Levi's Seabiscuit Story

 By Levi Harris 9yrs.

Seabiscuit aka SB has 96 kids this is why she is in the history books not

Cuz she is fast but SB doesn’t hold the record no more why ill tell you.  

SB has 96 kids but she was starving and she ate one. 2 days later SB 

was telling a story and she sat on 1 or 2 or 7 kids!........SB weighs 1187 LBS.

93 kids left.  Some kids were running laps. One kid fell and then one kid tripped over him and landed Head first and broke his neck. Then there were 92 kids.  A small bus hit a kid.  No one was looking. A few mins later SB new about it then SB counted her kids. 91!!! SB said. Then she remembered, "oooooooooooooh ok I'll keep track of my kids next time" SB said to her self. One week later SB was racing and eleven kids broke out the Stands and nine got stepped on and Two did not get it. It was a close call. 82 kids left. and by then she didn’t hold the record.      

                                        To be continued.

                                          |         |     

                                         \/        \/

                                         Some Books

Levi is 1!

Happy Birthday to Levi!!  Levi has been starting to walk for the last week and getting better and better everyday.  He loves to give a guttural yell - not scream - when he is wants something, expressing his thoughts, making his presents known, or wants his brothers to stop.  We are aggressively trying to teach hime some sign to decrease the decibels around here with minimal success.  He actually can sign all done and more, but prefers to yell.

  Levi is a dare devil.  He loves to climb and is efficient at climbing up AND down bunk bed ladders without help.  He enjoys a good steep slide and tries to climb up and down them.  He loves to climb up my pregnant body try to diver down my back.  He enjoys a good fling in the air or fling backwards.  He loves water and has never cried during a bath and when at the lake would crawl to his death is unsupervised.  Levi loves to go outside and enjoys exploring our large backyard.  He has no need to stay near Mom and will explore as far as he can.  He is pretty good about giving me whatever is in his mouth and follows directions fairly well as long as it doesn't inhibit his physical freedom.  Levi loves his brothers and want to be in on anything they are doing.

  We love Levi are so happy is is part of our family.

Born This Way

At dinner, we have a jar with questions we like to answer for good conversation.  Our second question of the night was "If you could look like anyone, who would it be?  Why?"

Xander responded, "I would want to look like Joey (our 3rd grade neighbor).  Because I like his hair and face and clothes.  He has the coolest clothes."  This is classic Xander.  He is very aware of cool and can tell you what and who is cool at any moment.

Soren responded, "I would want my head to have a huge bump on it to make me look really smart.
Quinae, "So you want a giant head to house your giant brain?"
Soren, "Yes!  And I would want to wear a button up shirt that was buttoned all the way up."

This is also very Soren.  He has been known to tightly tuck his fully buttoned up shirt and hike up his pants and slime his hair flat and straight down.  Once he parted it in the middle and had it glued down on his head like Alfalfa in "The Little Rascals".  I think it is kind of funny, but do worry about his social future - but I feel like who am I to try to change a person?  I grew up with nerds for brothers and they all got married in a timely fashion.  Ryan however is usually horrified and tries convincing him to look a little more trendy.

I am just blown away sometimes at how very different my boys are from birth.  Xander talks about popularity and looks, and Soren openly is attracted to nerd styles.  He tells me all the time he wants to be a nerd.  Man!  I like diversity, but the down side is unless you are very mature, it is hard to get along when you are so opposites with a person……which may explain all the fighting in our home.  Makes for good stories though.

Hammy the Hamster

Xander wanted more animals then we currently have, which at the moment is one fish….his fish.  So I told him about hamsters.  We had all sorts of pet rodents growing up which I remember with fondness, even if they did eat each other.  I was okay with a hamster, but didn't know if Ryan would be and I wanted Xander to learn responsibility and the value of working hard for a long time for something.  So, our hamster journey started.  We got library books about hamsters and read several of them.  Then Xander made a poster all about hamsters and how to take care of them.  Then we went to the pet store and priced out all he needed for a hamster - which if purchased new is sort of expensive.  So off to craigslist we searched.  While still searching for the right priced cage, Xander gave his Dad a presentation with his poster of the Hamster and how he was going to take care of it.  After Ryan gave his blessing the search continued and Xander started working extra chores for more money to finance his goal.  Eventually he earned enough money and we got the cutes little hamster and all the stuff.  This hamster is perfect.  She is a golden syrian hamster and never has bitten anyone or been aggressive at all.  We love her.  The end.

