Owned by trucker hat and turtleneck

A glimpse of the last 24 hours in Michigan athletics:

1. No. 2-ranked hockey team lost at home Friday night to Ohio State, a team that had lost 11 of its previous 12 games.

2. Les Miles is coming to Michigan. Oops, maybe not. Sorry about that. And LSU wins the SEC championship.

3. The basketball team really showed Harvard what it was getting in Tommy Amaker. Oops, maybe not. Sorry about that. Turtleneck 1, Michigan 0.

4. If Missouri falls victim to the Sports Illustrated jinx ... Oh, I will just say it now: Buckeyes back in the national championship game.

Um ... go volleyball?

Harmon and Santa don’t mix

Last Wednesday, Kevin and I took Harmon to see Santa. We went to Twelve Oaks Mall this year and had perfect timing. It was the day before Thanksgiving, in the late afternoon, and the mall was totally dead. While the lines for Santa usually are long, there were only two families in front of us. Harmon did great in line watching all the other kids get their pictures with Santa but, when his time came, he was having none of it. He immediately lost it and, after two attempts to sit him on Santa’s knee, we decided to just abort the whole damn thing. While we had our suspicions that it might go this way, we were encouraged because he talked about seeing Santa all morning. He talked about it in the car and all through lunch too. And then, when he got his big moment to ask for balls, cars, books and a fire truck (as he told me earlier in the day), he blew it. So, sorry grandparents, there will be no photos of Harmon with Santa this year!

One step forward, two steps back?

As noted here, Harmon’s first night in his big boy bed was a challenge. Thanksgiving night was easy only because he passed out in the car on the way home from my parents’ house. Friday night went pretty well – we only had to visit his room five times – and Saturday night went well too with only three visits. Sunday night, he didn’t get out of bed once, although it took him forever to fall asleep. So, with the steady decline in bedroom visits, we thought last night would be easy. Not so much. He was fired up all day so it wasn’t a total surprise that he would need a few reminders to get back into bed. But, I swear, we went into his room about 10 times! He finally passed out around 10 p.m. (note that we started this process at 8:45 p.m.). After going to bed so late, I assumed he would be dead tired and grumpy this morning but he woke up on his own and was perfectly pleasant. He even had a great drop-off at day care, for the first time in weeks. Maybe tonight will go better – we just keep telling ourselves that it hasn’t even been a week yet so it’s going to take some time.

As an aside, while the going-to-bed part has been a struggle, the waking-up part has been awesome. It’s so sweet when he tiptoes into our bedroom to wake us up. He’s all quiet and tentative and then we snatch him up into our bed and hang out for a while. This really does make it all worth it.

Big boy bed

As I type this, we’re trying to get Harmon to go to sleep in his big boy bed for the first time. It’s actually his same bed, which converts to a toddler bed, but I think it’s freaking him out a little bit. We’ve already been in his room AT LEAST 10 times to tell him to lie down and go to sleep. It might be a long night.

We made a big deal this morning in taking the one side off and then putting on all his new bedding (including a pillow) and he was all excited about it. He kept yelling “NEW BED” and then he got all comfortable in it while Kevin read him books. So, we thought it might go a little smoother. But, I guess I can understand why it’s freaking him out. He’s been safe in his crib since he was eight weeks old and now one side of it is gone. I can see how he would be tentative. I also can see that there is A LOT of temptation to get out and play and run around so we’ll have to see how it goes.

By the way, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!

Harmon’s two-year photos

We decided to change things up a bit this year for Harmon’s two-year photos. Instead of paying our friend to do it (he’s been swamped), I asked my sister, Stacey, to take them.

We chose a blue theme, with jeans and navy tops. Of course, Harmon’s outfit was the whole inspiration! We wanted to be outside and what better place than campus. We decided on Angell Hall as the backdrop, which was good and bad. Good in that there weren’t a lot of people around to distract us and get in the background of our photos but bad in that there’s construction nearby (oh, cranes and cement mixers) and about 100 buses drove by while my sister was shooting and Harmon was going bananas.

