Spring Time in the Bluegrass

If this doesn't bring a smile to your face, I am not sure what will.  And if somehow you missed it the first time, make sure you check out those chunky legs....I LOVE THEM!!!

Littlefoot

The first nickname I had the honor of giving my son was Littlefoot.  When we came home from the hospital I thought my beautiful bambino resembled the babyface brontosaurus.  Not only did they share adorable bald heads, but my little guy even squeaked like the precious dinosaur.  Even now, six months later, Harrison still has moments in which he channels Littlefoot.  This video from last night's bath gives you a sneak peek at his squeaks. 

An evening with the Lovejoys

Tonight we spent the evening with my family.  Lovie fixed a wonderful dinner (as always) with the help of Pop on the grill and topped off the evening with some home made apple crisp (delish!!).  Everyone was there to visit with us including Auntie Coco in Alaska.  Fortunately for my family, Skype has managed to somehow shorten the distance to my sissy, and now Courtney can play Peek A Boo with her nephew over the computer.  It is still hard being so far away from my sister, but we are so blessed to have technology that comforts us during the months we go without seeing each other.   

Auntie Coco playing Peek A Boo with Harrison

Sharing some of my delicious chocolate coffee with Courtney

Lovie and her monkey

Pop and his "Mini Me"

Chelsea and Jace

Matt giving Courtney a kiss

Lauren and Bailey

Pop sharing some of his apple crisp with HD 

My little fox and hound

When you're the best of friends
Having so much fun together

You're not even aware, you're such a funny pair

You're the best of friends

Life's a happy game
You could clown around forever
Neither one of you sees, your natural boundaries
Life's one happy game



When you're the best of friends
Sharing all that you discover
When that moment has past, will that friendship last?

Oh I hope... I hope it never ends
'Cause you're the best of friends

Eli, however, was not feeling the love...

Child please

In the past, I have not been a huge TV watcher.  To be honest, I didn't have a lot of free time for TV at all.  Between working full time and going to Grad school at night for my Masters in elementary education, I had enough free time to ...well, sleep.  It helped that Matt was in law school and constantly studying so TV (except for Thursday nights of course) was not a part of what we did at home.  That all changed when school was finished and we became more confined to our homes due to a new baby.  Matt and I have since added shows to our addicted list.  Before this year, our must see TV included The Office, Lost and 30Rock.  It has now expanded to include Modern Family (our hands down favorite), American Idol, Community, Parks and Recreation, The Bachelor, and now....Dancing with the stars!  My devotion to Dancing with the stars will last as long as Chad Ochocinco does.  Yes, you heard correctly.  My favorite wide receiver is now showing his mad dancing skills and cha cha-ing his way to victory.  My love for all things Chad dates back to an autographed jersey and the anticipation of each touch down celebration (ok, I wont lie. The smack talk is a little fun too).  So every Monday night I will not only be watching Dancing with the Stars, I will be voting.  Oh yes, I will totally be voting! (And yes, I already did.  Three times last night!)

Showing off my autographed jersey and football. 

C...A...T...S...Cats Cats Cats

Harrison and I watched the SEC tournament with none other than THE ultimate UK fan, my Mimi.  Who better to teach Harrison the ropes of being a UK fan than his own great grandmother?!?  In true Mimi fashion, she supported her Cats from head to toe and we were treated to a delightful game in which the Wildcats clenched the title of SEC champions. 

Weekend Getaway

This weekend Matt and I took Harrison to Gatlinburg for a much enjoyed getaway.  For the third year in a row, we were accompanied by Matt's college roommate Brad and his wife Laurabeth and high school friends Dewayne and Heather.  We soaked in some sun on a beautiful hike and cheered on our Cats as we watched the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.  It was a wonderful weekend spent catching up with friends and eating some really yummy (but seriously unhealthy) food.  Here is a picture of our first family hike.

I love my daddy...

Harrison watches every move his daddy makes.  His smiles and fascinated stares already tell us he can't wait to be just like his dad.  Here are some precious pictures from this weekend.

6 months already!