That is a great story huh?  Xander sounds impressive, I sound like a good Mom and it is all around a good story.  All of it is true too.  However there is a lot missing in this story.  Like, How Xander was obsessed with doing all the things I required of him as fast as possible so he could get his hamster.  It was exhausting!  He pestered me read the books all day, then make the poster all day.  Then he wanted to go to the pet store several times. I had to say no frequently.  He was so driven to make money that he wanted to work all day long.  He was so focused that he didn't want to eat lunch and just kept working. I should have forced him to because by 2 pm he was falling apart and was a total mess.  He would argue with me how much I should pay him per chore and then throw a fit. I ended up firing him and sending him to his room where he cried himself to sleep while I made him a sandwich I planned to force feed him.  It was nuts!  I ended up hating craigslist because Xander would beg me to check my email and craigslist every hour to see if anyone responded or posted something new.  With any free time he had he wanted to peruse craigslist to see what was out there.  And the questions were non stop! It was driving me CRAZY!  It took all my determination to not just buy the cage to make this horrible experience end.  But I really wanted him to learn hard work over a period of time while you work to make a goal happen.  I learned that learning these skills for Xander is very painful for all involved. I am so glad it is over.   In the end it took about 1.5 weeks - and I was putting the breaks on often. We really do love the hamster though.  She is very cute and a great family pet.  We don't know how old she is because she was a rescue hamster, so hopefully she will live for awhile. They usually only live 2 years.

Uncle James

You may not know that the boys have an Uncle James.  That is because he is not uncle by blood.  James Hicks is Ryan's BFF.  James is incredibly handy.  He know a small amount to a large amount about almost everything.  James has helped us with a lot of things from lots of electrical work on our house to souping up power wheels.  Ryan pays off his debt by mowing James lawn for the last 2-3 years.  Ryan drives the lawn tractor a mile on the road down to James house many times a summer.  James has never owned a lawn mower.  Anyway, James is beloved not only by Ryan but by every male in our family.  Soren and Xander jump him whenever he walks into our house.  They know his car and start running if they ever see it in our drive way.  One reason why he is so beloved is because of these wrestling events.  Ah, the joy of boys speaking boy language.

Mindy, a friend of mine with only boys once told me, "I tell my boys, - we only wrestle with Daddy!"  This was such a new concept for me. I didn't know I could do that.  Once I started to implement that, my life changed dramatically. I use to be scared to kneel on the floor, knowing if I got to low, I would be body slammed by one or both of the boys.  Now I just say, "remember, we only wrestle with Daddy" and then I like to add, "Mommy is fragile! We don't want to break Mommy."  I have always wanted to try out being fragile.  My cover gets blown sometimes when they jump me one too many times and I forget what I am suppose to say and in frustration instead throw them off me and half way across the room, which they usually find all too fun.   

.

Xander's singing debut

I was making dinner on a Sunday night when Xander started singing a song he made up for Levi.  He is super embarrassed about this song, so don't bring it up to him, but I think it is adorable.  Because I was trying to get Xander's song on film, I let Levi be spun more then I normally would.  By the time the spinning stopped, Levi was so dizzy, that although his body stopped his eyes kept moving.   He took it well though.  Thanks Levi for sacrificing for posterity's sake.

Vogue

I bought a groupon for a photo shoot at Yen Lui in the summer, with the dream of getting an adorable pictures of my 3 boys.  I wanted the best chance of Levi smiling so I booked it 2 days before the groupon expired which made Levi about 3 months old.  So the day arrived and we headed to the studio.  Our last photo shoot was with my friend as the photographer and in my back yard and the boys were AMAZING.  They were so cooperative and it was so quick.  So, I foolishly, had hoped a new picture taking leaf had been turned and it would go well……..not so much.  It was as awful as it historically always has been.  The photographer tried her best, but it takes some serious skills and a huge amount of luck to get my 3 boys being cooperative all at the same time.  It was a bust.  It was so bad that the studio said we could do it again for no extra charge. I took them up on it.  So the next week we headed back, but stupidly I booked Levi's immunizations for the morning of the same day. I didn't think anything of it until he woke up from his nape in a bad mood.  And then I realized I just set myself up for failure.  But we tried anyway.  Luckily me pleading with my older boys, "all I want from Christmas from you guys is a cute picture" paid off and the boys look adorable……..however I didn't realize how scared Levi looks until we blew up the picture.  Ha ha, it is still cute.

