Lovin' her new lovie!

Harper and I met some friends for lunch, and they gave her this precious  monogrammed "lovie". I must say, she is already quite fond of it. Thanks Elizabeth, Hattie, and Annie for such a special gift!!! Elizabeth is such a wonderful, Godly woman and is a fabulous example of how to be a mother the way God intends. Obviously my mom and sister are fabulous moms, but it's just such a blessing to have an example to follow right here in Dallas!   

Here are a few pictures of Harper with her new bunny blanket. 

None of them are staged... I promise! 

Sort of enjoying tummy time

Also...her 2 bottom teeth are starting to "bud". What in the world?!?!?! When I can get a good picture of them, I'll post it. It's crazy! 

This girl likes to spit up!

Well... so maybe I didn't go work out while Corby was out with Harper. But I have a GREAT reason- he had to take my car, and I can't drive his because it's a company car. However, I was productive with the laundry, so that was nice to get it done. 

Yes, the title is correct, Harper is a big fan of spitting up. Her main target is usually Corby too. Every night when he is feeding her, he ends up changing his shirt (and sometimes shorts!). He did the 4am feeding this morning and ended up with milk all over him! And since he wasn't wearing a shirt, it was pretty nasty! So he now uses a bath towel as his burp cloth. It has been pretty effective so far. But I had to take a picture because I think it's hilarious! I'm also including some other pictures I took today just because she's so stinkin' cute!!! 

Ready to handle anything she spits his way

What a sneaky look! She was thoroughly enjoying her activity gym when I bothered her to take a picture. 

Holding her pacifier... so sweet! 

A busy weekend...

We have had a great weekend. Corby's parents came in town for a visit. On Friday morning I took Harper to the doctor where she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. It is thankfully something that doesn't cause any pain, even though it looks like it would hurt! It will hopefully go away within the next year, but if it doesn't, Dr. H said the surgery is very minor to fix it. That afternoon, Harper spent the afternoon with her grandparents while I enjoyed lunch and a mani/pedi with Mare. She was off work, so we took advantage of some one-on-one time together. Harper slept the whole time that I was gone and then was so happy that afternoon. I was glad that Corby's parents got to see a happier side of her since Saturday proved to be a sad day for Harper. She just didn't nap well on Saturday, so I'm pretty sure she was simply tired. I felt sorry for her! But a day that you don't nap well translates to a night that you do sleep well (9:15p-4:30a, ate, slept until 8)! Today, we are just relaxing. I think that Corby is going to take Harper to hang out with Matt and Saylor this afternoon, to give Erica and I some time to ourselves. I'm pretty sure they are planning on doing this fairly often. I'm excited to see what that time becomes as the girls get older. I think it's going to produce such a special relationship between the 4 of them! I'm also looking forward to a few hours to myself.... I have high hopes of going to the gym for the first time since Harper was born.... but we'll see if I end up doing that! :)

Here is Harper's birth announcement. I ordered it yesterday from my friend, Catherine (polkadotspaisleys.blogspot.com). She and I led a cell group together in Fayetteville, so I think it is so special that she was able to make Harper's announcement. She is extremely talented!!! 

I highly recommend her for any of your paper needs! 

Here are some pictures of Corby's parents with Harper at the hospital

6 weeks old today!

I can't believe that 6 weeks have already gone by. I know I keep saying it (and I'm sure I'll continue to say it), but time is just going so fast! Her little personality is really starting to come out. Yes, she still enjoys crying, but the last few days she has been cooing a little. Her sweet little voice is SO cute! Her favorite time of the day is bath time. She absolutely loves it and cries immediately when its over. She sticks her leg in the running water when it's on... it's pretty funny. Today I had my 6-week check-up, and it went really well. It sort of made me sad knowing I won't see my doctor for such a long time. I absolutely love her and have gotten used to seeing her quite often! But I'll take not seeing her often to having sweet Harper in my arms! 

Here are a few pictures of her today. She had to have an outfit change this afternoon when we had a "poop up the back" situation. I was pretty disappointed because I loved her shorts! But then I remembered the jumper she got for Easter... and it was perfect for our 90 degree weather today! 