We went to campus in the late afternoon on Sunday, Nov. 4 and shot for about 45 minutes. My parents and other sister, Erin, also were there to try to get Harmon to smile on demand. Then we had a birthday dinner for Harmon at Pizza House followed by cake and presents back at our house. It was an awesome day and the pictures turned out perfect. My sister did a fantastic job so now she’s on the hook again for next year – if she dares!

I’ve included a few below but if you would like to see them all, click here.

Follow the leader?

For the first time since Bo Schembechler was hired in 1968, there is no known leader of the University of Michigan football program. Once Bo retired after the 1989 season, Mo (Gary Moeller), a long-time U-M assistant, took over. After Mo “resigned” in 1995, another long-time assistant, Lloyd Carr, took over. It was on an interim basis in the beginning but, halfway through the season, the interim tag was removed and Coach Carr went on to lead the Wolverines for 13 seasons. Today, he retired and, for the first time in my life, I have no idea who the next football coach of my alma mater will be. That makes me scared, nervous, anxious and excited all at the same time!

I will miss Lloyd Carr, the person, as he’s done so much for the University of Michigan. I have to admit, however, that I might not miss Lloyd Carr, the coach. The last few years have been pretty rough for Michigan football fans and I think yet another loss to Ohio State on Saturday finally pushed me over the edge.

I sometimes wonder what life for Michigan football fans would be like had we not won a national championship in 1997. While that day was one of the best days in my life, I feel like it set a standard, it established an expectation that would be hard to achieve each and every year. Before Coach Carr, who brought us our first national championship in 49 years, we didn’t have those standards or expectations and the game was so much different. But, to get to that point, and then to have all the necessary pieces to return yet fail – that became hard to handle. And, if it was hard to handle as a fan, an alum and a former athletic department worker, I can’t even pretend to know how Coach Carr dealt with it. Maybe this was one of the many reasons he decided it was time to go.

Whatever his reasons, he is gone but he won’t be far away if needed. He will remain at Michigan as an associate athletic director and AD Bill Martin will have him to speak with while searching for a new leader of the Michigan football program. It’s not every day that Michigan hires a new football coach and it’s not every school that gets it right (see Nebraska) but I’m hopeful Martin will find a fantastic new coach to take Michigan football to an even higher level.

If you leave me now …

After another rough drop-off at day care this morning, I could only think of Chicago’s song, “If You Leave Me Now.” I realize we’re not taking away the biggest “part” or “heart” of Harmon but it’s still hard.

The last few weeks have been rough and we’re not sure why. Maybe it’s because he’s had SO MUCH birthday attention that he would rather stay home and play with us and his birthday loot or maybe he’s just having some delayed separation anxiety. Whatever it is, it caused him to cry SO HARD that he passed out when Kevin dropped him off this past Tuesday. He’s done this a handful of times and the doctor assures us it’s OK but it’s still scary. Luckily, he did it while Kevin was still there because that seriously would have freaked out his teachers.

The teachers tell us he’s only upset for a few minutes and then goes on to have a great day, which is fantastic. Unfortunately, Kevin and I don’t go on to have great days. We worry about him, we wonder what’s wrong and we count down the minutes until we can pick him up. The plus side to this, if there is one, is that he’s even more excited to see us at the end of the day!

A letter to our little boy

Today you turned 2 and further became a big boy. We have said how big you are getting for some time now, but now we can no longer tell people you are a “months” baby (16 months, 18 months, 23 months, etc.). We are so proud of you for how smart you are and how polite you are and how affectionate you are to all members of our family, not to mention most women at Target and the grocery store. You love to read anything and everything and you love everything that flies, especially “helpacas” (helicopters).

Your second birthday pictures show a little scar on your chin from a fall at daycare. You probably didn’t cry, and won’t remember it. But for Mom and Dad, it was a realization that things will happen to you during your life that we can’t prevent. We can only help to soothe you and tell you it will all be OK. We hope you will always come to us for that comfort and reassurance, like you do when you fall and bump your head or scratch your finger. You know we are good for a hug, and you are back in the battle in no time.

