Dear Harper: Week 9

Dear Harper,

This week was your dad's cousin's wedding and boy were you a social butterfly. The festivities began with a Bridesmaid lunch and you were the only male invited. Lucky guy. You would think that at a lunch of over a dozen ladies you would take the opportunity to get ample amounts of loving but you slept in my arms through the entire event. 

The next fun event was the rehearsal dinner. Your grandparents hosted a BBQ dinner at their house for the bridal party and family. Everyone enjoyed themselves and your dad even gave a speech. It was your first time wearing jeans and shoes. You were adorable. I, like everyone else, was obsessed with your outfit. You got to be held by more of your dad's cousins and throughly enjoyed the attention. We left the party around 8:30 to be sure to tuck you into bed by your current 9pm bedtime. 

Saturday night was the wedding. Your dad was in the bridal party so that left us to get ready by ourselves. I had the most adorable outfit picked out but surprisingly it was too big! We found a replacement and added a new accessory: sunglasses. You wearing sunglasses was the cutest thing ever. Somehow you didn't even mind them. It was so nice because the wedding was outdoors and with them on the sun didn't bother you one bit. Everyone made sure to take pictures of you with them on. 

You were the perfect baby during the ceremony. You didn't cry at all and had a huge smile on your face the whole time. You crashed hard during the reception while your grandma was holding you. When you woke up, you almost owed your grandma a new dress and we had to have an emergency diaper change. After you made your rounds, we snuck out around 8:30pm to get you in your crib around 9pm again. I keep attempting to put you down earlier but then you wake up twice a night. Eventually we would like to put you down around 7:30pm with only one middle of the night feed (& someday you will sleep all the way through). I can't complain because I am rather rested for the mom of a newborn. 

Sunday was your first lake day! Of course you wore your new sunglasses as well as swim trucks and a rash guard. You remained sleeping in your carseat for the first part of the boat ride. Once you woke you were a very happy baby. I think you enjoyed the noise from the motors. We picked up your Aunt April and Uncle Kyle at their new house and continued to ride around. Your dad parked the boat at their house and we grilled out with friends. You were one happy baby rocking in their rocking chairs. 

The skies darkened and we sent your dad across the lake to pick us up in his truck. Good thing because it began to pour! 

We are both so grateful that you are so flexible and enjoy being around so many people.

I love you Harper. I always will.

Love,

Mom 

Vero Beach 2013

Thought I would share pictures from our family vacation to Vero Beach. 

4 Generations

Great Grandma Nonnie with Harper & Ashton

Family

Geoff's cousin Sarah & her adorable family.

Great Grandma & Grandma with Harper.

Our first night away from the little guy. 

Can't get enough of the hat. 

Fussy time. 

Fussy time success. 

Lazy Argos. 

Nap time. 

Nap time round two. 

Vacation. 

Getting ready for our morning walk. 

Beach time!

Love this little guy. 

Aunt April. 

Getting mentally prepared for bath time.

Multitasking. 

Morning beach walks. 

Ready for the beach!

Nap time. 

More napping. 

Loving his daddy. 

Twins!

"1st cousins once removed"

H wasn't so sure how he felt about his seal bath. 

Morning walks. 

Adorable. 

Dear Harper: Week 8

Dear Harper,

Never would I have thought I would give birth to a 99-percentile baby. You are a big boy! Your seven-week weight was 13lbs 4oz and your height is 24.25”. This being said you have officially grown out of all your 0-3 month clothes, size small gPants and size one diapers.  It is so great to see you grow but I have to remind myself that even though you look like many 3-4 month olds you aren’t even two months yet.

You were a trooper at the doctor. You have hit all of your milestones and they are very happen with your development. You were not a fan of your shots. I only had them give you two and we will go back for the rest in a few weeks. I have never seen you scream as loud as you did and it broke my heart. You slept the rest of the day and all through the night.

We really threw you out of your routine last week. Our AC died on Monday and when your dad got home from work it was 81 degrees and rising inside our house. Thank goodness for your Florida Grandparents. We stayed a few nights upstairs in your dad’s old bedroom while we had the whole system replaced. You just loved having your grandparents and your Aunt April to love on you for a few nights. You dad and I will have to admit it was pretty nice to have extra sets of hands.

You and I made our first of two solo trips to Orlando last week as well. The first was to take my car in for a check up. You slept both ways and were such a trooper. You did wake up starving and demanded to be fed in the middle of the waiting room. After the dealership we made our first Babies R Us trip. That place is even more dangerous to our bank account than Target. We stocked up on bigger Gpants, Swaddle Me’s and everything else you have grown out of this past week. I promised your dad I wouldn’t return for a few months.

Our second trip to Orlando was for your first MusikGarten class. We enrolled in the class with our friends Nicole and her beautiful baby girl, Pressley. You had such a great time you fell asleep halfway through. Luckily we have seven more weeks of class. The second song we sang was your FL grandpa’s favorite: The Bear Went Over the Mountain. The babies in the class range from 5 weeks to about a year. You have to be bigger than about half of them and no one could believe that you were only 7 weeks. We got to bring home a CD and your own bag of instruments to play with on our own.