The shorts are huge but SO cute! I couldn't resist putting them on her today.

One of the several smiles I caught on camera today

The one piece shorts outfit (with spaghetti straps!)... hilarious! 

We're happy today...

Today is such a great day! It is clearly very superficial, but I have a hair appointment this evening, and I couldn't be more excited! I haven't been in over 8 weeks... which means the gray is out of control (thanks mom and dad for that one!)! I also love my hair being short, so I currently feel like it's SO long. Most people would laugh at that because it isn't long at all... but it is for me. It will also be nice to get out of the house and have a little time to myself. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful that I get to stay home with Harper each day... but a little alone time always helps! I always have such a relaxing time, so I'm really looking forward to it. While Brad washes my hair, one of the assistants will give me a hand and arm massage- oh it is heaven on earth! But I'm not the only one looking forward to it... clearly Harper is too. This picture clearly reveals her excitement about some one-on-one time with her favorite guy, dad! 

Praying for Stellan!

Sweet Stellan is currently having surgery on his heart. It is extremely risky, and I can't imagine the emotions his mom and dad are going through. Please join us in praying for a miracle!!! And start reading their blog (www.mycharmingkids.net) if you don't already- it's wonderful!

And now for her next trick...

Harper will disappear!!! 

Okay... the last few nights Harper has done something that I find quite hilarious! On Saturday morning when I heard her at 3am, I turned on the video part of her monitor to see if she was really awake or just making some noises in her sleep, and she was no where to be found! I kind of freaked out a little bit, went into her room, and realized that she had scooted herself down her bed and was no longer in the camera's view. Her mattress is not at an angle and she is tightly swaddled, so I have no idea how she does it! She does it while she is soundly sleeping too... I would know if it was when she was upset because I hear every single noise! But it has become a habit because she has done it every night since then. I just find it so odd that someone so small can move like that! 

And speaking of soundly sleeping, she went to bed last night at 9:30 and didn't wake up until 4 to eat! She then decided to stay up with Corby while he got ready and then slept from 6-9:30! She has been doing so great at night! The last few nights I have put her in bed awake and after only a few little cries, she is out! I am so glad that we are finally in some sort of routine! 

Play Time!

The last 2 nights we have spent about an hour playing with her activity gym. It has been a nice break to the screaming that usually takes place in the evening. :) She loves looking into the mirror and up at the lights on the star that plays music. It was so much fun that Corby had to join her! I have some funny videos of him talking to her... explaining things like holding hands, dogs, what you do in a mirror, etc. However, I can't get them to upload. They aren't long at all, so I'm not sure what the problem is. As soon as I figure it out, they will be up because they are hilarious! 

Our weekend is going well so far. This afternoon, we went to North Park to see one of my good Pi Phi friends, Jenessa. She was in town for her husband's birthday, and it was SO great seeing her. My friend Mare was also there, so the 3 of us talked for quite a while. And lastly, my friend Rebekah dropped by on her way to Little Rock. She had a baby 2 days before Harper was born, so it was great to finally meet Cilla! She is absolutely precious!!! 

She wasn't interested in church tonight, so she and I stayed in the cry room. As soon as her head is fully stable she'll be hanging out in the nursery... that will be happening soon. It will be nice to sit in church without worrying about her screaming! 

Here are some pictures of our time with the activity gym. Enjoy!

So cute... it should probably be illegal!

If only Harper had gotten a good look in the mirror, I don't think she'd be crying in this picture. She didn't realize just how cute she was today! Actually, the reason she is crying is because I took the pacifier out of her mouth. Something about that huge thing in her mouth really takes away from the picture. I think we have turned a corner with sleeping at night. She usually goes down around 9 or 10, wakes up at 3 to eat, and the sleeps until 6 or 7. I consider it a win for every one involved! 

I can't believe that she is 5 weeks old today. Time is just flying by! I can't really tell that she's gotten bigger, but I think that is because I see her every day. Some of her clothes are actually fitting now, so I do know she's growing! 