Speaking of daycare, like you were at your first daycare center, KidZone, you are a big hit at Annie’s. We always get great reports, and your teachers always tell us that you are so easy-going and well-behaved. You do have occasional mornings when it is tough to say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy, but you are so excited to see us at the end of day. When Daddy picks you up on Tuesdays, you immediately call for two things – helpacas and Mama. So, we pick Mommy up and swing by the hospital to see the twin Survival Flight helicopters. A month or so ago, you hit the jackpot, as one helpaca took off and another landed. These are just a few things that get you excited, right up there with semi trucks, buses (city and Michigan blue), cement mixers, tractors and pretty much anything bigger than an average 4X4. You have a cute, big boy haircut. Mom and Dad were so nervous to get your haircut for the first time. We didn’t want your hair to be too short, but now we get it cut every 5-6 weeks and you have a little burr head. The last few times your Nana has taken you for your haircut and, from what we are told, you were an angel. You were like that the first time we took you; after that, not so much.

We know that all babies are respectful to their grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and cousins, but you are always so good to them, and they love you unconditionally. You call Grandma and Grandpa Saling, Nana and Papa, and Grandma and Grandpa Bergquist, Eema and Eepa. Eepa helped Mommy and Daddy finish their basement. Now, you can’t get enough of it down there. After shimmying down the stairs on your belly, you love to play with your new table and train set and birthday presents. But not far from your mind is your savior right now, Mickey Mouse. Some days you don’t go more than 10 minutes without asking to watch Mickey Moush or Blue book (Blues Clues).

We will wrap this up with a little story that sums up your first two years. While you were shopping today in Kroger with Daddy, you sang your medley of songs, “Ba Ba Black Sheep,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and, finally, “The Victors.” You are so creative and happy and love to sing any chance you get. And, you love to call Mama real loud, even when she is five feet away. You are a dream come true, Harmon. Thank for showing Mommy and Daddy how fantastic being parents can be. We are truly blessed.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

One of those days

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s a long-ass day for me and a fun day for Harmon because he’s with his Nana.

I called her earlier and they were making cookies. I wanted to cry.

Every once in a while, I have one of those days when I so wish I was a stay-at-home Mom. I envision a cold winter day and me and Harmon all warm inside making Christmas cookies. We have dinner ready for when Kevin comes home and Harmon is so excited to see him and …

And, back to the real world. I’m sure work isn’t helping today either as I have so much crap work to do. Things like mailings and gathering/setting up materials for an event this weekend – things that TRULY require my MBA skills (ha, ha).

Speaking of skills, maybe I revisit the textbook from my MBA statistics class and figure out my chances at winning the lottery to make my vision a reality. Dare to dream.

Toddler Speak

Each day, Harmon (who I'm sure was in the middle of saying something dramatic in this photo at left) adds so much to his language skills and, in doing so, he’s really funny.

On the way back from his birthday dinner at Pizza House, I was telling my sister, Erin, about the Pumpkin Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. I told her it was like pumpkin pie on steroids and Harmon piped in with the following:

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin patch, pumpkin pancakes

Because he said it all in one breath, he was totally out of breath by the time he got to pancakes and it was hilarious.

We’ve still never been able to figure out who “Dee Dee” is and now it’s even worse. He’ll say “Let’s go, Dee Dee,” which will prompt us to ask who “Dee Dee” is. He then goes on with “Let’s Go Doh Doh,” “Let’s Go, Day Day,” and, finally, “Let’s Go, Cheese.”

WTF!

He sings all the songs from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and loves Choo-Choo Soul. He also can’t get enough of the Frog Dance (which they just pulled from YouTube – oh the devastation), not to mention he sings much clearer versions of "Hail to the Victors" - complete with the hand motions - and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

He’s also doing very well with the sentences. After opening presents in our new basement on Sunday night, he wanted to go down there again last night. He grabbed my hand and said, “Mama downstairs presents.”

Kevin noted that for the first time he feels like he really can have a conversation with him. Harmon and I called Kevin at work last Friday and they had a big chat about what he was doing, what he wanted to watch on the computer, what he had for lunch, etc.

Although I really, really miss my little baby Harmon, it’s so fun to see him growing up and expressing himself. Fun except for when we say something we shouldn’t and he repeats it – YIKES!