Monday, November 29, 2010

8 Months

Sweet Baby Harper,
    This past month has been a flurry of activity.  Here's just some of what has happened:
*You started crawling and I don't think you have stopped since.
*Your first Halloween.
*Your first Thanksgiving.
*As of three days ago you started waving hello/goodbye.  Or signing for milk.  Or motioning at things you want/like.  Either way, it's RIDICULOUSLY adorable. 
*You have started pulling yourself up on things and walking around furniture/people.
*You're getting your top four teeth, though only one has managed to push through the gum.  Poor thing.
*We picked out your first Christmas tree (and our first live tree as a family, too).
*You discovered tantrums.  Not cool.  But we're handling it as calmly as we can.
Big cheeser.  Waiting for her Thanksgiving food.


This is an incredibly fun age, let me tell you.  You smile almost constantly.  You're always giggling or "talking" no matter what you're doing.  You've started clapping your hands, but only when you get really excited.  You play now, which is so sweet.  You hold books and "read."  You play with baby dolls or blocks or house decorations, crinkle up your nose, and talk a string of vowels.  So.  CUTE.
You've also started trying to put on things.  Shirts.  Pants.  Blankets.  Daddy's (clean) boxers.  You pull these items up to your head and try with all your might to get them to go on.  I'm impressed.
This is the first month that you've paid attention to anything on the television.  Granted, that's mostly because I don't watch television during the day.  Mostly we listen to music.  But I got this Baby Einstein VHS at the library booksale for $1 and thought what the heck?  I don't think these type of movies will make you a genius.  They do, however, grab your attention for at least a minute at a time, long enough for me to use the bathroom or start a chore or do something before you see that I'm not near you.
Oh, and about separation.  You're okay if there's someone else in the room, but if it's just you and me, well, you have to be RIGHT. THERE. with me.  Which is fine.  I love that you want me all the time.  Unless I happen to break a glass and it shatters all over the kitchen floor (this morning) and I need you to play elsewhere.  Or if I need to shower (you do not like showers, by the way.  Tried that a couple of weeks ago).  You do not like the Pack 'N Play or vibrating seat or bouncy seat or jumparoo or walker.  Really anything that confines you is out of the question.  You're still okay with the wrap so I use that, but I don't like to use it often since you're so mobile now.
You're still nursing about the same amount of times, though you must be a champ because it doesn't take  you very long to gulp down several ounces.  Some nights you never wake up to eat and other nights it's every 2-3 hours.  Which means you're still sleeping right next to me.  I'm thinking of side car-ing your crib to our bed because you're a bit of a bed hog.  Oh, and you crawled right out of bed the other day.  I cried harder than you did.  You were just fine.  More scared than anything.  But I don't want that to happen ever again.  So we have to do something.
Harper, my love, you are the greatest thing to have ever happen to us.  You really complete our life and bring us more happiness and love than we ever thought possible.  There are so many moments where we just look at you and wonder what we did before you.  I know I've never loved so much before.  I've never smiled so much before.  And I know I've never kissed someone as much as I have you!  I can't wait to see what the next month brings for you!

We love you always and forever, with all of our hearts,
Momma and Daddy
Daddy,  Momma, and Harper on Thanksgiving Day at Grammie and Grampie's.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Question of the Day...

Is Harper telling me I need to tone up when she mistakenly latches onto my stomach instead of my boob?

Notice her incisors are coming in.  We affectionately call her "redneck baby" 

because of her left tooth.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Last Week...

This past week was a bit of a lazy one for us.
We started off last week with some sort of stomach flu.  Momma even had to skip a class (ack!).
We played a lot, read a lot, and Momma discovered she has an addiction to grocery shopping (seriously).
We also did some eating, as you can see.  It was an uneventful week, but definitely one that we needed.  It was certainly a TLC kind of week!  Thankfully, we're doing better around these parts and preparing for Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Last Days

These are the last days of warm weather and we're trying to make the most of them.  Harper and I spent yesterday enjoying the sun and the warmth and not doing much.  A perfect day for a walk.



Friday, November 12, 2010

Attack of the baby!

Harper is starting to pick up speed.
Even though her crawling is a bit robotic, she's getting pretty good!
I sat down to take pictures of her and as soon as her bottom was on the floor, 
she started propelling herself forward.
And she likes to pull herself up on things 
(otherwise known as trying to give poor Momma a heart attack)
Once up, she feels immensely proud of herself.
Gone is my little, tiny baby.  Before me stands a little person.
So. Adorable.
Let's hope I can keep up with her!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Daddy Love

Despite his crazy schedule of working and going to school, Wade is a devoted father.  The man lights up when he sees his baby girl.  After ditching his oil stained clothes, the first thing he does when he comes home is hold Harper.  He will do anything for a smile from her.

LOVE this one!
 