Oh, and did I tell you what the Babies R Us employee said today? Look again at her outfit so you can fully picture the situation. She looked into the stroller (her bow was visible, as was her PINK skirt) and said, "Oh, she is cute... or wait... is that a boy?" I enjoyed a good laugh as I walked out of the store...she is dressed as girly as possible! 

Oh, GE... you have failed me!

**Update: The wonderful repair man called at 2 and said he felt so bad about the whole situation, so he searched everywhere for a fan! He was back by 3 and the fridge is now fixed!!! If you are in Dallas and have fridge problems, I highly recommend this guy! So I guess I did all of that complaining for nothing... should've known not to act that way! 

So today has been an eventful day and we're only half way through! I FINALLY cleaned the entire house, and I feel so much better! The carpet has needed to be vacuumed, but I had to wait until I felt almost 100% better. Today was that day! I also dusted and cleaned the bathrooms. I can't tell you how happy it made me to finally clean everything. My back is now hurting a little, but that's how it is every day (I think I should be thanking my epidural for that!). So the day started off great but quickly went downhill when the refrigerator repair man came. Apparently our 2 year old fridge is in "bad shape".... thank you, General Electric. So after he fixed what he needed to today, he realized that the fan blade also needed to be replaced in order for the motor to work properly; however, he couldn't get one until Thursday or Friday. Now our food is going to be ruined if I don't move fast! Thankfully our friends, Matt and Erica, have room in their fridge for a few things, but I'm just annoyed at the whole situation. Oh well... I realize that things could be much worse, so I probably need to get over this. Thanks for letting me vent! :) 

Happy Easter!

We have had such a great day together as a family! Harper enjoyed her Easter basket... instead of filling it with candy I will eat, I got her a dress and a onesie from Target. They are both pretty cute! We had lunch with some friends and then watched the Masters this afternoon. We go to church on Saturday nights, so we did that last night. Harper did great! I didn't have to go to the cry room this time. And speaking of great, she slept SO well last night. She also went a really long time without eating- which is always a plus for me! :) 

She's wearing her dress that Kay-Kay (my mom) got her when we found out we were having a girl. I wish she was looking at her basket, but instead, she was very interested in the bamboo sticks that are behind our couch. 

I think she was yawning, but it looks more like she is in shock about something!

So sweet! 

She's 1 Month Old!!!

Today marks Harper's 1 month birthday. In a way it seems like much shorter than a month, and in another way, it feels like much longer than that! I think sleep deprivation plays a role in that. Corby was off work yesterday, so we went out to the Arboretum (botanical gardens) for the afternoon. It is absolutely beautiful out there! We walked around for a while, took some pictures, and then laid on a blanket in the sun. Then we went to church for our Good Friday service. The service was wonderful... I am SO thankful to be a part of such an amazing church. Since she didn't do too well last week, I decided to put Harper in the sling, and she didn't make a peep! That might be our trick to keeping her quiet in church until she heads off to the nursery. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the afternoon. Enjoy! 

Laying in the sun... she loved it!

She CLEARLY loves her Daddy!

This is one of my favorite faces that she makes! I love that Corby captured it!

Our group shots weren't very good. 

You can hardly see her, and she was rather upset! 

On a different note... We got a package from Annalise (the precious little girl I used to nanny for), and she had written our names on the card! If you think for one second that this didn't make BOTH of us cry, you are wrong! She is growing up SO fast... I sure do miss her! 

What 4 hours of sleep looks like...

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I rocked her to sleep and was successful. The only problem is that she doesn't understand that once she is asleep, she needs to stay that way for at least 3 hours at a time. Therefore, we both got about 4 hours of sleep last night! Woo hoo! In order to remain sane today, I decided to do something I love and dress Harper up for Easter. I usually find that laughter is the best medicine and today is no exception. 

I got her these socks about a month ago and was SO excited to pull them out today! 

Several items to point out: the bunny ears that my mom brought her- I think she was a fan!, her size 0-3mo jeans that are up to her arm pits, and the socks, again. This picture makes me laugh every time I look at it!  

