December

...was a beautiful month. My favorite month of the year and my son was here. We celebrated our first advent season together as a family. It went by so fast, but the busyness was joyful and the memories I will treasure forever. If I try to give a full recap, I'll never finish, so here are some Harrison's highlights.

December 15th we celebrated one year since he legally became our son.

He had an adorable ritual all month. I would bring him down in the mornings to rock in daddy's recliner while drinking his bottle. This would last just a few seconds before he realized it was all wrong. He would hop off my lap run the Christmas tree, point and sign please, so I'd turn on the lights. Next we would go to the fireplace, point and sign please, I would tell him Daddy would build a fire when he came home. So then he would point to various Christmas candles and sign please. I would light a few, as he ran to find my iPod. He'd take it to the speaker and sign please, because we had to start each morning with a little of Josh Groban's Christmas CD. Finally, with the tree and the candles and the music and the promise of a fire, he would lead me by the hand back to the rocker so we could snuggle while he drank some milk.

Harrison has had pretty much no interest in talking. Early in the summer he said "Sadie" (our dogs name) for a few weeks and then has never said it again. We were starting worry, even though we knew we shouldn't. (He did, after all switch languages at 10 months old.) But while Christmas shopping in Target in early December, he started fussing. I thought he just wanted to leave so I wasn't paying a lot of attention. And then clear as day he said "STUCK!" I turned and said "What did you say?" He repeated "STUCK!" and used his right hand to point to the fingers on his left hand, which he had wedged between the bars of the shopping cart. I cracked up, as I "unstuck" his fingers. My son who wouldn't even use Mama and Dada in context, could perfectly annunciate stuck in context, when the need presented itself. Though stuck remains the favorite word, Mama and Dada are now used. As well as uh-oh, wow, and most recently Nana, hat and spoon. Now new words seem to come daily.

In addition to the first words, he learned all kinds of news ways to let us know his thoughts. He and his father made up "signs" for everything. His favorite is "all done" wiping hands together. Our favorite is "yes," he couldn't figure out how to nod, so he does a little Japanese bow. He is also convinced that the sign for thank you is the same as blowing kissing, which has been cute with family and a little embarrassing with strangers.

He became a huge helper. One day in early December, Tim noticed Harrison drop his bottle and some milk leaked out on the kitchen floor. Harrison immediately toddered over to get a kitchen towel, sopped up the tiny spill and returned the towel. Later he repeated the activity, but asked Daddy for a paper towel and then threw it in the trash when he was done. We thought this was the cutest thing we had ever seen, but it was just the beginning. In the coming weeks he insisted on throwing his own diapers away, carrying groceries in from the car for Mommy, and picking up each item off the conveyor belt at Target to hand it to the cashier. He even began unloading the bottom half of the dishwasher, handing silverware up to Mommy and putting the Tupperware in the cabinet. He loves to wipe up the kitchen table with a sponge after dinner and bring us his shoes and coat when it is time to leave. And on Christmas morning, seemed to love taking each person their presents even more than opening his own.

He had lots of opportunities to celebrate touchdowns (one of his favorite activities) as the Skins made it to the playoffs! (We won't talk about what our boys did once they got there, that was January.)

After 10 months of playing second fiddle to Daddy, Mommy got to be Harry's favorite in December. WooHoo! Mama had to put him to bed and Mama had to kiss the owies and Mama had to watch whenever he was showing off. And Mama was happy to oblige!

We spent Christmas at Mimi and Grandpa's house in Florida. Harrison played in the sand for the first time, building sandcastles, searching for seashells and begging everyone to stay out of the water. Every time Tim or I got near the waves, he'd run to us, grab our hands and pull us away frantically. His little concerned face was so sweet! But by the last day, his Aunt Mary convinced him to get in the water at a calmer inlet so he could catch hermit crabs. SO EXCITING!

Here are some photos of the trip...

I want YOU to come to the beach with me!

Digging with Daddy

Ah, I finally got Mommy away from those evil waves


Could it be for me?

Mimi volunteers at a turtle rescue... so cool!

Giving big kisses to my #1 girl: Mommy!