Today my sweet boy is 6 months old!  It is hard to believe it has already been six months and in that short time, I now can't imagine my life without him.  I love him more than I ever thought possible.  I cherish every moment we have together and when he is sleeping I miss him.  Sometimes I sneak in his room and just watch him as he sleeps.  Watching him makes my heart smile.  In honor of his six month birthday, I thought I would share with you six of my most precious moments with Harrison.

1. The first time I saw him.  I was enduring the end of a cesarean in which my epidural had worn off, but once I saw that precious boy the pain was suddenly bearable.  I will never forget the first time I saw him he was sticking out his tongue.  Now at six months, Harrison always sticks his tongue out when he is excited.  I like to think that at that moment, when we met for the first time, he was showing me how excited he was.

2. Harrison sleeping on my chest.  For the first six weeks of Harrison's life, I slept with him every night.  I slept with him not because he needed me, but because I needed him.  His room (even his bassinet) was just too far away.  I know it goes against every rule out there, but I would not have traded a second of those treasured nights with my son. 

3. The first time he laughed.  The beginning of December was a very tough time for me.  My grandfather had a terrible accident and passed away after two very long weeks.  The day after my grandfather passed away,  I was sitting on the floor with Harrison and he laughed for me.  He knew how desperatey I needed his laughter!

4. Every morning he greets my with a smile.  I love mornings.  I would even consider myself a morning person.  It was such a treat to discover that my son is a morning person as well.  Every morning after he wakes, he lies in his crib and talks (I like to think he is saying his prayers).  Once I go into his room, I am greeted with a huge smile.  How could anyone have a bad day with a start like that!

5. He coughs for my attention.  About two months ago I had Harrison in his bouncy seat as I was getting dressed.  As I was putting on my mascara he coughed and I turned to him and said "Goodness".  I turned back around to continue my mascara and heard what sounded like a pitiful attempt at a cough.  When I turned to say "Excuse you" he smiled from ear to ear.  And that was when he discovered the power of his cough.  He knows it will get mommy's attention no matter what she is doing (and right now I LOVE that he wants my attention because in 15 years, that might not be the case anymore).

6. Any time he smiles at me.  There isn't much to say other than it warms my heart every time.  I know that I will never, ever get tired of his sweet smile.

Here are some pictures of how H D has grown over the past six months....

One Day

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

And how did we celebrate six months?  Sweet potatoes, of course!!

I'm glad I am sick!

I'm sick.  Sore throat, runny nose, my head hurts, and I ache.  Because I am nursing I can only take Tylenol (basically any medicine that would help me is off limits).  But tonight as I was nursing Harrison I was thinking about how much he had improved tonight and how quickly I had gone downhill.  And then it hit me.  I remembered Harrison's pediatrician telling me that when I am exposed to a sickness my body immediately starts making antibodies.  Because I am breastfeeding, those antibodies go into my milk before they go to combat in my own body.  This means that Harrison has some help fighting what he has been exposed to and he needs the extra help more than me at this stage in the game.  Because of that, I am glad to be sick.  As I sat there and thought about how amazing our bodies are, I couldn't do anything but pray.  I have always believed in the intricate details of God's amazing design but I am truly starting to appreciate some of the tiny details.  I am not sure how someone can experience pregnancy and then look at the amazing miracle that is a baby and not believe in God.  Even down to the antibodies in breast milk, I am so awed by my God and the intricacy of His design.

Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

One Sick Puppy

Harrison and I have been enjoying this gorgeous weather!  Monday we spent a wonderful day at the zoo with my nephew Kean and my friend Brianna and her precious little girl August.  Tuesday and Wednesday we soaked in some sun on long walks around the park and the big city of Simpsonville.  Unfortunately I now have one sick little puppy.  This is the first time Harrison has had a fever and his pitiful little cough breaks my heart each time I hear it.  Our sleep has been, well, almost nonexistent.  I have found myself a little cranky and teary eyed (lucky for those around me, they are the side effects of my sleep deprivation).  We were up at all hours of the night last night and I have found that nothing works better for my little man than to just hold and love on him.  He has always loved to cuddle, but I think this little cold has caused his right ear to be permanently fixated to my left shoulder.  He lies there so still and quite that I have to check a mirror to see if his eyes are open or closed.  My poor boy needs sleep right now, but he fights his heavy eyelids and chooses to rest on mommy's shoulder as he maintains a death grip on my hair (see These are a few of his favorite things).  I will continue to give him all the TLC he needs and hopefully we can enjoy the great outdoors again soon.  Don't you go anywhere sun!