See??? She is so content with the bunny ears on.

And when laughter doesn't fix the problem, Hershey's eggs ALWAYS do! These are, by far, my biggest obsession around Easter time! They are SO addictive (I've eaten several bags-ha!), which brings me to being SO thankful for the calories you burn while nursing. :) What can I say? I am my mother's daughter. 

And... I'm pretty sure I got an intentional smile from her today!!! It totally made my day! Hopefully I'll catch one on the camera soon! 

Time... you can slow down now.

I can't believe that she is 4 weeks old today!!! The time is flying by SO quickly, and I don't think I'm a fan of that. This picture might be one of my favorites of her! She is just so cute... I can hardly stand it! She got that cute dress from one of my mom's students. One of her classes had a baby shower for her... isn't that so thoughtful?!?!? Harper got a few really cute dresses, and since it was so warm today, she got to wear one of them today. And even though she is in a dress that has pink and purple polk-a-dots... a lady looked in the stroller and said, "Boy?". REALLY?!?!?! Come on people... I realize her hair is out of control, but take a closer look... she's in a DRESS! I simply said, "No... it's a girl. She's in a dress", and we moved on. It made me laugh. I don't take offense to it, but it has taught me to never say anything unless I'm absolutely sure- that works for people being pregnant and the gender of a baby! 

Okay... I need to get in bed. She's asleep and who knows how long that will last! I rocked her tonight before bed, and she fell right to sleep. Whatever works, right??? 

Dear Harper, Please fall asleep. Thank you.

As I type this, she is screaming her head off. Before you panic and think I'm not taking care of her, I go in every 5 minutes to let her know that "I'm here". She did well for about 3 nights with sleeping at night, but the last few have been awful again. Last night she didn't fall asleep until 2:30 am, and I'm afraid tonight we might have the same scenario. She breaks out of her swaddle because she fights it SO hard... so you might be thinking, don't swaddle her. Oh wait... that's currently how she is- still upset. It seems to be a no win situation right now. Right now I can handle it, but at 2am, it just brings out the worst in me. It almost always makes me cry, and when I start to cry, Corby knows it's his turn to take over. He is so helpful in the middle of the night, which is such a sacrifice considering he has to work the next day. I'm not necessarily looking for advice on the sleeping thing because I know it's just a phase... I simply needed to vent. So, thanks for listening. 

But on a very fun note, my friend, Katie, had her baby today at 3am! Harper can't wait to meet her new friend Sawyer... we might just have to have an arranged marriage! He is precious and I am SO proud of Katie! She is going to be such a great mom!!!

I'll post some pictures of Harper tomorrow... I don't have any new ones uploaded. 

A weekend of "firsts"

We had some rough nights of sleep (or should I say no sleep) on Wednesday and Thursday... so I decided that for Friday we needed to make some changes. Harper had been sleeping (clearly that term is so relative!) in the pack n play in our room, but the screaming 4 feet away from me at 3 am was almost too much for me to handle. So on Friday, I put her in her crib for all of her naps, allowing her to put herself to sleep- and she was successful! Last night we put her to bed at 10:30 and she woke up at 3:45 to eat and then 7:45 to wake up! I felt like a whole new person this morning when I woke up! So the first night in her crib went really well... I just hope the second night is just as successful! 

Another "first" for her today, was our trip to church. We go on Saturday nights and haven't been since she was born... so Corby and I were both so ready to be back. She handled most of the music really well, but when I tried to put her in the carrier during one of the last songs, she started screaming. So Harper and I sat in the cry room for the rest of the service. Hopefully next time she'll be asleep before anything begins, and we'll be able to stay in the sanctuary the whole time. That will definitely be our goal until she heads off to the nursery. 

And now... just to please all of Harper's fans... here are a few precious pictures of her! 

Sometimes I think she forgets that she isn't in the womb anymore

Snoozing on her favorite guy... Daddy

Tonight she grabbed my nose as I was talking to her/ trying to calm her down- it was precious!