Dear Harper,

You are scheduled to make your grand debut on May 30th.  This means 10 weeks from right now, I will be holding you in my arms.  I can not wait to see your precious face and hear your little voice.  You have already made yourself a spot in our family that can not be filled by anyone but you.  You have proven to be quite the active little girl.  Even though you wake me up at night with your nudges, I lay in bed and smile, rubbing my belly as you give your little affectionate kicks in return.  Your room is almost complete along with a closet full of clothes, waiting to be worn by tiny little you.  I sit in your room for hours rocking your big brother and I daydream about what our family will be like with you.  Harrison is ready to be a big brother, we talk about you every day and he loves to give you kisses.  You are already holding your own, kicking like crazy when he takes up too much of your space. 

I can not wait to sing to you, hold your hand as you learn to walk, braid your hair, share secrets as I tuck you in, have tea parties, hear about your crushes, listen to you gush about your first kiss, share special jewelry with you, give you your "something old" on your big day, and feel your belly as you grow with your little one.  I hope to not only be your mother, but to someday be your friend as well.  You will have several generations of beautiful, loving, godly women to look up to and learn from.  You truly are already blessed to be able to be a part of our wonderful family.  Although you have yet to show your face, you are one very loved little girl.  Your daddy, brother and I are so ready to share our cozy little home with you!  We can not wait to shower you with love and lots of kisses.


Love,
Mommy  

18 Months Already

1. You are a drummer.  You love turning everything into a drum set. 
2. There is nothing you do not attempt to climb.  You have learned how to push chairs around the kitchen to aid in conquering the counter tops (and giving Mommy a heart attack).
3. You are a people watcher.  You love to watch people walking in our neighborhood from our front window.
4. Your favorite word right now is "Uh-oh".
5. You still love to snuggle with mommy and daddy when you are sleepy or sick.
6. Your favorite foods include scrambled eggs, any kind of fruit, popsicles, and Welch's fruit gummies.
7. You are very independent.
8. You love playing with your train and your train table.
9. You are happiest outside.
10. You love balls.  You can be in the middle of a temper tantrum, see a ball and snap out of it in less time than it takes for you to say "ball".
11. You sleep 10-11 hours at night and take a 3 hour nap in the afternoon.
12. You like wearing shoes but not socks. 
13. You like helping me clean and mimic everything I do (your favorite is mopping the kitchen floor).
14. You have quite the temper when told no.
15. When someone says nice to meet you, you shake their hand.  People LOVE this :)
16. When I ask you if you have a dirty diaper, you bend over and sniff yourself.  If you are dirty, you walk to your room and lay down on the floor for me to change you.
17. You love Super Readers and Sesame Street.
18. You have so much fun at bath time.  Daddy taught you how to blow bubbles in the water and you think it is hysterical.

Babymoon 2.0

This picture was taken on our honeymoon in 2005 in beautiful Mexico.  This was the last time Matt and I were on a beach just the two of us.  We have been so fortunate to visit the beach several times a year over the last several years, but we have always been with family on those trips.  The last trip we took by ourselves was to Disney World.  Disney is one of the happiest places on earth, but what my hubby and I need is a little peace and quiet before our world is rocked by the addition of precious little Harper.   The solution to our dilemma?  The plane tickets I just booked.....oh yeah, we are headed on Babymoon 2.0!!!!  And let's just say I am looking forward to the R&R offered only by the ocean.  For the next several weeks I will be dreaming of sand between my toes, the sound of waves, and feeling the ocean breeze.  And yes, I will proudly be sporting my belly on the beach :)  This will be the first time we have left our little man for longer than 18 hours, but I am so looking forward to spending this time with my husband (belly and all)!

It wasn't me....

No really.  If you see my son doing anything other than acting perfect, I blame Lauren.  My sister (commonly referred to on this blog as "Auntie Lolo") and Harrison share mutual feelings for each other.  The best word to sum up these feelings is probably obsessed.  Since the moment Harrison was born, Lauren has made herself irreplaceable to Harrison.  She spoils him with attention, silly quirky behaviors, gifts, and most importantly her love.  This child (literally) lights up when he sees her.  Most of you might think this is precious and it is.  It really really is, but I will be honest...sometimes I get jealous.  Ask anyone in our family.  We all want what Lolo has.  And if I am going to be real with you, I am dreading the day he tells me he would rather live with her.  It is amazing to watch their bond, it makes my heart smile.  And I LOVE every minute she spends with us.  We are so lucky to have her in our lives. 

With that said, let me share with you some of the gems she has taught my son:

• Fake burping (and thinking the sound of any burp is hysterical)
• Arm pit farting
• Slurping up spaghetti
• Sucking his fingers clean after eating
• Making gulping noises while he drinks

I know there is so much more, but these are the current behaviors I am now working to break.  I say all of this with a huge grin on my face.  She has taught him so many wonderful things as well, but for the purpose of this blog, I am choosing to share only the "not-so-pretty".  And Lauren, I know you are reading this  :)  Know how much we love you, and how much I appreciate every single thing you do for us.  Harrison is one lucky little boy!!

My BFF

Taylor and I met on my first day of third grade when I moved to Kentucky in 1993.  Over the last 18 years we have experienced some of the greatest highs (being each other's maid of honor) and lows (scratching out BFF status on our trapper keepers in the 5th grade after a fight) together.  It is so refreshing to know somebody out there "gets" me.  I can tell her anything and I know she will understand....even when it is pretty crazy.  We have shared so many memories together, it would take a novel to share them all. 

We are fortunate enough to live 5 miles away from each other and talk every day on the phone.   Even though we see each other a lot, a little away time with your bestie is always a treat.  Yesterday, we headed up to Cincinnati to do a little shopping for Harper's room.  We enjoyed some therapeutic chats in the car, had a delightful lunch (at which I was able to stay seated and not chase around a crazed 1 year old), dominated Ikea, hit up Anthropologie, enjoyed a well deserved smoothie and managed not to get lost on our way home (which I wouldn't call the drive there lost, we just wanted to enjoyed the scenic view of Cincinnati's ghetto).   All in all, it was a perfect day.  Sometimes you just need a little girl time!!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Our church has an amazing play area for kids called Noah's Ark.  I love meeting my friends there for play dates and letting our little ones run and climb until their little hearts are content (or until they can't hold their eyes open any longer).  Today was a wonderful play time, we were joined by August, Will, and Anna!!  Harrison had a blast and actually managed to keep up with Will (he is 4!).

 

                                                                             

                                                                 Harrison and August 

                                                                      Anna and Will 

Harrison did some serious climbing today!

Only one way to come down!! My big boy did it all by himself!

Can you tell he had a good time?!?!

Art for Harper

Elephants.  There is something majestic and beautiful about these creatures.  I have been fascinated by these amazing animals for years and the more I learn about them, the more I am in awe of them.  There is something magical about seeing a momma elephant with her baby.  When I saw this incredible picture, I decided it would be perfect for my baby girl's room.  I am making the mat to include some lyrics I find perfect for this photograph.  Here is a sneak peek :)

 "Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine"