Silent Treatment Over.

Several months ago, I got my feelings hurt and just shut up.  I had written a short story a long time ago, and submitted to a writing contest.  When they published the winners, which I had zero expectations of being a part of, I read the top three winning stories and was a little surprised to find that they really weren't all that good.  Not bad...just not very good.  So I decided to print them out, along with a copy of mine, and I let a couple of people read them and tell me what they thought.  I didn't mention that I had written one of them.  One lady brought the stories back to me, and asked what they were.  I told her they were part of a short story contest and I had just wanted her thoughts.  She said, "Well I hope you didn't write any of these, because they were all pretty bad."  


Yes, really. 


In the meantime, and pardon my French, I have come to learn that this woman is a real nagative bitch and a complainer.  Since then, I haven't heard anything positive come out of her mouth at all unless it's in regards to herself....she's one of those...so I've decided, finally, to get over it.  Pouting session over.  


This does not change the fact that life is ridiculously busy and sometimes exhausting, so the updates may still be few and far between. 


I'm not sure I can take the time to fill in the blanks, but let's just say Harrison is bigger now.  And has more teeth.  He also has grown quite a bit of silky, curly blond hair, is getting ready to walk, and is the most beautiful little boy of all time.  The past few months have been filled with firsts...first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas...all the fun days.  First pair of shoes, first bump on the head...he plays games with us, he dances better than most people I know, he gives the best hugs, kisses with his mouth open, has taken to cuddling with his stuffed animals, and knows how to use a phone. And how to use random objects as a phone.  He has some favorite TV shows, knows how to pat-a-cake, and becomes very flexible and acrobatic when diapers and clothing are being changed.  He loves to people watch, would rather ride in the "stuff" part of the grocery cart than the seat part, is not a huge fan of sharing Mommy or Daddy with anyone else, and he's never met a food he doesn't like.  He ignored the wrapping paper and boxes at Christmas, fully appreciating every single gift he received, he only says "Mama" and when he's really, really mad at me, and well....we love everything about him.  


Most nights, we fall into bed exhausted but happy.  And then we wake up bright and early before the sun comes up, still exhausted, but we get greeted to Harrison standing in his crib giggling and smiling and ready to jump into our arms.  


It pains me to think that his first birthday is right around the corner.  This year flew by and took forever all at the same time.  It feels like a lifetime ago that we were bringing him home from the hospital and our old lives without him are just a faded blur.  It;s hard to comprehend that this little ball of energy that can move faster than we can chase him and looks more like a little boy than a baby has only been here for a matter of months. When the world rang in the New Year, I saw so many people bidding good riddance to 2011 and cheering the opportunity to close the door on it forever.  I'm sorry for those people and whatever it is they went through, but I am happy to say they 2011 is when my real life started, when it found meaning, when I learned what love is, and when I realized how important the little things are, and how umimportant so many things I cared about before were.  Harrison is the best adventure I've ever been on, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us.