I guess it's time...

For a new post. We're lame, I know. Since April we have done many a things. Mac graduated from Law school (hooray!). I am so proud of him and all the work he put in to provide for his family. I hope he knows how much I love him and that Harrison loves him. This family would surely fall apart without your level head (or at least I would). The real stress set in as he began to study for the Bar. Admittedly I think it went a lot better than I expected, but McCord tells me I'm crazy so... maybe it was that bad. He did really well staying focused (he studied at home) and keeping his cool. It was nice to have him around for lunch. We watched Arrested Development and King of the Hill and watched Harrison dance to the music of the opening and closing credits. That kid is nuts! The Bar is now over and now we get to play the awful game of waiting. September 16th come quick! In the mean time he is working with local attorney James Annest, who is 83 and thinking he'd like to retire in three years... yeah... So we'll see where that takes us.

Harrison loves being around his grandma's and grandpa and great grandparents (he has two sets of each within a 2 mile radius of eachother). They love on him and spoil him so much it's almost disgusting. Although I am quite impartial being his mother and all, so of course I love his kisses and hugs and almost become jealous when he doesn't share them with me. He's become quite the ladies man over the past few weeks. He runs around giving hugs and kisses and does he's fake cheesy laugh all the while. He's such a goof, but he my goof and I love it! I think I am finally starting to really enjoy being a mother. I miss the days of his smallness and neediness but am so thrilled to watch him play and learn and grow everyday. Sometimes I miss working, but being home with Harrison has been so fulfilling. I love this little man and want to enjoy all his quirks and giggles before he's too cool for me. He turned one in May and his birthday was actually kinda sad. We celebrated in the backyard after the graduation ceremony with our families. Harrison was so tired by then that he looked at his cake, poked it a few times, then started to cry. He didn't open presents, and was not in the least interested in having ice cream. I just took him up stairs, bathed him, then we sat down for a long snuggle. I think he was a bit overwhelmed with all the excitement, and really really tired. He had a few gifts from Pat and Tim and his cousins that we opened the next morning. I think his cousins were more interested in the toys that he was, but he's coming to really love his stick horse. It broke my heart to have such a disappointing birthday, but I guess it won't matter that much because he won't remember. Oh well. Maybe next year...

After the cake, everyone else headed down to the shed and loaded our stuff into the horse trailer. I had almost all of our stuff boxed and ready to load when everyone arrived. Mac's parents took the trailer down for us, and whatever else we had went into the pickup. And let me tell ya, it was a VERY full pickup. I barely had room for my feet.

So here is the long anticipated list of Harrison's latest and greatest:

• loves his horse and kitty, and tries very hard to make their respective noises
• he's really beginning to love books and pulls his favorites around all day (he'll bring them to me then turn around and wait for me to put him on my lap)
• loves to play with: toothbrushes, paintbrushes, any of my crafting supplies, cups, the diaper bag, canned foods, books, horses, kitties or any other soft stuffed animal, sticks or anything resembling, the stroller, anything he can lift and carry or push/pull, his high chair, straws, our clothes, ropes, Grandpa's steers and horses, the dirt and all other ingredients found in the arena, swings, the slide, the trampoline, sprinklers, puddles, plastic Tupperware and mixing bowls, Great-G-pa's cane and oxygen tube, toy cars/tractors/airplanes/etc, marbles, fake fruit, pots and pans.... and the list goes on. But those seem to be his most beloved :)
• his appetite is growing and now likes: banana's (it's the first thing he grabs when we go to Grandma Larsen's), watermelon, apples, peaches, pears, grapes, cheerios, trix, rice krispies, kix and basically any cereal, cheese, graham crackers, chicken, granola bars, lifesaver mints or any other type of mint flavored item/ingestible (which includes, but is not limited to lip gloss, floss, and cleaning supplies), beans, rice, pasta, spinach, carrots, celery, cranberry juice, potatoes, chicken nuggets, fry sauce all by itself; French Dip sandwiches; he will basically try anything we give him, but hose are the basics.
• He likes to flush the toilet and throw things in the bathtub. It's a good last place to look :)
• watch food in the microwave and oven, especially his milk
• he has a demanding need to watch as I cook, even if he gets burned or hurt.
• fans and turning the lights on and off
• play with any electronic device, and get especially mad when we take it away
• plays telephone and we're trying to teach him to say hello in Japanese
• eat the tree seeds he finds outside. it's quite disgusting.
• or anything else he finds, including bird poop (he has yet to actually swallow), sticks, bugs (dead or alive), regurgitated grapes, and pocket fuzz.
• playing in his poop during diaper changes
• squealing when he likes something, yelling when he's mad
• opening and closing the blinds
• playing in the bathroom drawers, and sneakily hiding my makeup and hair products

Dislikes:

• bedtime
• changing clothes, although he is being to be more helpful putting his arms through
• changing diapers
• the car seat
• time out
• coming inside from playing in the puddles, or the road
• spicy foods
• lightening and thunder (we've had a lot of random thunder storms the past two weeks)
• getting poked in the eye with his sticks
• putting shoes on

That's all I can think of right now for his dislikes. Of course, you all know how mean mommies can be and that's really where the dislikes begin ;) He's also learned how to throw a really good temper tantrum and we love listening to that. His speech is improving and that mouth moves faster each day. He has lots of things to say, and someday, it'll be interesting to know what it all means. But for now, I'll enjoy my ignorance of his language :)

He's stared spinning in circles when he's trying to show off or really hyper/tired, which is so funny to watch. We'll get a video of his spinning soon. When he's mad, he'll scream and start to back up. I think we need to get him a beeping sensor so he knows when he'll hit his head. That darn kitchen table gets him all the time. I also think it's time for his first haircut. He gets mistaken for a girl all the time. I just don't want to because he has the cutest curls in the back! But it's time, especially because he has a sweet mullet designed all by nature. It looks so silly, but cute at the same time. I just love this little guy!

As for me, I've spent my time reading blogs, doing housework, and scrapbooking. I've also started couponing, but that's another post entirely. I've gotten so many pages done for H-bomb's scrapbook these last two months! I think it's true that using creativity begets more creativity. It's like a muscle, if you don't flex it and keep it in shape, you lose it. It gets weak and flimsy and its just better to keep in toned. So, that is my goal: to keep my creative muscles in shape. as for my physical muscles, well..... they stay in shape by hoisting Harrison and chasing him around ;) Good 'nuff, right? Right. I have about 5 lbs left to lose from being pregnant, but I'm not really concerned with that as much as fitting into the jeans I bought right before I found out I was pregnant. I can't let those beauties go to waste! They're the last real pair I've bought in almost two years! Except for those jeans I bought for my birthday.......... Do they have rehab for addiction to jeans? I think I should apply at the Buckle again. Or maybe just get some kind of job. Mac would greatly appreciate that. But for know I will wallow in self pity and have some ice cream. And hopefully, add another page to the scrapbooks!

So that's the latest and greatest from us. Pictures to follow....