Saturday, July 30, 2011

Deep Thoughts on the Weekend


I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning and wanted to win one of her awesome giveaways. I've never commented on her blog before (or any blog but Heather's for that matter), but I could really use a cute new swimsuit for this new post baby bod. So I ignored my complete-stranger-blog-stalking fear and left a comment. And, per usual for this particular blog, her question at the end got me thinking...What do I hope my weekend looks like?

Let's face it, the last seven weekends have looked a whole lot like the last seven weeks. I guess can expect that for a while since I'll be staying at home with Harper from now on. And I'm okay with that. We may have some special weekends with visitors, trips to Austin, upcoming weddings, or just lunch dates with friends; but the days will basically look the same.

So what exactly does that look like? And is it everything I hoped?

Honestly, yes. My days, including weekends, are spent getting to know my sweet girl. They're spent watching her while she eats, staring at her while she sleeps, and laughing at her while she sits in her bumbo/plays on her mat/tries to stand on those long, wobbly legs.






They're spent singing to her, taking her picture, and holding her over my shoulder.




Every second is spent loving her.

So what do I hope this weekend looks like? Just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Because every day I get to spend loving on this kid is a great day. Even if somewhere among all that sweetness, I'm frustrated with her crying, grossed out by her pooping on me (oh, it happens), or exhausted from no napping--none of that compares to her sweet smiles, or knowing that she's actually starting to look at me and not just through me, or the love I feel when she lays that head on my shoulder and drifts off to sleep.

Yes, that's what I hope my weekend looks like: watching my seven week old daughter sleep, eat, even poop. Because it hasn't gotten old yet. She's still awe-inspiring. And if there's a special outing or experience we can share together, great. As long as Harper and Neal are there, I'll be happy.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Weekend Away!

Neal and I made the lovely journey down I-35 this weekend for Harper’s first weekend away. The drive down 35 from Dallas to Austin is easily one of the worst drives ever--potholes, constant construction, stupid drivers. It’s actually been awhile since we made the whole drive on 35; we usually take a lot of backroads to avoid road rage and murder charges against my husband (ok, it’s not that bad...but open roads and extra time is a lot better than stop and go and on time). But no matter how long those three hours may seem or how bad the drive actually is, we love making it for what’s on the other end.

**This was waiting for us when we pulled into the driveway...do you think they were excited to see her???

The drive down 35 means time with Nonnie and Ogee, hanging out with Aunt Lauren and Uncle Dickie (we’re still working on that one...), and this time it meant celebrating Aunt Lindsey’s birthday!


Being in Austin means getting spoiled: both Harper and myself. Harper gets spoiled because, let’s face it, we’re hanging out at the grandparents, and they just can’t get enough of her. But it also means I get spoiled because they love holding her and feeding her and changing her and babysitting her, so I just sit around and enjoy my coffee and read a book and hang out with Lauren. It’s a win-win for us all.


The big event this weekend was Harper’s first dip in the pool. I really debated whether or not we should get in, but in the end the blistering hot Austin weather won (and the fact that my afternoon out with Lauren got cut short because of stupid people). Fortunately, Bruce and Becky’s neighbors were awesome and let us use their pool instead of having to take a dip in a public pool (which I wouldn’t have done with her at this point).


**What a diva...Harper had her own umbrella handler.

She loved the water. I'm not really surprised since she's such a fan of the bath (see 'Splish Splash' post below...it's adorable if you haven't already checked it out).




I'm not sure what Neal loved more...swimming with his daughter for the first time or just cooling off from the oppressive 100+ degree weather.

But no one loved it more than Ogee...

Ogee got to spend time with one of his favorite girls in one of his favorite places ...ahhh... Heaven!

It was a great way to cool off, that's for sure. Plus, it's amazing how much more fun everything is when there is a baby involved! Okay, maybe not everything, but so far so good!

**Her diaper probably weighed as much as she did by the end of it...at least we know how much those puppies can handle, huh?!

The truth is the drive down I-35 is so worth it if we get to spend time with family.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Figuring it Out

Harper has been here for almost six weeks. In that time we have slowly started to figure each other out. To be honest, I thought I'd be terrified...scared of feeding her too little/too much, scared of hurting her little belly button, scared of that little floppy head of hers, scared of driving with her in the car...scared of not being a good mom.


I had everything ready for her when she arrived...some might say I was a little over prepared (Me? Over prepared? Never...ha!). I started her nursery in January; her crib was up by April; I read three different books throughout the course of my pregnancy (they all said the same thing...we heard it again in our childbirth class...the same. exact. thing.); I couldn't stop worrying about whether or not she had enough clothes (believe me, she does). I just wanted to be "ready".