Scottie the elephant waiving to us!

This was as still as I could get Kean for a picture :)

We are family, I got all my cousins and me

Yesterday we had the pleasure of enjoying an afternoon with the Wade family.  Yes, even though we had to listen to the men grumble as UK lost their 20 point lead over Florida, it was still a wonderful afternoon.  Having four children in Nonni and Gimpaw's house is exciting but also exhausting!  I haven't played hide and seek in years, but I definitely got my fill playing with Kyleigh and Kean. 

I absolutely love seeing them together and am so happy that Harrison will have cousins to make memories with (and I am hoping for lots more from my sisters!!)  Hope you enjoy these precious pictures.... 

Kyleigh doing the John Wall dance                                 

Kean playing hide and seek in the kitchen

Kamaren and Harrison just being sweet!

Alot Happens in a Year

Ashley and Adam have been very dear friends of mine and Matt's for about five years now.  We share the same wedding day and sparked a friendship as we waited for our honeymoon flights at the airport the day after our weddings.  We enjoyed years of double dating, being a part of the same small group, and even pregnancy together. 

Tonight our little family headed over to their home for dinner.  As we enjoyed a delightful dinner (Thanks again Ashley!!) we talked about how much has changed in a year.  This time last year we sat around and watched Ashley's belly move as we enjoyed ice cream and I anticipated feeling my little man move around for the first time. 

Avery and Harrison in November

Avery and Harrison in March

Their friendship is something we will continue to enjoy for years to come and hopefully enjoy many more married milestones together!

These are a few of his favorite things....

Last night I was laying in bed making a mental list (my obsession with lists will be saved for another post) of everything I don't want to forget about Harrison at this stage in his life.  Next week he is going to be 6 months old and he has already developed such a little personality.  When he is happy (which really is most of the time) he makes sure everyone knows via his precious smile.  When he is really happy, he makes sure you know by sticking out his tongue (yes, my son thinks he is a dog).  So I thought you might enjoy a list and some pictures of some of his favorite things. In no particular order...

Bath time. Harrison LOVES his baths and every night it is a game to see how much water is left in the tub after he splashes around with his rubber ducky.

Rice Cereal. Harrison looks like a baby bird when he is eating his rice cereal. He anticipates each bite with a wide open mouth making sure I know he is ready!

Molly. Molly has loved Harrison since the day we brought him home. Harrison however is just discovering his love for Molly. Every night after his bath, Harrison lays on the floor and enjoys a baby massage of lavender lotion and kisses from Molly. She never misses his night time routine!

Himself. Yes, he LOVES looking at himself in the mirror. If I were that cute, I'd love it too!

Jumping. Harrison got a “Johnny Jumper” and is thoroughly enjoying the exercise his chunky little legs are getting as he bounces.

Sneezing It doesn't matter who sneezes (including himself) it is hilarious!

His toes.



5:30 Harrison looks forward to greeting daddy with a drooly smile every Monday through Friday!       

Peter Rabbit.  See picture

Getting his diaper changed. He might like this so much because of the next item on the list....

Mommy's singing (He prefers when I sing a little Salt N Peppa). Yes, this is one lucky little boy. He gets to listen to me sing almost every time I change his diaper and I assume he likes it because of the wonderful gummy grin I get :)

Watching TV. The child has figured out how to find the TV by looking in the mirror or the reflection of a picture. It doesn't matter how hard he has to work, he is determined to find the TV.

Attention. (cough) (cough) (cough) 2 weeks ago Harrison developed a pathetic cough in an effort to get attention. It is not a real cough, but enough to get people's attention. He is learning way too fast!

My Hair. Pull it, twirl it, eat it. He just loves it.





But his favorite thing......

His Thumb!