Today, our Harrison Greene turns 3.
Since nearly the inception of social media, I have written a birthday post for each of my kids. I never know what I’m going to write in these birthday posts, only that I’m going to write them, and today, for my little man turning three, it is no different. From momentous milestones to unexpected challenges, the past few months have been nothing short of eventful. So, it’s not like I’m sitting here without material to write about. (This is the point when I hear my wife’s voice in my head, telling me not to be long-winded)
Last year, I ended my birthday post for Harrison with “Here’s to the terrible twos, and to seeing where we are when Harrison turns 3.”
When I typed those words out, I was unsure where we’d be, but little did I anticipate that we’d be where we are today!
This time last year, Harrison was still in a Mehta cast! Yeah, he was rocking his final of six Mehta casts during his birthday party and would still be rocking it for a few more weeks, but he was still in Mehta casting. That feels like years ago at this point!
While I had been anticipating the terrible twos, the two-year-old Harrison proved to stress this Dad out just about as much as newborn Harrison did! Forget terrible twos, try multiple spine braces and AFOs, have surgery on both ankles and then refuse to stay in his casts afterward. That unrelenting refusal caused us to make our first “emergency” trip to Shriners Children’s Hospital in Greenville, SC, which proved to be less than 12 hours round trip. (Take into consideration that the trip is around five hours for us one way). The stress this child enjoys putting me through has me convinced he’s already spending his portion of my life insurance policy in his head.
This past year has been a rollercoaster unlike any other. Multiple trips to Greenville, carting around to therapies, multiple doctor appointments, including adding a few new specialists to our punch card. But amidst the chaos, there were moments of pure joy. It is hard to argue that the brightest highlight of the past year came that fateful night between my birthday and Christmas when Harrison took his very first unassisted steps.
This child went from being told he made no sense because he was defying the odds by standing up against my leg in March of last year, to having ankle surgery in September, to taking his first steps in December. Those first steps are not only a milestone moment, a memory I will never forget, but a testament to his resilience and determination. A reminder of how much work he has done, and how far he’s come.
I have to say, he could have put me through twice the stress he did those first nine months, and it would have all been worth it because it all went away with those first steps.
That was just at the end of December!
Understand when I say that once he took those first steps, he has not stopped, that it is truly a monumental understatement.
Now here we are today, Harrison is 3 (with all the ‘threenager’ attitude to go with it!) and went to preschool for the first time!
How?!
Like legit, I need things to slow down, just a tiny bit. Just so I have enough time to catch my breath and enjoy things before we leap over the next major milestone! Just yesterday he was my squishy baby with five teeth, and today, he’s standing on his own for his “first day of school” photos and went to his preschool classroom.
Seriously, preschool. Yes, I know he’s only going twice a week, for just a few hours, nevertheless, preschool! The word alone makes me nostalgic for my squishy baby.
This is the child that has only been away from both parents a handful of times, ever, yet had no problem as they carried him into school. (Seriously, I’m pretty sure my own mother was ready to disown me if she didn’t get to keep him before we finally started letting others watch him.)
I will fully admit, I fought back tears this morning but managed to keep my composure. Honestly, after seeing Harrison being carried away by nurses for countless procedures and surgeries, having him carried away by people we know, who are excited to see him, and into a building that (at least) I know, it wasn’t nearly as hard to witness as I had been anticipating. It was nothing in comparison.
Plus, our kid is pretty tenacious when he wants to be, especially when it comes to proving people wrong, and just double that down when it comes to proving Mom and Dad wrong! (If he was capable of waving goodbye, I’m not sure we would have gotten one this morning, just saying.)
I said this last year in my post, and I can’t think of a better way to put it, so I’m going to simply quote myself.
“Take all the most aggravating aspects of both mine and Jenna’s personalities, combine them, sharpen them, and the hardened steel you come out with is Harrison Greene!”
This child is proving to be hardened steel!
I knew Harrison would be a force, but I’m starting to think even I have underestimated just how much of a force. He is determined, and even at his age, is as self-motivated as anyone you’ll see. He, of course, needs help but hates it with a passion. So much so that as an example, while he knows exactly how to use his eye gaze device, he practically refuses to use it for communication, its primary purpose. He only wants to use it for the games and skill testing. He doesn’t want assistance, even when he needs it. Even when it benefits him. He hates it, and he will find his own way, and his own path, despite everyone and everything.
I know most people think Harrison is all smiles and happy all the time, but to know him is to know he is a very stoic and reserved child. He doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve like ole dad. He keeps things close, especially when it comes to accomplishing a task or working on a new skill. He doesn’t like to show emotion, be it excitement or frustration, but when you see that grin of his when he can’t hold it in, you know he’s accomplished something he was striving for. When he knows he’s doing something, and he’s excited and proud, and he just can’t help but let that dimple flash, you’re powerless to argue with him about how he goes about doing things.
He is his own person, and he has his own path. We might not see it or know what it is, but he does. We’re all just following his lead and tagging along for the ride right now.
Regardless of how increasingly frustrated I get with my son over his stubborn determination, the amount of pride I have cannot be measured. It cannot be put into words. I hope he never loses that drive that he shows, even now. I hope he never waivers from it or who he is, and continues to be that hardened steel through turning 4 and beyond.