Be still my heart!
It's amazing to watch him with her.  And I have fallen in love with him all over again because of her.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I'm Starting Her Early.



A requirement for my Thursday night class is to read James Joyce's Ulysses.  Instead of Dr. Seuss I read this to Harper.  It's a way for me to read to her and to get my homework accomplished.  Please don't think that I'm one of those parents who's thinks that reading this type of literature to a baby will make them a genius.  I'm not.  She prefers the actual book over me reading it to her.  I can't say that I blame her.  Thankfully I'm on the last chapter!  Now we can move on to more interesting topics...like Mary Shelley and Frankenstein.  

Monday, November 8, 2010

We have crawling!

Yes, as of last week Harper fully entered the crawling world.  (Didn't I just give birth to her, like, yesterday?!?)  Of course, in true Harper fashion, crawling just isn't enough.  She wants to climb! and walk! and run!  But first she must find balance.  Until then she will continue to stick out her tummy or bottom while we walk her around (so flippin' cute, by the way).  Of course, this means that my otherwise clean house must stay SPOTLESS because, let's face it, mobile children EAT EVERYTHING THEY FIND.  There can be blocks and books and other toys strewn about, but she goes for the microscopic piece of lint that the vacuum didn't pick up.  Because, apparently, that is so much more interesting and tasty than a book.  Yesterday I rearranged the upstairs living room furniture so I could see her while she plays on the rug.  Next up, putting in a new stair railing so my heart doesn't explode when she gets within 12 feet of the stairs.  Who said parenting was easy?



Don't mind the hair on the floor.  I promise I'm clean.  We just have two hairy dogs.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Just Now

Just now, my baby girl woke up crying.  It's almost 10:00 at night and she's had a long day.

Just now, I went to her, gathered her up in my arms, wrapped a blanket around her, and rocked her back to her dreams.

Just now, I glided back and forth in that rocker and felt my heart growing.  A small moment that I will try to remember always.

Just now, I held onto my baby long after she had fallen asleep.  I found it difficult to leave her laying there.

Just now, I felt the happiest I have ever been on such an ordinary day. 

Saturday, November 6, 2010

7 Months

My Sweet Baby Harper,
    Last Friday you turned 7 months.  Instead of feeling sad and wondering how in the world these past 7 months have flown by so quickly, I felt elated.  This past month has really brought out your personality.  You're moving more than ever, babbling more than ever, and you are almost always happy.

The day you turned 7 months. Love the sweater!
You are starting to crawl, though only a little bit at a time.  Mostly you maneuver yourself around until you can pull yourself up on a piece of furniture (ever heard of a heart attack?!).  What you really want to do is walk.  You're happiest when someone is walking you around.  I can now put you in the pack n' play where you hold onto the sides and stand for extended periods of time.  You babble and coo and chew on the sides.  And this makes you ridiculously happy.  You will now sit and play by yourself.  Granted, this doesn't last for very long, maybe 5 or 10 minutes at a time, but I can eat or go to the bathroom during these times.  I'm enjoying it now because soon I won't be able to leave you alone.
You are in the process of getting your top four front teeth (eek!).  So far, so good, though I feel so sorry for you.  Mouth pain is the worst! You've been good during nursing by sparing Momma's nipples and I thank you!
Everyday you change.  Everyday I love you more.  What I really wanted to tell you was just how much I love you and hope for you.  I know I will make mistakes and I will piss you off and we won't always agree on everything.  I get that.  But I have been thinking a lot about being a mom, both now and in the future, and I really, truly hope that I can help you grow into a well-rounded, healthy (both body and mind), mature, happy adult.  I have moments where I freeze up at the thought of helping you grow up in this world.  Will I be able to equip you with the tools you will need to be successful, but also with the tools necessary to pick yourself back up when you fail?  Will I be able to show you the world, both good and bad, and prepare you for it?  Will the knowledge that I have be enough for you?  Will I be able to impart to you the values and morals that were instilled in me?  How can I protect you from all the ills of the world, but let you know enough of it so that you don't go down some life-damaging path?  What I mean to say, my love, is that I worry for and about you.  CONSTANTLY.  And you're only SEVEN MONTHS OLD.  (Imagine how the next 20 or 40 years will be!)  I worry now about the arguments we will have later and whether or not we will have the beautiful relationship that my mother and I have.  You will make mistakes.  You will fail at times.  You will learn the ugly truth about the world and people.  I can't hide you from the bad, as much as I would like to shove you into that plastic bubble.  I know that's not even plausible because you need to be aware in order to persevere.  And while these things I worry about are in the future, they're very close on my mind.  I love you my little one more than anything.  I hope that you will always know that.  I hope that I forever continue to show you the love that I feel right now.  Keep blossoming my love!  I'll be right here to watch every minute and to cheer you on!