 These are some quick family snap shots before the first attempt of the photo shoot.

Levi is 3 months

Levi is 3 months old and becoming so fun!  He is smiling more and more and needing less bouncing.  He is like a regular baby now and I love it.  He even has started giggling here and there.  It melts all of our hearts.  After logging in 3 months of continual service and love, Levi is becoming very partial to me.  It seems like he is too young for this, but whenever I give him to his brothers, he often cries right away and then when I take him back he is fine and happy.  Wha?  You little manipulator!  I really thought that if the boys hold, play and work with Levi from birth, Levi would just think it is normal to be held by your brothers, even if it is a bit rough and such, and eventually be one of this cute young babies who reach out for their older siblings because they love them so much.   Well,  I have learned starting young is not the key to accomplish that.  Levi is a wee bit traumatized by them.  If Xander gets too close to his face Levi will cry - even without Xander touching him.  He even cries when Soren holds him, and Soren is pretty gentle and good with him.  Levi knows when a sketchy kid is near.  I don't know if it is the smaller frame, or the way he is held or if it is his 6th sense, but Levi doesn't like kids as his care takers.

What Levi does like is being held vertically, his back pounded (patted with some gusto), getting bounced up and down, being held by someone who is jumping, being swaddled, going on walks, music (he grins so big when you sing to him and he calms down if crying), his bouncer seat, sleeping in the swing on the highest setting, sleeping at night (he is a champ only walking up once in a 10 hr period) getting his diaper changed, a bath, being outside (those last 3 things will make a fussy Levi, chill).

What Levi really doesn't like is 100 kisses right in a row, his car seat, not moving, getting dressed, taking naps longer then 30 minutes, pacifiers, and bottles.

He is so fun to have and we love every day with him!

Christmas Rush 5K

The boys and I ran in Kent's Christmas rush. I am a fan of small city 5K's.  They are so fun because even if you are not that amazing of a runner, if you do actually run, you might place in the top 5 of your age group.  Love that. Makes you feel like a super star.  Although I have actually not placed dispute running in this thing for 3 years, I have been the 6th person in my age group, so maybe one day.  Then I can feel like a superstar!  This year however, instead of trying to make all my running races dream come true, I chose to be a trainer for my two boys.  Yup!  Our first family race!!  I had many a lofty dream of training with the boys and teaching them endurance and joy for moving our bodies, while getting fit and faster for the 5K.  The reality was we ran twice.  Soren complained a fair amount and Xander wanted to run on ahead, until a weird leg pain would come on, and then they both start complaining and it is me trying to convince them how fun it is to get fit, even though I hate running just to get fit.  Oh well. You win some you loose some.  So we only did it twice and neither time did we hit the 3 mile mark.  So, you can imagine I had no idea what to expect on race day.

Race day was FREEZING!  It was about 22 degrees and so we dressed to stay warm - not really running apparel.  But I assumed little boys wouldn't run if they were too cold so I opted for hats, gloves, 2 pants, coats - the works.  I really wanted Ryan to come out and support us racing, but couldn't justify bringing a 2 month old out in this weather.  So here we are before we begin. I try to force my boys to look chummy.  Soren is always game for a quality hugging picture, but Xander is too cool for that.

So the horn sounded and we were off.  Soren is not very aggressive, but I knew Xander would get caught up in his competitive spirit.  After the first 2 minutes, Xander wanted to run up ahead.  I didn't want Soren left, knowing he would need the extra moral and physical push, so told Xander to stay with the crown of runners and once over the finish line to wait for us next to the line so he wouldn't miss us. Although a small race compared to Seattle, there are still 1,500 people running, plus all their families, so I was a teensy bit worried we could potentially loose Xander.  But he ran ahead and I hoped for the best.  Overall Soren did really well.  I held his hand for a lot of it and he sort of trailed me.  After the halfway point, we did a bit of walking then running episodes.  In the last mile he saw a friend, Trevor Hales - a 5 year old running the race with his dad.  Soren would get bursts of competitive spirit and catch up with Trevor and then fall behind.  We eventually over took him and I could be more proud!  That is right Soren!  Crush the 5 year olds!!  We finished the race in 38 plus minutes.  Luckily there at the finish line was Xander looking relieved we meet up.  Xander beat out time by 8 minutes.  He ran 10 plus minute miles.  He was the fastest 6 year old and boy was he proud of that!  It was fun to ran with my boys and I hope to do it again in the future.

