The rat has left the building...

So we didn't wait the obligatory year, or the three years that I am told is customary in Jewish tradition. Instead, the day we realized our little man had one piece of hair that passed his neck and laid just at the top of his back, a rat tail so to speak, Mommy and Daddy made the decision -- it was haircut time. A few days later,after good luck, save the hair phone call from Dad, there we were Harris, Mom and Aunt Hayley at Koi Spa and Salon sitting in Jenn's chair. Harris was great, he loved every minute of it. He flirted with the blond stylists, cooed at the receptionist and gave that ever so cute smile to anyone else who walked by. He also did great during the actual cut!


Before...



During...



After...

Could he really be....

What is that noise...it not really crying more like moaning...Could it really be time for his early morning bottle already, you know the one that holds him over until 7:30 or 8:00. I roll over and look at the clock - 1 a.m. - what is he doing up? Maybe if I lay still he will go back to sleep. No such luck. So I search for my glasses and stumble into the little man's room (funny how you quickly get used to a full nights sleep even if it means you are only getting 5-6 hours -- but they are in a ROW).

I try my best to quietly walk into his room, just in case he has fallen asleep... I peer into his crib and I hear it, the unmistakable sound of congestion. Now I am the one moaning... HOW COULD THIS BE? COULD HE REALLY BE SICK AGAIN?

Then the facts flood in:
1. He had had a pretty cranky morning the day before - for seemingly no reason
2. His eating was sporadic
3. That night's bottle sat only half eaten on the dresser

All by themselves meaningless baby ways - together with the sounds that are now coming from the crib I know it to be true -- Harris has another cold.

I think this puts the count on an even 6 in about two months - or maybe it is just one long cold. Who knows!

His poor little preemie immune system - I can not even imagine what it would be like if he went to daycare!

7 Month Updates

Over the last two weeks (since he hit 7 months) Harris has progressed in leaps and bounds. While he always liked toys, he has really begun to play. He pushes buttons, spins toys, kicks balls (and people), puts toys in containers, throws things and shakes rattles - actually he shakes everything now that he
figured out some toys make noise. He still loves the jump-a-roo that he got for Hannukah and even likes to jump while anyone is holding him.

Two month's ago after our developmental appointment I was concerned -- the speech therapist had suggested there may be a delay - but now our little man is talking up a storm - using all the vowel sounds and at least 5 consonants. Just today Martina mentioned that she heard yet another one! Not only does he babble - he babbles loudly, more then once I have felt the need to tell him to try an indoor voice, but then I look at his smile and just melt. I think he is as pleased as we are!

Harris is also sitting independently - for real. He had teased us over the last month - each time we think he is going to get it any day, he would sit for a few seconds, then a minute or so but not longer. Then yesterday he sat and sat and sat, it wasn't a fluke because today he did the same. He can even reach over and pick up a toy and come back up to sitting.

Interestingly, I saw Harris sit like this for the first time at physical therapy. We went brought him to the PT because despite all the progress we recognized that his arms continued to be stiff and seemed to have limited range of motion (we were right - and he is going to continue in PT for a while). What we had no idea about was that he could sit like this. Barbara the PT was impressed - so I was I to tell you the truth. I had sort of abandoned the idea, at least for the time being, that today would be the day he would really sit and play.

And if this is all not enough - our little man has teeth. Monday his first tooth was visible and today a second one poked through.

I have to say this is such a fun time, each day there is something new, something that brings me relief and excitement. Each night you can hear Mommy or Daddy screaming for each other, saying "Come quick... look what he's doing!"

Road Trip!

Harris went on his first road trip this past week. We all set off to spend New Year's with Brian and Kim in New Hampshire. First stop was Brian's new house in Wrentham, Massachusetts; where we stayed for one night before climbing in the car with Brian and Kim and driving the rest of the way to New Hampshire. The ride was LONG, we hit traffic on the way to Mass and then on the way to New Hampshire it snowed (in keeping with the seeing Brian and Kim tradition). Harris did great... 12 hours in the car on the way there and the little man fussed for about 10 minutes total. Instead of fussing, Harris cooed and talked and slept, he watched the snow in the trees, played with his toys, and flirted with Kim. I was amazed..and Daddy, well he said HIS little man did better then Mommy!

We had a great week. While in Mass Harris started playing with his toys -- and hasn't stopped since. Harris also made a new friend - Liam, Brian's nephew, was in New Hampshire with his mom and dad (Christina and Bill). Liam took right to Harris, and vice verse. Liam showed Harris the ropes, tried to give him a drink from his cup (which resulted in water straight down Harris's shirt and amazing picture opps), they shared toys and Harris watched Liam's every move.

New Year's came and Harris slept great while Mommy and Daddy had a great time right upstairs.