How times have changed...

It wasn't so long ago that heading downtown on a Friday night with the Swenson's meant a fun double date night with dinner, drinks, and some dancing....well, Friday night we did go downtown but dinner included cotton candy, drinks were sodas, and we were dancing to Sesame Street Live! (Plus we had 6 kids in tow!)

The Swenson's got some free tickets to Sesame Street Live and asked us (and another family) to join them. The kids were pretty excited!

Luckily the Target Center had plenty of room for us to spread out! It was bit ironic that the title of the show was "Elmo's Healthy Habits" but they kept walking by with cotton candy and ice cream! Harrison stole a couple bites of Olivia's cotton candy.

Harrison struggled to sit down during the show but decided he wanted to sit on "big, tall Eric's" lap.

Our rocking and wild Saturday night was a trip to the amusement park at the Mall of America! It was a cold weekend so we decided we needed to get out somewhere. I hadn't been to MOA for 2 years. It was so packed! Harrison had a good time though. We just did a couple rides but I think it was enough.

The main event of the weekend was celebrating Auntie Suzanne's Birthday! Of course it means Harrison gets to help with presents!

It was Eric's birthday too!

Time for cake and ice cream!

Our little fish!

We started swimming lessons last week. Harrison loves the water and could not wait to get in!

I was a little nervous whether Harrison would be able to listen to the teacher since he just wanted to dive in but he did a great job!

Matt was the brave one to go into the water with Harrison this time. We are doing the lessons at the Ridgedale YMCA and I was pretty impressed with the first lesson. There were only 2 other kids in the class and the teacher was so good with the kids.

This past weekend Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. H loved all the playtime and story time.
He of course loved celebrating Grandma Nancy's birthday the most!

Matt borrowed a four wheeler with a plow to help clear our all the snow. Harrison was begging to go on it. He is still talking about it!

We went to the asthma doctor today and H is doing great so was can go down to one neb a day! Yeah!

An action packed weekend!

We had fun but busy weekend! Friday night the Hatlestad family came over for pizza and fun. Grayson, Lincoln, and Harrison had fun playing cars and trains.

The boys then snuggled in to watch a movies. H couldn't quite sit still long enough for the whole movie, he was too excited to have friends over.

Saturday night, our former neighbor Ellen Hynes (aka E-Hy) had her first babysitting gig...with Harrison! She has been helping with him since he was born but this time was here first time solo! It was win-win...Ellen got to babysit and we got to go out with her parents! Harrison had a great time but was a little tired in the photo below. YEAH that Ellen is finally old enough to babysit solo!!!!!!!!!
Sunday morning we headed out to the zoo bright and early. Auntie Suzanne came along too!

Harrison especially liked the Discovery Bay where he could put his hands in the water with the fish!

I laugh at this picture below...I think he looks like a teenager! (OK, not quite but almost...)
The highlight of the weekend was meeting Olivia Flynn on Sunday night! Younger sister to H's buddy Thomas. Harrison was so sweet to the baby. He kept wanting to give her kisses and check on her.

Of course the best part of the night for the boys were the money cookies!

Starting the new year off right!

Harrison has had a great time playing with all his new Christmas toys! We build towers, castles, airplanes, and hair dryers (Harrison pretends to dry my hair) with his new mega-blocks!

He got a lot of new books and they have all be read 100 times already. He can't get enough of them! He has be snuggling on his new bear rug while we read to him.

Of course, nothing can beat his trains. Every day we build new track configurations and run the trains around and around.

Harrison did take a break from his toys to go back on the party circuit over the weekend. We went to a New Years Day party for our cousins who are visiting from Hawaii. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures though. On Sunday, we went to Sophia Stalock's 4th birthday party. It was at a HUGE indoor playland. Harrison had a blast and of course Matt did too!

H's buddy Maggie Hanson was also at the party. The two are funny together. I think they hugged and tackled each other at least 3 times. Sometimes I think they are going to be boyfriend and girlfriend...

...and sometimes I think they will grow up like brother and sister. (I should mention it was a Princess party and Maggie thought Harrison should wear a tiera too!)

Of course there was cake so everyone was happy!

Wrapping up 2010

Last week we headed out to the rink for round 2 of ice skating. He is still is trying to figure it all out but seems to like it. We went with the McConnell's and I think Harrison wants to keep up the the girls!

After skating, we headed back to the McConnell's for dinner and then the kids gave us a little concert on the piano.

Like many parenting decision Matt and I have made in the lat two and a half years, we decided to move Harrison into a big bed with out any planning. The bed was out so we thought we'd try it. The first night it took 6 books, 3 times putting him back in bed, and a brief 5 minute stint back in the crib before he finally went to sleep. Since then, I don't want to jinx us but so far so good! We just have a mattress on the floor next to his crib. I like the threat of the crib next to him!
On New Years Eve, we spent the afternoon over at the Otos'. They rented a bounce house and put it in their garage. Of course the kids all loved it!

Harrison stayed home on New Years Eve night with a sitter. He was in bed by 8:30. After our busy week, we figured he needed a break from the party circuit....I think we do too!