Tea & Fleur De lis : November 2015

Happy first birthday to the sweetest HarBear I have ever known!

A little letter to our little boy:

Darling Harrison,

Words cannot describe how much we love you. It has been an amazing year full of love, tears (you and mommy), laughs, falls, bumps & bruises, hugs, kisses, 4 bloody noses (all you my dear boy), love (so much love), learning, life lessons, compromise, adaptability, travel, family, love, high fives, snuggles, frustration, joy, love, and so much more. We could not sum up in a short note just how much this year has meant to us. You made us a mommy and daddy and that is something no one else can do. We could not have asked for a more amazing, smart, gentle, loving, rough & tumble, and sweet boy. We are so lucky you picked us to be your parents because our lives are forever changed thanks to you. We have had to much fun in this short year and cannot wait to make so many more memories with you. Know that we are always here, always here for you. No matter what happens your mommy and your daddy love you so much and support you. We are your number one fans my little love! We cannot wait to see what amazing things you will continue to bring to this world. There are big things ahead for you my sweet, big things! Happy first birthday Harrison Edmund Janes, we love you more than there are words.

Love,

Mommy, Daddy, Liuzza, & Baby J

1 Year Tricks & Fun:

- Touchdown

- Clapping

- Saying hello to Harrison (he waves to himself, open and closing his hand)

- Blowing Kisses

- Blowing air, which then turns to blowing (spitting out) water, which leads to a soaking wet shirt and a silly happy baby

Random Information of this 12th month:

- Harrison has been sort of making the transition to one nap for a while now, but he hasn't quite been ready. I still think he is pretty young to really do one nap everyday. So for now we alternated between one and two depending on what the day has in store, what activities he has, any yoga class I can make, etc... So far this seems to be working well for us. The hardest days are when he takes a 1.5hr am nap from 9/930-1030/11 and then doe not take his second nap. He does great and doesn't fall apart like you'd expect. But I just hate how long he will be awake those days. We usually move bedtime up a little bit. He has been a pretty roll with the punches kind of dude and we are def grateful for that! If i had a perfect day of sleep for H it would be: wake a 7, nap 1130-130, bedtime at 7. Not too much to ask right? ;) Well our schedule these days is generally like this:

+ Wake between 6-630 (occasionally we will get a 645/7 wake up)

+ Pretends to nurse when he gets up, but would much rather play and eat solids

+ 7 breakfast

+ 8 walk the pup

+ on a 2 nap day nap 1 at 9/930

+ lunch around 11 (on a two nap day lunch is often eaten on the go while shopping etc... bc this is our window of time to get things done)

+ on a one nap day nap 1130/12-1/130. He sticks more to a 1.5 hour nap rather than a 2.

+ on a 2 nap day nap 2 at 2/230/3. If he hasn't gone to sleep by 315 I go and get him because I do not like him to sleep that close to 4.

+ dinner is at 530

+ bath 6/615

+ expressed bottle 645ish

+ book, song, (we need to start saying a night time prayer), in bed by 7. Then he determines what time he actually goes to sleep. but it is mostly between 7 & 715.

I keep reminding myself that I need to write all of this stuff down because there is no way that I will remember it. And lets be real I am gonna need to look back to figure out what to do with #2. However I have already made a mental note that with #2 you have a lot less time to think through everything, a lot less time to create a perfect schedule, & a lot less time to obsess. So basically #2 gets to be even more go with the flow. As in you my sweet little love with like your carseat unlike your brother. Because I think you will be spending more time in said seat for naps and such. Just going from thoughts and other friends experiences here.... Ill most definitely report back upon the little bundles arrival and fill you in.

