A few favorites...

I feel really bogged down lately.  There's just so much hate and negativity going on right now.  So much judging, so much intolerance.  It's got me going into a little hole.  A hole where I will pray that Harper never has to feel.  But, unless the second coming comes soon, she's going to have to know about it all or be exposed to some types of this.  So Brian and I made a pact.  We decided that we will not let anything or anyone force negativity and hate while we are around her.  I'm taking a break from FB for a while to just get away from the petty-ness that has come.  I want to show Harper love and joy and thankfulness.  I'm far from perfect, but she's still so innocent.  I have lots of 'wars' going on in my head right now, but instead of writing or talking them all out, I'm going to focus on what I can do.  I'm going to pray for me to show grace, for me to be positive, and for me to continue doing what I need to to keep my daughter safe from this ridiculous hate.


Here's a few pics from the last 2 weeks that make my heart happy...


I'm sure gonna miss all this extra time I've gotten with Harper this summer!

i love him and i love her.

my hair is coming back in ... but BLONDE!

matchy-matchy!

sparkle shoes :)

baby Walker - Nola's brother

loves her baby

loves pulling out all the diapers

sweet little legs

HHI Family Visits!

Brian's mom and sister's family are now all officially relocated to HHI! They came in for a quick visit the other weekend!  We got to help celebrate a very special 5 year old's birthday and spend some time together!

Here's a few pics from the weekend...

hayden, lana, harper, cooper

happy #5!

Looking forward to seeing those sweet faces soon! It's so sweet all well they all played together!

hello. my daughter is crazy.

No, totally kidding.

But this walking thing? IT'S totally crazy!

Let me tell you how it has changed our lives...

*we no longer are able to go to the Farmer's Market and have Harper sit nicely in the stroller...she wants to walk and walk up to people and chase dogs...

*no where and nothing is safe in our home anymore...the whole 'not for Harper' thing isn't working as well as it did now that she is eye level to some new and interesting things...

*eating out takes a lot of patience and quick hand motions with the fork-in-mouth...we can last but not for as long as before because the girl knows she can MOVE


Daughter is a very petite girly we have found out. And she seems to be walking 'early' to some.  Therefore... daughter is now a crazy bully it seems as she runs over the little and bigger kids!

Let's use Dottie as an example:
{showing 3 different month pics!}

See these moves here? Well she also does this on OTHER children.  Ones who are older or younger.

At our weekly gymnastics class, Harper is currently the only one who is walking {and the first to crawl...but who's counting?! ;)} so I think she now sees herself as the one who can grab what she wants.

Other kids have balls? Welp, she just walks on over and takes them. TAKES IT. MY DAUGHTER. Are you kidding me? I cannot be raising a bully!!!!

The gymnastics leader doesn't love my baby girl anyways {yea, another story on that one} so she tells me ALL kinds of things to constantly be saying to Harper.  She also tells us to role play at home.

1.  Harper is 10 months old. Not sure if role play will be understood?
2.  Please refer to Dottie pictures above.  Role.Play.Failed.
3.  She gets mad at my daughter because she won't stay in the dang circle during the circle time songs.
{okay, #3 has nothing to do with it, I just wanted to add that in there...my girl likes to be free and I think it's hilarious}

So, we are currently working with these words: Gentle, Not for Harper, Be Nice.  Also, I'm just picking her up and removing her from being on top of the other kid the situation, or letting her watch me as I give back whatever toy she stole and tell her to share.

TELL ME ~ what am I to do?!?! Any suggestions!??!?!

I mean, this sweet face?! She loves being around other kids so much, but I don't want her basically attacking the other kids!

Although, how can I not love this side of her?? It's so nice to see her be so inquisitive and comfortable around other kids! This shy Momma loves it!!


*note: duh, i know my daughter is not a real bully, all in fun, but please, i need suggestions!  