I was "ready" to physically have a baby in the house; or at least my house was ready to have a baby in it. Past that...I had no idea how "having a baby in the house" was going to change our lives. You can't prepare for that. You know it's going to change your life, but exactly how is totally unpredictable.

Then you go home...and you start living. Life is totally different than when you left to head to the hospital two days before, but it's living all the same. You don't stop to think about feeding her too much/too little, she'll tell you when she's had enough or is still hungry. You stop being so gentle during the diaper changes and stop worrying about that ugly little umbilical stump because the more time you spend without the diaper on, the bigger the chance that she'll poop all over again while she's waiting on you. You don't even think about that wiggly wobbly little head of hers, because you're holding on so tight you know whatever way it might bobble isn't going to hurt her...it might shock you both, but it won't hurt her. You get in the car without thinking because you've got places to be, people to show her off to...and then you're there, without even thinking that you actually just drove with her...on the road....with other cars...big ones...going fast. You're just happy to be out of the house.

You start to figure each other out. What each cry means...what position she prefers...when she's ready to get up/lay down/sit upright...you don't think about these things, you just figure it out. Trial and error. Guessing. Making mistakes. However it happens, you just do it. I guess that's what people call parenting.
This is the "I'm content in this position...for now" look.

I knew all along I'd be able to do it...that with help, I'd be just fine. And fortunately, I'm not so scared anymore. I know I'll make mistakes, that I'll guess wrong; but Harper will be okay. And the things I can't change (we know there will be some of that too) will only help make me stronger, a better mom. I know she's going to cry, she's going to change her mind and her routine, she's going to get hurt. But I'll be there for her when she does. And really...that's all Harper needs right now. Someone to be there. To pick her up when she's fallen, to hug her and listen to her when she's sad, to figure it out when she doesn't know how to put it into words.

This is the "Stop taking my picture and get me back inside where it's cool" cry.

We'll be there--Neal and I, and all of you who love her. That's the best thing about this whole parenting thing...we're not alone. Thank God.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Splish Splash

Harper got her first bath!!! Honestly, I was a little nervous about how this was going to go...the sponge baths just didn't do it for Harper in the beginning. She pretty much screamed her way through all of those. But she LOVED the real bath. It totally relaxed her...until we poured water down her face...oops. Live and learn--we're new at this.

How ADORABLE is this face??? Gosh...I just want to squeeze her!!
A little Jedi warrior...hehe!


Monday, July 11, 2011

We Had it First!!!

So word on the street is that Becks and Posh copied Neal and I when they named their new daughter Harper Seven. I just want to say on the record that we had our kid (and name) picked first. In no way did I copy Posh Spice. I mean, if there were a Spice Girl that I were going to copy, she would be the last one I'd pick to model after (okay, she's probably tied with the one with the bad teeth, whose name I can't even recall...anyone? Help me out here...Okay, or Sporty Spice. Ginger and Baby would probably be up there with them too...). Okay, you get what I'm trying to say, right? MY Harper is NO BARBIE GIRL.

However, I can promise you that even though Harper Louise's parents are NOT considered two of the sexiest people in Hollywood/the UK/the world...this girl still has the looks. I mean, how cute is she????

(so dainty)



This was our attempt at a photo shoot last week. I need to wait until one of her nap times (which I pretty much have at least 10 hours to choose from during the day) so I can pose her and catch that sweet sleeping face she sports. But seriously, Posh's kid has NOTHING on mine!!

P.S. What's with the number seven? Really, Becks?!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

One Month Already?!


I can't believe that a month has gone by already...it feels like last week I was lying in bed (not sleeping) waiting for 6 o'clock to get here so I could go to the hospital to be induced. It had been a brutal 9 months of waiting to meet our sweet Harper Louise.

This month has brought so much joy to our lives; I can't put into words the love we have for this sweet baby girl.

This month Harper has slept through the night (8 hours once, hallelujah!), taken the pacifier, taken the bottle (even with formula...but that's a story for another time), gone shopping (lots), been to story time with the big kids, rolled over (mistake or not, she rolled over), and had her first bath! She's been a champ through it all. We're blessed with one SUPER SWEET baby!

Photobucket


Not a great comparison since she looks so PISSED in the first one...but take my word for it, she's definitely changing every day! And I promise, she's a really happy baby...I just haven't mastered the quick draw it takes to get her smiles on camera yet.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Get a Quick Fix

Just a sweet shot to hold you over until the next real blog post. I don't have anything to say, just wanted to show off my sweet sleeping babe. Is that so wrong?