Linked | Sleep and the Big Blue Blanket

 

What is it with us moms and our sleeping babies? No, he’s not a baby any longer; but like so many other moms feel, he’ll always be my ‘baby boy’. So how could I deny the  rare opportunity capture the sleeping boy one afternoon.

I love these quiet moments when all is well with the world. When I just look at him and sigh.

He came home from school this day, asked for a snack and announced he was going to take a nap. A nap that lasted almost 3 hours. A nap that doesn’t happen often.

A nap cocooned in his Big Blue Blanket.

I bought the blanket on clearance at Target ( I love Target) to use as a throw blanket for our old, beloved blue sofa right before Harrison was born.
I think we love that sofa almost as much as our blue rocking chair. Maybe because it’s one of the first pieces of furniture we purchased as a married couple. You would start to think we’re hoarders or have a thing about the color blue. No, not really… on either count.

Harrison didn’t have a comfort item when he was tiny which was quite challenging. Until he discovered the Big Blue Blanket. (as it is now called) around two-years-old. The blanket has not been very far from him ever since. It’s even made several appearances on the blog and flown half way across the nation multiple times over the last couple years.

I know the days are numbered for both the ‘boy’ as he is now and the blanket… which is starting to show it’s wear - not unlike an much-loved stuffed animal.

In the mean time, there he lay, on the sofa, sound asleep, happily wrapped in his Big Blue Blanket.  Perfect, beautiful, peaceful.

I love these sweet quiet moments…

I still remember the day I noticed those freckles appear and I LOVE those little eyelashes. Sigh.

 

Such a peace to this sleeping boy.

Of course then he wakes up and it’s ‘Game On!’ once again.

Never a Dull Moment.

 

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Photo Story Friday | He's going to be a Method Actor!

Harrison started out his Halloween festivities at his Awana Club this year. He was told to dress up as his favorite Bible Hero.  I asked him who he wanted to be; thinking Moses, King David, Noah... even, maybe, Job.

"Jesus" he answered.

"Oh-K."
And like that, I had my first costume-making challenge. Not one of my strong suits...


Fast forward one week, Harrison tests out his costume; lovingly, sloppily sewn by Mom.

That serious look on his face? It's his "Jesus" look.

Did you know he walks on water, too?
Or in this case, the Big Blue Blanket.

The day of the event we hopped into the car and headed down the street as the sun is setting.

"Look at how beautiful the sunset is tonight!" I say.

He proudly responds, ""I made that."

I look at him. "Remember mommy... I AM Jesus."

How could I forget.






Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Success!

Can you believe that today was the first day of kindergarten? (Heck, I haven't even caught up with the summer)

What does Harrison do on his first day?
Wakes up at 5:30 this morning.

5:30!

A.M.!.

When I went into his room expecting the usual - him warmly snuggled in his Big Blue Blanket, asking me to lay down and cuddle with him - I found him draped across his rocking chair, half dressed with the bedside lamp on; he looked up and said, "I'm going to school today!" {not until we all get a little more sleep...}
Within minutes, he was snuggled between us in our bed for another couple hours of needed sleep.



At 8:15, we all walked to school together, holding hands and greeting other families also walking to school.

Suddenly I was having a Mayberry moment.
And it felt so right.

 He was slightly pensive at first.

 But Daddy reassured him of the fun he will have in Kindergarten.

Then off he went to meet new friends
(I stayed with him for the first day)


And just for good measure, he finished the day with his first school injury. A elbow scrape from the "high top"... "I didn't cry." he announced.  In case you (or we) were wondering.

 That's my boy!

When Five-Year-Olds Pack

Also visible - one flashlight, one "snake" swimsuit and one ball cap ready for vacation action.

We loved watching Harrison pack his suitcase. He was quite passionate and determined about what had to be in it all the way down to his tooth brush; which when reminded that he still had to brush his teeth he exuberantly responded, "I have a spare!"

Once he was all finished packing and wheeling his suitcase around the house he announced to the GID, "Okay while we're gone you're in change."



See you in a couple weeks!

Theme Thursday - Idle Time

Sometimes it's good just to slow down a bit.

Wrap up in the Big Blue Blanket to drink a smoothie...

And take a break.


Company in town, we'll catch up this weekend.

Head to Stacy's for more Theme Thursday.

The Hungry Little Caterpillers

One of Harrison's favorite books is The Hungry Little Caterpillar. We have read it over and over AND OVER again. Harrison has acted out turning from a caterpillar to a butterfly since he was about 18 months old with his beloved Big Blue Blanket.

