It's September

Yes, I do realize it's September.  No, I did not realize that it's been TWO MONTHS since my last update :(  Way to go, mom!  Sheesh.

Since my last post we have traveled to:
Vermont
Arizona
Nevada
California

We have now seen Las Vegas, Yosmite National Park, and met A LOT of relatives in California.  It was really a memorable and exciting vacation.  Three weeks of traveling and sight-seeing was a lot, though.  I think we are still recuperating. 

When we returned, I was offered a part-time job so I am officially back in the work force.  It's nice to be social again and meet new people.  I only work 8-noon so I still have plenty of time with Harper.  And housework.  And yard work. But not a lot of time for homework.  People, I am THISCLOSE to finishing my Master's paper and yet I can't seem to just get it done already!  It's a very irritating monkey that I've got clinging to my back.  Soon enough I guess.

So, how's Harper, you might ask.  This kid is AH-MAZING.  She's smart and funny and above and beyond adorable.  She has just had a growth spurt, though, so NONE of her 2T clothes fit and we're into 3Ts!  This growth spurt has been a bit difficult for her emotionally and possibly physically.  Add to that the fact that Mommy isn't home 24/7 and she's been out-of-sorts for the past few weeks.  She had a couple of weeks where she was waking up once or twice crying in the middle of the night.  She's also waking up between 6:30 and 7:30 on most days, which means Daddy isn't getting much sleep (she stays home with him since he works nights).  But since he wanted me to get a job, he's dealing with it, I guess.  Harper has also hit a road block in the potty department.  She was telling us when she needed to go or she was going in there on her own, but she is doing none of that now.  She's hiding more often and going in her diaper and THEN says she needs to go on the potty.  I'm at a loss for what to do?!  Her vocabulary has taken off once again and I can pretty much understand everything she's saying.  She's into gymnastics (after seeing the Olympics), reading chapter books (which we do every night.  We just finished The Boxcar Children and now we're reading The Little House in the Big Woods), watching Rugrats, and anything and everything to do with babies.  She's interested in everything and still loves to play outside (it's still where she's most content).  Bubbles are a must in the bath tub.  She would live on chocolate milk, string cheese, and pickles if we let her.  She's become a much more picker eater, but she still will try just about anything.  She's longing to go to school, which she isn't old enough for yet, but I'm trying to use it to get her to go to the potty (we are looking into a Montessori school near-by for preschool next year).  We are still going to Kindermusic once a week which she is always so excited about.  She really loves trains, cars, planes, and matching games.  She's still sleeping with us, which is still working out for all of us.  Our bedtime routine is bath, jammies, three books, lights out, and then I sing to her for a bit.  Usually she passes out before I'm finished singing.  

Now that I've written a novel, how about some pictures?

In utero, newborn, two years-old: her favorite way to fall asleep.

So pretty :)

I made her make this face.  It's her, "Hey! Don't say that!" face.  A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E.

Eating eggies from our own chickens!

Okay, so I promise on my next post to put up pictures from our trip!  

Bedtime

I've been trying to find ways to simplify all areas of our life.  We've cut out almost all processed foods, I've been adopting a more Waldorf-like atmosphere in our home (more on this to come), and I've been trying to make our "routines" more simple.  I don't have a set schedule that we follow everyday.  We usually take our time saying good morning and rising out of bed followed by a slow transition to the kitchen for breakfast.  We spend our days either on the go running errands and meeting people for lunch or we stick to the house where we read, listen to music, play with blocks/trains/animals/dolls/instruments, or (if we're lucky at this time of the year!) play outside.  Harper is also into helping me do chores throughout the day.  After all of that (with a little nap thrown in somewhere), we make and eat dinner.  


And that's a very brief overview of our days.


And then there's nighttime.  It used to be a time I dreaded, back when Harper had colic.  Then I tried a more regimented schedule that lasted just a few short weeks.  Between my night classes and Wade's, it was just too difficult.  Our current bed time "routine" is working pretty well and has Harper asleep the majority of the time within 30-45 minutes.  It's like this:


- Take vitamins, let dogs out one last time, last drinks of water, and potty time for everyone


- Dogs in their bed and everyone puts on their jammies


- Snuggle down in bed with a couple of books that get read no more than twice each (otherwise she'd stay up all night looking through them!)


- Lights off and we sing songs like "The Wheels on the Bus" (of course!), "Six Little Ducks","You Are My Sunshine", and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean."  What's really great about this is that Harper has recently started singing these songs along with me.  I've even heard her singing to herself or her animals/dolls while playing.  Cutest damn thing EVER.


Some nights, if she's worn out enough, the singing alone is enough to soothe her to sleep.  But if she's particularly wound up, we snuggle up next to each other and she has to hold my hand(I love holding her hand, but this is something she has to do for security, I think)(or rub the skin under my neck which becomes unbearable after awhile), and I usually have to redirect her several times to lay still and close her eyes before she falls asleep.  We have had very little tears doing this.  If she does cry it is because she A.) Doesn't want to go to sleep, even though she's beyond tired or B.) Doesn't want to put on jammies so we just wear a diaper and t-shirt.  Obviously, this is all subject to change as we approach new milestones, but, hey, it works right now and I love it.  It's happy, peaceful, and honestly fun!  Having her in our bed is something I will always remember and cherish.


P.S. Harper has lately become very into what belongs to whom.  At night we have to identify which pillow belong belongs to Momma, Daddy, and Harper.  And heaven forbid if one of us is on the wrong one!  Still, another absolutely adorable thing she does.  But then I'm biased, right?