Boys in White

Soren was Baptized and Levi was blessed on Nov. 2nd.  It was such a wonderful day.  There were times I didn't know if it was going to turn out.  We liv just 3 blocks from the Stake Center - our church building.  That is were they usually do the baptisms which is very convenient for us.  Well, this was the only Saturday of the year they had to move the baptisms to another church 20 minutes away because they were putting on a play in one week and were doing dress rehearsals there.  I didn't find out until 4 days before the baptism. I was not happy.  Well, the day of the baptism we had a horrible wind storm and we lost power for several hours earlier that day.  We were planning on a dinner with my family after the baptism and knew it would be okay even without power because we have an amazing generator.  Then we realized the church the baptism was being held at may not have power.  Luckily they did, but our church down the road didn't and didn't get it back for over a day.  So if we were able to stay at the stake center, the baptism would have been cancelled due to power issues - so in the end it all worked out for the best.  So I started grumpy and ended grateful.

 The whole service was really wonderful.  During the talks the speakers would talk directly to the children being baptized (there were 4 total) and Soren wanted to answer all the questions.  He was so cute and eager.  None of the kids were as outspoken as he was.  I was really proud of him.  He beamed going in the water and and gave a great big smile after being baptized.  It was a wonderful day full of family a some friends. I felt so supported and loved and hope Soren did too.  Since we were all gathered already, we chose to give and name and blessing to Levi at that time too.  He wore the same adorable tux my mom made for Soren when he was blessed.  All 3 boys have warn it.  It was pretty snug on Levi as he was 6 weeks old, but it was so cute.

Ryan did a great job serving our family that day.  I am so proud of all my boys.

Halloween!

Halloween day was a busy one for us.  Particularly between 4pm (when the boys got home from school) and 6pm (when we went with friends trick o' treating).  I made Xander's costume - ripped up an old bedding sheet, carved pumpkins, and did homework.  Phew!  Xander kept changing his mind as to what he wanted to be.  First it was a girl, then a box, then a dragon, and then it was settled on a mummy.  I should have just forced him to choose and figured out his costume much earlier, but I have been tired lately ;)

Here is Xander debuting his costume.  It looked really cool, but you could tell I just threw it together, because the costume didn't stand Xanders big movement past an hour.  By then end of trick o' treating it had completely fallen apart.  Ooops.

I kept putting off carving pumpkins because we were waiting for dad to be around. The boys still need a lot of help with the cutting and I just couldn't help both of them carve and take care of the baby.  It takes forever to feed Levi still (a good 30 minutes, down from 45.)  Here are the finished products.












Levi was our plump little pumpkin.  He had a blow out 30 minutes after putting on the costume - but we got the picture!

On Halloween night we got together w/ friends to trick o' treat and all then men took the kids out and the women stayed behind nursing babies.  It was awesome and so easy for me. This was the first year I haven't taken the kids out and the first year Ryan has.  We stayed and chatted with friends while the kids watched a movie.  Super fun Halloween.  This was the second year the boys sold me their candy the day after Halloween (after eating way to much the day before of course.)  This is an option I give them and I love it when they take it.  I am sure to hit a store they can spend their money at that same day so they feel like they really got something.  My kids love to spend money.  They are not natural savors.  Soren got a small lego set - those are so painful to buy because you can spend 9 dollars for the smallest kit.  But Soren doesn't feel that way.  All legos are good legos to him.  Xander bought 5 goldfish and fish food.  Xander so desperately want to take care of animals.

A week earlier Ryan and I went to an adult only halloween party.  Super fun.  We borrowed James Hicks japanese costumes.  He had served his mission there and these costumes were no joke.  They were very authentic and quality. I was worried about them the whole I time we were wearing them.  Luckily we got them back unscathed.