Then Ken saw an advertisment on TV for growing Painted Lady butterfies and we talked about ordering one online in the near future.

It was a no-brainer to get a butterfly house when we went the the Bug Fair last week.

Actually the Bug Fair took place over the weekend at the Natural History Museum, but I heard about it in the final few hours. Shortly after washing the car with Harrison, I crammed him in his car seat, opted out of nap, and drove across town to the Bug Fair.

Let me just say that he was a willing participant...

we arrived in time to still see quite a bit of bugs, most importantly, big furry spiders. Harrison even experienced a millipede walk up his arm. In fact, it was the length of his little arm! He loved it. I wasn't so loving the idea of it walking up MY arm, but I kept a Poker face. I just held his arm still, kept my fingers tucked under and smiled.

We also made a terrarium to keep beetles that we catch. We were going to get a beetle at the fair but we ran out of time.

Fine with me really. We have enough beetles and other big ugly bugs to put in it in the future. That will be a "daddy adventure". In the mean time he checks it daily for any signs of life.

Speaking of signs of life, he also got to "pin a bug". He picked out a beetle from a pile of dead - beetles, then he stuck a pin in it "for study". Yesterday, he said, "I need to see my pin bug mommy." He looked at it and announced, "Still Dead."


Before we left all the bug-fun, we went and picked up our Butterfly House with caterpillars; and yesterday, we moved our 5 little chrysalids from their cup to their new home.

Here is their week in pictures -

1. baby catapillars - day 1 May 19, 2. baby catapillars - day 2 may20, 3. Caterpillars may23, 4. Caterpillars May 25, 5. Caterpillars May 27 8:40 am, 6. Crystalis forming May 27 8:30 pm, 7. Caterpillars - May 28

Whire we watch and wait, Harrison continues to give us his version of the Hungry Little Caterpillar using his Big Blue Blanket as the chrysalis, he eats, rolls up in the blanket, stands and "breaks free" to fly like a butterfly.

I can't wait until they emerge.

Oh What a Night...

Remember that fever I mentioned? It broke last night around 12:30 AM. It broke and Harrison awoke. He called for me. I went in talked to him comforted him, sang a song and said goodnight.

But it didn't end there - not in the least...


1:20 AM - Harrison wakes again, crying out. I wait. Then I go in. We rock in the rocker for a while. I lay him back down. He asks for water, I give him his cup. He wants COLD WATER. I'm not going all the way down to the fridge for cold water. He gives in.

1:40 AM - He calls out again, he's had a bad dream. I don't remember the details, I'm delirious by this time. He wants to go in bed with us, I tell him to sleep in his bed for now and then join us in the morning. We cuddle, I sing a song, he asks for things that are impossible to have at that moment.

2:15 AM - He begins crying, he needs me he says; the GID tells him to come get in bed with us. He climbs out of his crib and runs in to join us. Telling us "it's dark!"

3:00 AM - He has been tossing and turning, kicking and talking, whispering and squiggling - no one is sleeping. I tell him he needs to be quiet and go to sleep.

3:30 AM - I take him back to his own bed after warnings to settle down and go to sleep. He crys.

3:38 AM - I go in and talk to him, more about bad dreams and pit droids and "I need medicine". But I don't retain it all.

3:40 AM - We sit in the rocking chair and cuddle.

4:00 AM - Harrison wants to eat dinner. Wants to drink milk, wants to eat breakfast. I am annoyed - after all, I am not officially sleep deprived. He is gazing down at a toy garage as we sit there and he says, "Wait-A-Meen-ute! Mommy my toys are moving!" I look down (dang well hoping to not see little wooden cars moving about) "No honey," I respond, "You're just tired. You need to sleep." "Mommy, see the sword fish, it's going to sleep, see it sleeping?" "Yes, honey."

4:30 AM - I'm back in my own bed finally. I try to fall asleep; but Harrison yells out.

4:45 AM - He is once again in bed with us.

5:15 AM - He begins to drink some milk.

5:20 AM - He spits out said milk and the GID and I fly up in a panic causing him to burst in tears. I comfort him.

5:30 AM - In the bathroom on the potty going pee-pee and changing closes. He wants to get dressed and go down stairs. I am trying to offer some alternaitives. (or at least I'm thinking of the alternatives...)

6:00 AM - Daddy takes him down stairs, Mommy goes back to sleep.

8:30 AM - Mommy wakes up and comes downstairs

10:15 AM - Harrison has crashed out on the sofa to Bob the Builder. He sleeps until 1:30 PM


8:30 PM - Night time routine starts all over again.


Calgon Take Me Away...