{double digit'} lovin' - 10!

ahh! We are in to the double digits with our sweet baby!! WHAT?!?!?

July 29, 2012  Harper turned 10 months old! CRAZY!

*weight/length: no idea! We don't visit the doctor (knock on wood) until 12 months.  I'd guess around 18-19 lbs.

*diapers: recently started using Pamper's 3's just because we had a box when we ran out of 2's.  Still Nighttime 3's at night.

*clothes: 6 months, 6-9 months, and some 9-12 months / she also always has to have shoes on now because she wants to walk everywhere we go! no more stroller rides - yikes!!

*nicknames: Harpie, Harps, Peazer/Peas (daddy's short name for sweet pea), baby girl, sweet girl

*sleep: YAY! No more rocking, crying it out, or singing! We just lay her down awake and she knows just what to do! She's taking 2 naps a day pretty much on schedule.  Her night sleep is 8pm-730/8am.  She sleeps with her 'Raffi (sound machine) and a bunch of paci's all in the crib.

*food: about 26 oz. of Alimentum a day, 2-4 fruits/veggies a day, we've switched to Gerber Oatmeal instead of rice cereal (long story), and she's eating a few 'real' foods - cheese, bread, beans, fruit

*Movement: GIRL IS WALKING! So crazy! She's been taking steps since her 9 month b-day, but the past 2 weeks she's really learned to walk! She walks everywhere and it is sooo funny to watch! She won't even crawl anymore. She LOVES walking! She can go very, very fast sometimes and it's a little scary, but I think she has excellent balance! She mostly walks holding a toy in her hands and still doesn't fall!

*New Things: Harper can throw a ball and pick up balls with one hand.  Harper visited the aquarium this month and loved watching the fish.  Harper is able to walk in the baby pool and just loves playing with the other kids in the pool.  Loving trying to rip out eyelashes! Ouch! Harper loves songs right now and enjoys doing motions with them - itsy bitsy spider, pat a cake, etc.  She also loves books.  Finally we are back to sitting in my lap and reading pop-up books, books with lots of color (but that are short!) and peek-a-boo books.

*Talking: Okay, Brian and I are very afraid!! haha! :)  Harper loves to babble - must be a girl thing?! She wakes up on the dot almost every night between 12am-1am and 5:30am-6:30am and babbles to herself.  I mean, loud ya'll! It is super funny! Then she will go right back to sleep! She also babbles all day long!  She is saying with meaning: MaMa (love!!), DaDa (love!!), and a few times 'ba' for ball.  She is still a good little listener and it's just crazy what a sponge she is! As I said in last month's post, when I say "go get your book" she knows and grabs her book.  Now we can say the following things and she will grab that item - baby, gator, ball, bug (her rocker).

*Toys: Harper would rather play with a dump truck or car over any baby doll! *must change that!* haha! She loves her shopping cart, her stuffed alligator, and her ball.  But, mainly she likes to put toys in something and then throw them out - over and over again!

*Teeth: 2 bottom teeth, one upper tooth is breaking through!  Everything is still going into her mouth!

Happy 10 Months sweet baby girl!!

blogging break!

I'm taking a break while I figure out what to do with this girl who is

WALKING?!?!?!?!!

Harper's New Friends...

Are coming soon!!!! I'm so excited for another baby boom that is going on around me!!!

Harper is about to get a BUNCH of new girlfriends! I'm so excited since most of my friends have boys!!

Here's a few of the little bumps I am allowed to share about... :)

 Harper, Jordan, and Baby Avery Nicole

Harper, Katharine, and Baby girl!

Harper, Mandy, and Baby Kalyn Avery


One of the best things I think is picking your baby name.  A fellow blogger the other day wrote a post on how she ended up with her kid's names.  I just love hearing baby names and think it is just so fun to see how you and your hubby came up with the name! Wouldn't that be a fun link-up?!  I've always said that I would get pregnant again just to use my other names I have stored up!!!