Saturday night, you got your first bath from me. It sure was memorable. As I was filling up your seal tub in our tub, I set you down with a blanket around you (sans diaper) in your Boppy. Within moments the blanket was no longer on you and you had a big poo on the rug. I couldn’t help but laugh. Bathing you is a two-person job and I learned my lesson of taking the diaper off. You smiled at me the whole time I attempted to bath you.

We had a rough night that night. You dad was gone for his cousin’s bachelor party and you knew something wasn’t right. You cried most of the night and woke to be fed every two hours. You and I both woke more tired than your dad the next day.

Sunday was your dad’s first Father’s Day. We spent the day giving him gifts, cooking him meals and having you nap on his chest. The two of you took three very long naps. It was adorable and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. That night we went to your grandparents to celebrate with your grandfather. You were really fussy again but last night you only woke up once to feed. What a blessing.

I love you little guy. I always will.

Love,

Mom

Dear Harper: Week 7

Dear Harper,

Week 7 didn't quite go as planned. Your North Carolina grandparents were supposed to come down to visit but Tropical Storm Andrea had other plans for them. Not to worry because we are flying up there in a few weeks.

Tropical Storm Andrea brought inches of rain and nearly hurricane force winds but she moved north just in time for us to return to the beach for another weekend. This time you not only had your Florida grandparents but your Aunt April to cuddle and love on you. This visit you seemed to have behaved even better. You let us eat our meals without crying and were very content. You even cooed your first official coo. I swear you were saying "I love you." :) 

While at the beach, I was reading the 2nd month chapter and came across the "do you have a challenging baby" section. Apparently there are 5 categories of challenging babies. You my love are the "active baby". 

• Active in uterus: check
• Kicks off blankets: check
• Diaper changes are wrestling matches: check
• Naps less often than should: check
• Baby always ends up on the opposite side of the crib: check 
• Becomes restless when feeding: check
• Frustrated that you can't be mobile on your own: check plus

This isn't a bad thing, although they say you are more likely to injure yourself, you are just a very alert baby. The book provides tips on how to keep you settled and content that we are going to have to try out. 

Yesterday was your dad and my one year wedding anniversary. Your grandma and Aunt April babysat while we went out to dinner to celebrate. Although you were a fussy baby, we were so grateful that they watched you. All of that fussing tired you out.  You slept six straight hours last night! 

Tomorrow you have a doctors appointment. I am looking forward to hearing how much you have grown! 

I love you Harper. I always will.

Love,

Mom

One Year

A year ago today, I married my best friend. I know it is cliche to say but there isn't a better way to put it. He isn't just my better half but my essential other half. I don't know whether to say "I can't believe it has been a year" because it has felt longer or shorter but I know it has been memorable and amazing. Saying my "husband" still seems new to me and doesn't always come naturally but now he isn't only my husband but the father of my son. He is a dad. An amazing one at that. 

Our wedding is still a fresh memory in both of our minds. I would love to relive it and wouldn't change a thing. Celebrating your love with all of your family and friends is an unbelievable feeling. I love looking back at pictures and reminiscing. 

Speaking of pictures, our honeymoon pictures always put a smile on my face. On the rainiest of days, I flip through the album and hope to take a trip again soon. 

This year has been full of house projects, mini trips, fun times with friends and the birth of our first son. Pregnancy is tough on the strongest of marriages but it brought us so much closer as well as knocked down all barriers of modesty for better or worse :) Geoff was so supportive and strong through the longest of days. Even when I claimed to look like a manatee, he promised I was beautiful. Labor and delivery was painful for both of us, physically and mentally. I couldn't have done it without him. He may never be able to look at me the same... but the end result was worth it, one hundred times over. 

Geoff's experience with newborns was nonexistent but he has become an amazing, loving and patient father. The way he sings to Harper and entertains him always puts a smile on both of our faces. I know he is going to be an excellent role model.  

I recently purchased Pistol Annie's newest CD and the song "Loved by a Workin' Man" is a perfect summary of our marriage. I will have to say my working man does the dishes and laundry whenever needed...

He ain't much on roses but he'd walk a country mile
To pick a handful of white flowers that would make his baby smile
He won't do the dishes but he'll sweep you off your feet
And he'll make you feel like the prettiest thing that he's ever seen

Cause he knows how to treat his woman
And he knows how to make ends meet
He'll take you for a ride in his four-wheel drive
And he'll fix about anything
He likes to get dirty but he cleans up good
He drinks with his buddies but he prays when he should
And there ain't nothing better than
Being loved by a workin' man

He don't write love letters but he loves to make things right
With a heart the size of Texas, two arms to hold you tight
He won't do the laundry but he'll keep your car real clean
And he'll make you feel like the prettiest thing that he's ever seen

Cause he knows how to treat his woman
And he knows how to make ends meet
He'll take you for a ride in his four-wheel drive
And he'll fix about anything
He likes to get dirty but he cleans up good
He drinks with his buddies but he prays when he should
And there ain't nothing better than
Being loved by a workin' man

Cause he knows how to treat his woman
And he knows how to make ends meet
He'll take you for a ride in his four-wheel drive
And he'll fix about anything
He likes to get dirty but he cleans up good
He drinks with his buddies but he prays when he should
And there ain't nothing better than
Being loved by a workin' man

I love my workin' man

 

I do love my workin' man. I always will. Happy one year Geoff! Cheers to many, many more! Let's hope the cake tastes as good as I remember!