BREAKING News!!!
We.Have.A.Walker!!!
Sweet little Harrison decided to wait until 6 days before the big day to turn those stepping legs into walking legs. On Thursday October 8th during our daily trip to the park to run the pup, Harrison walked. Chris stood him up like we normally do and off he went! He wanted the frisbee so he went for it. So exciting!! Since then he mostly crawls, but he will walk. He walks from things to and will walk when you put him down standing. I think he keeps trying to figure out how to get to standing without grabbing on to something. The end result is bear crawling, ha! He is so fun to watch and you can see how proud he gets of himself. I can't to continue to see him grow and change!

Baby J Update (20 weeks on Friday October 9th)

If I am being honest I forget I am pregnant. Poor little love is already being forgotten. I know that sounds awful, and 100% am not actually forgetting about my child. It is just that with Harrison's pregnancy everything was so new, there was so much time to take it in, every kick, every "oh whats this?", every week. It was slow and there was time. It seems with this little bug I blink and I am already half way there. I still cherish every movement, every sonogram, every thought about my little little, but it is a different feeling this go round. I honestly sometimes find myself thinking I am pregnant with Harrison again. Super weird, I know, but maybe it is because it hasn't been that long, I just don't know. With that all being said, before I get daggers and the middle finger, I have had a very easy pregnancy. I cannot be more thankful that my body enjoys being pregnant and that is a gift I will always be grateful for. Am I more tired these days? well yes! do I go to sleep by 930 if I can help it? well yes! Am I hungry all day? double yes, thanks to nursing and being pregnant! However I am also not as active with this baby. I did so much yoga and spinning with H. This time around I am lucky if I have time to get 2 practices in a week and I haven't been on a spin bike since the 3rd trimester with H. I walk everyday, 2x if I can swing it, and have been trying to get to yoga as much as I can. I have to work around the yoga schedule, Harrison's activities, play dates, and Harrison's naps. As if that wasn't enough to juggle, sweet little H has entered the phase of "if I can't see you my world is ending. right now. game over. I can't go on." So my poor little dude has had a really hard time adjusting back into the LT childcare after our few month break. I feel so bad for him but I know all I can do is go with him and let him get as much time there as possible. My goal this week is to go everyday, even if I drop him and just sit and read for 30 minutes. He just needs to go. So I have officially strayed from the topic of #2! Well anyways, we go this week (Wed Oct 7th for our 20 week anatomy scan). This little appointment with either confirm or deny that the Harmony test was accurate in their gender assigning. I am super happy we get to see my little baby this week and I can't wait to watch the little one move around and love life! We are still going to let Harrison reveal his siblings gender at his bday.... we can't wait!!! As I am sure all of our friends and family can't either!
Post 20 week Sono Update:
Confirmation the harmony blood test is accurate... its a (I can't tell you that! You have to wait until Saturday when Harrison reveals it)! :) Sorry I know that is meant to make you wait, but only a few more days and then the baby gender is out of the cake. hahaha see what I did there. Clever! Any way, it was fun to see our sweet little babe. We actually got a good profile few of this one. He never cooperated, he was always head down and face back so we never really saw his features. Well as much as you can see a sonogram features. I don't how many times I have looked at sonos, but honestly beyond the spine, ribs, head, sometimes appendages, and the beating heart it is lost on me. There is so much happening in there it is always so wild to see the sono tech work her magic! Everything is perfect and right where it needs to be with this bundle. Measuring in the 86% and right on traffic for out due date. Most excellent because I want to get as close to 40 weeks as possible. Dr. Jacoby said we are good to keep going as planned and will schedule a C in Nov or October. I have 1/2 more 4wk apts and then it is on to the 2wks. Which is so crazy! This pregnancy is really flying by, it blows my mind! I will be 21 weeks on Friday!

Disclaimer, the above was written well before Harrison's first birthday. I 100000% forgot to post it and add pics and all that jazz. So here is the quick update version: Harrison's party was a hit! So fun! way tooooo many toys! We are so so so fortunate to have such amazing family and friends. It was a day filled with love and we could not be more grateful or thankful to our village. Thank you is not enough!
p.s. we are having a BOY! see video below!