Sunday, November 1, 2015

I blinked and it was 365 days later!

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!

Some photos from his one year photoshoot 

playing in the fountain at the arboretum 

posing with pumpkins 

I wanna be those lovies



Loving life at Play street!

Painting pumpkins and eating paint with Sammie

Cheesin' in the am

He loves apples

Finishing lunch while we stroll the arboretum 

impromptu photoshoot 




I love this picture of these two!

It is a boy!!!




Here is the big reveal.. H needed a little assistance! 

Pumpkin patch fun with Sofia and Bella





Thursday, September 17, 2015

30 day count down till the big O-N-E!

Newsflash: We have an 11 month old and are 16 weeks pregnant with number 2! Woah time stand still! 

11 Month Stats and update:
- We have a very steady stander. He can stand as long as he pleases and is very sturdy. Come on dude, just take a step!
- We have made our way around to a few splash parks, neighborhood pools and parks. It is hard because they are not really set up for crawlers. We found one amazing park right up the road from us that is excellent and has turf. We have spent a good deal of time there! 
- We have had a few glimpses of fall weather in the mornings! It has been most excellent, however this mama needs to get her very long and fast growing child some fall clothes. 
- We took a trip to Houston to visit sweet Lily and Uncle PJ and Tia Alany. It was a fun weekend!
- H started the next level of water babies and is rocking it. He really wants to be 100% let go of, but I do not think he realizes what that means. He has learned to grab the wall and hold on, which is an excellent advancement they say!
- We have an occasional diaper take off.... almost always during nap time and 100% so far with poop. So fun. so so so fun. Knock on wood, the mess has always been manageable. phew! 

Drumrooolllll please.... on Saturday Evening September 13th, 2015 Harrison took 5 unassisted steps! He was taking 1-2 walking from Chris to me and back, but this was the most he'd done. So exciting!! 



Baby J number 2!!! 

Soooooo since I have made it FB offish I can now blog about the coming surprise! Sweet Baby J is due February 26th, 2016. He/She was an exciting and unplanned surprise. We wanted Harrison and his siblings close in age (18-24m was our thought). This little bean decided that she/he wanted to come a little earlier. All is cool! We are excited! Funny story of how I found out I was pregnant actually.... Chris was out of town and coming back fathers day afternoon. I thought well how funny would it be if I took a pregnancy test and that was his present for fathers day. Totally not thinking I was pregnant, the surprise was all on me! I took 5 tests (2 the night before and 3 the day of) all telling me the same cute little positive! :) We went to the dr the next monday thinking I was going to be 6/7 weeks. Well thanks to nursing my hormones were all off and I ended up ovulating off from when I should have. So I was measuring 4weeks at that point and really still too early for them to say "Congrats!" So off we went and made an apt for 3weeks later. We came back and were measuring 7weeks 3days of healthiness! Super exciting and real! I did ask if there was only one baby in there, and the sonotech confirmed there was just one.

When I went back for my next apt (at 11 weeks) they said, "alrighty lets find out the gender" I was like what!?! the gender? I am only 11.5 weeks. We didn't find out with H until 20 weeks." Well it turns out that in the short year of having Harrison they have changed the typical 20 week anatomy scan and gender reveal to a 12 week blood test called Harmony. Basically it tells you everything there is to know about you baby'g DNA. WILD! So we did the blood test and got the envelope with the gender. Chris and I waited a few weeks and opened it on my bday. Harrison is going to reveal the gender to everyone at this bday via smash cake. Lets hope he smashes that badboy wide open orrrrrrr the suspense will kill everyone! I also hope this test is truly as accurate as they say and we were not told the wrong thing. ha! We have the anatomy scan at 20 weeks still and that will be on October 7th.

I have been fortunate to have another easy pregnancy so far. So grateful! I am not as active with this one because I have a baby and his naps to work around as well as not being able to do hot yoga this go around because the hot yoga at lifetime is way too hot! I also haven't done spinning since 3rd trimester with H so I was not about to start that again with this pregnancy being out of shape. So for now I walk everyday and get to yoga 2-3x a week. Just depends on the week I am having to go at night after we put H down because right now the day classes just aren't working with his naps. That is okay! Now that he turned 11m he doesn't have specific hours at the child care so we can go whenever they are open. I am going to try and add an afternoon swim a few days a week as well. I feel like I need to cancel out all the sweets I have been eating. Like something everyday. It is sad. This baby wants sweets. ugh. I decided today that I can have sweets on T/Th/S and the other 4 days are a no go. The whole mommy is in charge thing has to start somewhere right?!


enjoying out first "fall" day (8.20)

We went to visit sweet Lily (8.21)

sweetest face (8.23)

bday donuts (8.28)

morning walk with Sammie (9.1)

Swim class with Cruz (9.1)

Being silly in Target (9.5)

enjoying the outside (9.6)

Our first trip to Play Street. So fun! (9.8)

Puppa's vet check (9.11)

Loving our new park! (9.11)

Game day baby! (9.12)

We love you! (9.15)

Game day baby!!! Who Dat! (9.13)

11m pics! (9.14)



Dada book!!
rarely can Chris hold him without his going "ahhh ahhh ahh"

"if this blanket wasn't heavy it would so be on the ground with my lovies" Harrison's new favorite game!
Fun and games with daddy!

Saturday, August 15, 2015

2 Month Countdown (i.e. 10 months)

I feel like this month has kind of flown by in a whirlwind. I hate to admit that I have not been writing this post as I go and as a result have forgotten much of the small details that have happened. I apologize in advance for a pretty uneventful blog post.... Lets get to it shall we!



10 Month Funness:
- We have had lots of play dates with our friends (mostly Sofia, Gemma, David, Everett, and Sammie). It is actually pretty cool because E and Sammie are born a few weeks apart and are 3 months older than H. And Sofia and H are 3 weeks apart. I always find that fun fact well fun!
- We have been practicing our throwing and dunking
- We pretty much 85% of the time walk while holding on to two hands. He has gotten really good and stable at walking. He will occasionally let you hold just one hand and walk. He then realizes that he is  not 100% secure and stops. It is pretty funny because he defiantly has the physical readiness for walking but mentally he is super nervous.
- Working on teeth 7 & 8
- We took a trip to NOLA for Chad's golf tourney. We had our first full Janes Gang photo. The original 6, plus their spouse, plus their kids - It was pretty cool!
- We had a few cuzzy photo shoots which was also super fun!!!
- H is clap obsessed, we may have to take him to clappers anonymous! 


We eat apple slices while we shop!

shorts on my head! hahaha

About to swim!

Hey new swing!

Daddy did swim class bc mommy was poison ivy covered 

Building block (read: stealing blocks) from daddy

Puppy kisses before bed

What the what!? they make an LSU carseat!

(this is a bad mommy moment but....) Hitler mustache and salute.... :( 

Chris finished his first Sprint Tri!

A happy boy post food!

The result of beets!

Best games are those that you play with the puppy and that make me laugh like this!

Breakfast with Papa King, Raine, and Silly C!

The whole Janes Gang!! (ignore my crazy red faced poison ivy covered body)

Kisses for my baby cuzzy Lily

Snuggles and climbs with Cheech and Baby Lily 

And we have a baby gate now, thank you for discovering the stairs Sir. 

Processing my walking with Raine while we shop 

Playing in the baby pool with Raine and Puppy

Kisses and hugs from Aunt Lauren!

Happy birthday Aunt Christina! 

who dat!? who dat!? 

smiles

what a ham

clap clap clap

I am standing machine... now if I was confident enough to walk