Harris Boys - African Style

When I went to Africa 9 years ago, I saw young children taking care of their even younger children all the time.  8yo would have babies tied to their back with fabric or towels.   The babies were never crying or upset and they looked so happy to be with their older brother and sister.  I loved how the older sibling took them where ever they went and well really it was a mob of children that ran together.  Where were their mom's?  I am not sure, probably grinding corn with a stick or something, but there seemed to be no problems with this system, or so was my perspective.

When I was pregnant with Levi, I mourned at times the giant age gap between this kid and his brothers.  But instead of thinking of how things would be different in my family then I always imagined it would be, I decided to live up what this age gap provides instead.  And so I remembered Africa, and have been plotting ever since then to wrap the baby onto the boys.  The boys were all too game for such an endeavor.  

I quickly learned my boys are no Africans.  They are a bunch of American lightweights.  Soren was complaining how heavy Levi was with in minutes……Levi is only 3 weeks in this picture.

Xander was more hardy, but a lot more sketchy. I was constantly worried he was going to bang the babies head on the doorway or chair or something.  How did these African women do it?  Well, they probably didn't give the baby away at 3 weeks.  But I was too excited for the photo.  They are really cute.  Needless to say, dispite Xander's pleading, Levi has only been strapped to me since this time.  However, maybe we will try again later when the baby is older.  Hmmmmmmmm

Spa by Xander

After I had the baby, one of my midwives give me a foot massage and Xander saw this.  Ever since then, every time I scream out in pain while feeding Levi (something that is happening less frequently thank heavens), you can tell Xander feels so desperate to help or do something for me.  He use to say, "Oh I know it hurts.  I am so sorry, I am so sorry." Well lately, he remembered seeing this foot massage so now, he rubs my feet while I feed Levi.  One day he went all out.  It started as a foot massage, including soaking my feet in warm water.  Followed by a back massage with his favorite technique - the chopping method Then he wanted to do my hair.  So he got some hair clips and hair bands and put my hair in 2 pigtails plus a hair clip.  Then he busted out my make up and put blush, mascara (a little scary), eye shadow and lipstick on me.  Then he picked out earrings and a necklace that he put on me.  Then painted my toe nails.   He did all this while I fed and held the baby.  Then he took a picture of his master piece.  He has decided he wants to be a massage therapist.   He is so cute and great!  Love this boy!!

Levi's Adorableness

My good friend Kristy is an amazing photographer.  Check out these adorable newborn pictures of Levi.  I have never done newborn pictures before.  I am in love with these.....and it's subject.  Which is a good thing, because he wakes me up every 3 hrs and I am starting to crave a solid nights sleep.  

Levi is 2 weeks old now.  He has been such a sleepy baby.  The boys are known to complain, "Mom, when is he ever going to open his eyes?"  His sleepiness makes feeding hard for the first 1.5 weeks.  The kinks have been worked out and he seems to be more self motivated to eat.  Despite these challenges he has been gaining weight like a champ.  Just 12 days ago he had lost weight like all newborns do, and was down to 7# 12 oz.  Today he weighs 9#2oz - He gained just under 1.5 pounds in just 12 days.  Good Levi, suck the fat right off me.  That is my goal anyway.  We can't wait to learn of his personality, but until then I will celebrate the benefits of his sleepy ways.

Brotherly Love

Levi is so popular.  No one can get enough of him.  We actually use him as a tool of persuasion.  "Boys, once you are completely ready for school, you can hold the baby for 5 minutes."  or "If you do that again, you will loose 5 minutes of baby time!!"  Both are equally effective.  

 Xander loves to burp, sooth, smooch, sing, pick out his outfits and begs to change his diaper.  There is no baby task that doesn't appeal to this boy.  He is a true care giver.

 One of these days I am going to count how many times Xander kisses Levi.  It may be in the triple digits.  Making the rule "No kissing the baby while I am breast feeding" is not effective enough. I usually have to shove him off, followed by consequences.  The boy is addicted to kissing Levi.  He will even say that.  Sometimes Xander acts and thinks he will combust if he can't get in another kiss.  So cute/annoying!

 Soren likes to give Levi advice and let him know what life is like. I heard him telling Levi this morning, "Levi sometimes life can be really awful and hard.  But don't worry, you have everything you need.  A Mom, a Dad, 2 big brothers.  You will be okay." I wish Soren expounded on the awful and hard parts of life.  Getting into Soren's psyche is harder then Xander's.

Such sweet boys!!

Who's who?

 Soren

Xander

 Levi