Dearest Harr Bear,
It’s been three months since your last letter. Although the first twelve months went by at a(n) (unusually) reasonable pace for your old Mama, the last three months have not. It feels like you’re positively rocketing into toddler-dom but that’s okay. We’re having the time of our lives and soaking it all in. I can’t believe how you’ve changed.
You took your first few steps back in early May but never got the hang of it because you (probably) figured that your fastest mode of travel was still on all fours. You’re so logical - just like your father! Over the last few weeks, however, you’ve perfected your walking and you’re starting to run to and climb everything in sight - just like your Mama!
You love when we tell you “we’re going to get you!” and you can do dozens of laps around the dining room table, running from me and Daddy and shrieking with glee as we pursue giggles and snuggles.
Outside of playing with your water table, (which you looooove) you’ve had a few “water experiences” and you have loved ‘em all. We went to a friend’s pool and explored splashing, floats and even some diving board touching. It had been a few months since your very first pool experience but you didn’t mind. I took you to a local spray park where you “ran,” splashed and shrieked with your friend Mason. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to take you back with Daddy.
A week after your first pool day, we played in a pool upstate while visiting your buddy Everett.
You love splashing and don’t seem to mind the repercussive water that gets into your nose and eyes. You really love when Daddy does this…
I love to watch it, too. Both of you had such a ball.
It’s not just your gross motor skills that are ramping up, either. Your language development is coming along swimmingly (had to.) As of today, you can say a few choice words. Mama, Da, (Daddy) Ga, (Griffin) cok, (clock) tuck, (truck) gass, (glasses) mo, (more) hot, gul, (ball) ack, (snack) uck, (yuck) no, at, (hat) and iss (this.) I may be missing some, but those are the main ones we hear on a daily basis. When you’re not talking, you’re communicating in other ways. Sometimes, “other ways” include interacting with the frolicking tweens on the beach. They had you doing this…
You are working on your top two molars and the bottom two shouldn’t be too far behind. You had your first dental check-up and the dentist said everything looked healthy. You still don’t love brushing your teeth but you tolerate it and for that, I’m grateful.
You’re still taking 1-2 naps a day and lately, your best nap is 8-10am, which makes me think that you aren’t quuiiiiite ready for one afternoon nap. Don’t worry, Mama’s not quite ready for that, either.
If we had to characterize the last three months in one word, that word would be: TRUCK. You’re a boy obsessed.
Here you are baby-sprinting towards the trucks at a “Touch-A-Truck” event upstate.
You loved all of the trucks but especially loved “driving” the school bus.
Here you are freaking out over the “truck” at Home Depot while we were picking up lumber. It was a forklift, but anything that goes is a truck according to you. Differentiation will be a goal over the next few months.
But back to you being obsessed. Here are a few reasons why I say so… (and more of your other obsessions in a bit!)
1. We’ve found a particular truck-themed YouTube video that will keep you busy for a few minutes if we need it and as soon as you hear the intro music, you stop what you’re doing, do a quick, audible inhale and yell, “TRUCK!” while looking for the screen on which it’s playing.
2. You have literally spent hours over the last three months standing at the top of the driveway (or sitting on the porch!) looking at trucks and shouting as they drive by. You also get quite excited by the ever-increasing amount of motorcycles.
3. If you’re in the kitchen with me (the room that is as far as we can get from the road!) and you hear a truck drive by, you freeze, turn your head to the front of the house, listen for a moment and then declare, “TRUCK!”
We love feeding your obsession, getting every possible truck book from the library and getting a MatchBox truck when you go to Stop and Shop alone with Daddy. If you got a new MatchBox truck every time you went to the store with me, the house would be overrun and we’d be spending $50/mo on them.
The other thing that’s really come along over the last few months has been your dancing. You dance when asked, even if there is no music in earshot. You dance to the toy piano tunes, you dance to the playhouse tunes, you especially dance for the “Twenty Trucks” song and the Curious George intro song. You have moved on from bopping up and down to bopping up and down while waving your arms. I’m so proud.
If you’re not playing with trucks or dancing, chances are good that you’re reading.
When you’re quiet and Daddy and I get nervous that you’re getting into trouble, we turn the corner and find you leafing through a book.
This happens a lot.
Books are your preferred wholesale shopping entertainment.
They’re also your preferred travel entertainment. During one recent trip, you spent 45-minutes straight thumbing through various books. Truck books, obviously.
You love being outside. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing in the playhouse, pushing mowers or watching the world go by from the front rocker. You’re happiest under the sky and I don’t blame you. I feel the same way.
It’s been three months since your last bottle and I’m so proud that you didn’t fuss too much when I took it away. You now have a sippy cup of milk in the morning, at night and sometimes at lunch. Otherwise, you use a straw cup for water at all other times.
You continue to be a pretty good eater. You like Trader Joe’s “party meatballs” better than my meatballs from scratch but don’t worry, I’m not offended. You like avocados and fish, chicken nuggets and sweet potatoes. You eat carrots by the half-pound. You still love yogurt and all fruit. We’re working on the green vegetable thing but for now, I’ll continue to hide spinach and kale in your homemade applesauce. You’ll wonder in a few months while your applesauce is green, I’m sure. By then, you’ll be drinking green smoothies.
I mentioned before coming back to some of your other obsessions and here we are. (Your buddy Grayson asked me what your favorite things were: “What does he love the most? What’s next? What does he love third? What does he love fourth?” and so on, so it got me thinking about it.)
In no particular order: Mama, (okay - that first one may be in particular order) trucks, music & dancing, swings, slides, climbing stairs, the lazy suzan, sitting on Daddy’s shoulders, Ga, (Griffin) driveway play, stroller walks, strawberries, grilled cheeses, playgrounds, exploring new places, books, splashing and “Raffi,” your beloved giraffe lovey that accompanies you at every nap and nighttime.
Harrison, when you smile, you make my soul sing.
I’m so blessed that I get to watch you, teach you, snuggle with you and raise you to be a kind, smart, compassionate boy. It’s my greatest privilege. You’re my world - now and always. Continue to be sweet, charming, curious, intelligent, independent, funny and loving. It’s some combination, let me tell you.
Love bigger than the dump truck that you need a ladder to climb into,
Mommy (Daddy, too!)
P.S. Check out your other letters here. 6-weeks, 2-months, 3-months, 4-months, 5-months, 6-months, 7-months, 8-months, 9-months, 10-months, 11-months, and 12-months.