year (yes, it's January folks)---seems the COLD has arrived and is here to stay. On the upside? Only 67 days until the first day of spring.


If you haven't noticed I've, (we've) been MIA all week---seems COLD has got the best of our family. Runny nose-check, watery eyes-check, sore throat-check, gunky cough-check, days in bed-check. We have been living on orange juice and popsicles and not to mention supporting Kleenex by the boxes.





I snapped this one over the weekend, not ever intending it to be this weeks theme, but as I popped in the memory card to sit down and edit this weeks photos, nothing else fit as perfectly as this one did.

Be sure to check out my other friends participating in linked 52

Stacey
Michelle
Heather
Andrea
Jenn
Jessica
Amanda
Kristin
Sara
Lesli
Janet

Under-the-weather

It's been nearly three months since Harrison had his last cold and 4 months since his last ear infection (which was some outrageous infection #14). Good health this time last year, this was completely unheard of. Other than having a stomach bug a few weeks ago, he's been healthy and we have so much to be thankful for.

Harrison starting running a low grade temp on Thursday at daycare. Yesterday morning he slept in until 9:30 am. Yes, you read correctly 9:30! And after a successful morning of play he laid down again for another 3.5 hour nap. All this napping got me thinking that quite possibly this wasn't a such a good thing.

He woke up this morning with a cold and it's progressively gotten worse throughout the day. He continues to run a low grade fever, has a runny nose and has a croupy cough and he is just plain miserable. He vomited twice today from the congestion. Tonight, thus far he hasn't slept well.

Even though this is just a cold, it's hard to hear his deep cough a little whimpers and not feel for him.


I snapped a few photos of him resting on our bed this morning. So peaceful and sweet. I can even still hear his little snores when I look at this photo.

The shot is a little grainy but I was not about to turn on the light and disturb him from his sweet dreams.

Feel better soon my "big guy"

Linked 52: Week One: Newness

I've been trying to figure out what photo challenge (project) to embark on this year... There are so many out there, I guess I hadn't realized.

However, I started reading a new blog over Christmas and it came pretty clear to me I wanted to participate with this photographer and the small group of photographers that post weekly (on Fridays) for this project called Linked 52.

The challenge is photographing the theme of week. To start of the New year the theme is "newness"  this week. Every week I plan to incorporate Harrison in the challenge, even if it's only his feet!

WEEK ONE: NEWNESS

What does "newness" mean to me?

Newness is more than brand new pair new pair of shoes, but rather the new places these shoes will take you. Will these new shoes stay clean for long or will they go for a dip in the puddles and mud? Will they get covered in the dust from chalk and pea gravel and go for spin in the washing machine? Will they get scuffed kicking a ball or jumping over cracks? Will these shoes go on long walks and trips to the park? Will they be taken off to dump the sand out of them only to be covered by a glob of melting ice cream?

What does newness mean to you and where will it take you?

Sunset

This post may not be Harrison related, nor Kelley family related, but I wanted to share some pretty cool photos I took at sun set/moon rise last night.

Due to warm weather during the day and cool temperatures at night, we get colors like this at dusk.

I sometimes wish we didn't always live right in town with so many power lines and houses...This one was taken right on the cornor of Broadway, a block up from the house.

 These next two were taken from the end of our driveway. Moon is making an apperance in this next one.

I was hoping for another sunset tonight...but so far we are sunless today.

Mega blocks & Whitney Dog

You may have noticed an increase in posts lately. Harrison has found it hilarious to be goofy in front of the camera which means I get a ton of super silly, fun photos. Whatever has gotten into him...I love it!

Here is mega blocks knocking over party from Wednesday evening. The children play together well.

Heart Art Project #1

Valentines Day is my favorite holiday...it's extra special day to celebrate love, what's not to love about that?

I decided to keep up a little tree for the month of February and decorate it with hearts, garland and lights.

The dilemma I have, is that I don't have any decorations to put on it....until now that is.

This is project #1 of our Heart Art Tree.

To be honest...I hadn't planned on taking photos of this, but I have learned to keep the camera handy for the "just in case" moments. I am thankful for that today!

After we painted the hearts Harrison was excited for the glitter glue...turns out the lids pop if you squeeze them too hard.

The camera was whipped out for the glitter explosion that not only happened once, but twice.

I treasure my Fridays home with Harrison, there is no place else I would rather be.

Buzz, Foam, Razor

I heart the end of the aisle clearance at Target.  I picked up this Toy Story shaving kit for a mere $2.48.

 And a look of utter disgust...he tasted it.

 Guess he thought it was silly...mommy did too.

 Did I miss a spot?

Oh the fun we had this week during bath time...there will certainly be more foam shaving posts in the future---certainly one with daddy!

Harrison slept in until 9:30 this morning...Happy Friday!