The New Year (so far)

January has been a busy month for us, but it is safe to say that 2013 is off to a great start. We have a lot going on these next few months and it is all very exciting.

But let's back up. John and I celebrated 3 years of marriage on January 16. I have such great memories from our wedding. I still haven't tasted a wedding cake that tops ours. Gabriel's did a great job. Every year we buy a small strawberry cake from them, reminiscent of our wedding cake. Three years doesn't seem that long, especially when you consider that John and I started dating 8 years ago.  Some people say the first year is the hardest -- I disagree. The first year felt like summer camp -- we had so much fun and loved living together. That hasn't changed -- we just have a new roommate. Harper.

My grandmother, Elnyr Roberts, had a big birthday this month. She turned 89 years old (she would kill me if she knew I posted this -- then again, she reads this. HELLO MEMAW, LOVE YOU!) We had a little party for her at my parents' house. She has the greatest sense of humor. She is doing very well considering that she had shoulder replacement surgery in November. I told her that she is doing well -- she is in good health, they just need to replace her parts every once in a while.

I don't think that I have mentioned it before, but I am "training" for a half marathon in February. I have a little less than a month to go. I am running with my future sister-in-law, Keri. She has been training a bit more vigorously than I, but I am doing my best. I am running the Disney Princess Half Marathon in Disneyworld. Ricky, Keri, John, Harper and I are going a few days early to visit the parks. I am excited. It feels nice trying to get in shape again. It is definitely not easy trying to juggle jogging/running with breastfeeding, but it is important to me. I have also struggled with finding time to run because John gets home around 6, so I cook dinner, then it's bath time for Harper then we put her to bed. I am usually left running around 9 at night -- so I finish my runs around 10:30. I am pretty wired after that, so it is not ideal, but I am doing what I can. Did I mention that I bought Harper an adorable Minnie Mouse outfit and Keri and I are planning our running costumes? ...because yeah...that's happening.

John has a couple of business trips coming up:  he will be in Greenville, South Carolina all of next week, and he will leave for Budapest, Hungary for a week just after our trip to Disney. In fact, he is catching his flight from Orlando. John has traveled a few times since Harper's birth and we have managed just fine. I have family VERY close and they love to help. My brother, Ricky, and his fiancee just moved into a beautiful home in Marietta about 2 miles from us. They will want to help me, I am sure of it. :) I would plan more slumber parties for us, but Harper only sleeps well in her crib.

Aside from our Disney trip in February, we have a Caribbean cruise in April. My dad is turning 60 and the whole family is going on the trip. Harper will have just turned 1...I can't believe it!  We take Harper to get her passport in a little over a week. It will be an adorable addition to her baby book one day.

What's new with Harper? Well, she is super mobile. She is standing on her own, but she is not taking steps without holding on to something. She is "cruising," which means she will walk along the couch or a table while holding on to it. She climbed four stairs the other day. I was with her so don't worry. She is doing so much and she is not even 10 months old -- I can't imagine when she will start walking.

She loves eating fruits and veggies. We have added turkey and pulled pork to the mix and she loves it. She also likes to eat Cheerios. She is drinking more from a sippy cup, but we don't do that too often because she is still nursing. We have found a lovely little play group that meets every Tuesday morning. We also have other outings planned, but the Tuesday play group is a weekly thing and we love it. I am so thankful to have those babies to entertain Harper and those mamas to talk to me. I have also met a friend through MRTT and we meet occasionally to run. It is great having another mom to run with -- Sandra is great.

Now I will just leave you with some adorable pictures...

this girl loves wagon rides.

we love when Daddy has the day off from work!

Riley, Scott and Harper. A fun dinner!

love this girl.

9 months

Harper is 9 months old. Technically, she is 9 months and one week old. She is an absolute joy. We took her to the pediatrician where she measured in at 21 pounds 3 ounces and 29 3/4 inches long. OH MY! She is in the 98% for height and 90% for weight. Dr. Gaines asked us if she was crawling. She wasn't crawling on her knees -- she was pseudo crawling on her belly, but she was doing it like a pro. The very next day she started crawling on her knees. She is insanely fast and nothing is safe. For some reason, she is drawn to the fireplace and the stairs. WHY?!??! She is also pulling herself up to a standing position. This is crazy to see. She has cut two teeth (on the bottom.)

Since she moves SO well (and so darn fast!) she does not want to sit still. There is no cuddle time (except for the first few minutes after she wakes). It was hard to get pictures of her because she is fast. I know that she will be losing her lovely thighs soon. Very sad. 

lots of personality. lots. :)

her crib is now at the lowest setting possible...and this is how we find her when she wakes up from a nap.

catch me if you can!

2 baby teeth, coming right up!

I also have a couple of videos of Harper. Enjoy! (Feel free to turn the volume down...I wouldn't want to listen to me, either.)

Harper crawling
this is the first morning she started crawling. Time trials will be next. 

Harping pulling herself up
this is the first time we got it on video. She has perfected it now.

Harper and Jackson
Jackson is great with Harper. Molly....not so much. We always stay close and we watch Jackson closely. Basically, don't report us if you don't agree with this video.

A Meltdown

Harper's pediatrician, Dr. Gaines, said that she is entering a phase where she experiences separation anxiety and "stranger danger." My dear friend, Adam, experienced it firsthand.

A New Year

2012 has been a great year for us. It has been amazing. It hasn't always been easy -- in fact, it has been really challenging. With each challenge I think we have learned more about our abilities to adapt and roll with the punches. I am really proud of us.

Some things we have learned:

- John can help with the Harper in the middle of the night and have no memory of it in the morning. (muahahahah)

-A quiet Harper is cause for concern.

- If you can't find John, he is either under a car or in his workshop/shed.

- Our idea of dirty clothes has changed -- it must have a least 2 different kinds of baby food on it for it to be washed.

-Laundry takes 2 weeks. 1 week to cycle the clothes through the washer, dryer and fold them. Another week to put them away.

- It has been said that women are terrible drivers. I challenge anyone to drive well (and obey the speed limit) with a screaming child in the car.

- I read this somewhere, but it applies to perfectly to us: I never knew how much I loved John until I saw how much he loves Harper.

-Commercials that show dads being helpless and clueless annoy us. John is the most capable and wonderful father.

-Jackson is good with babies. Molly is NOT.

- Fireworks.are.the.worst.ever.

Wishing everyone a blessed and wonderful 2013!

Gal Pals

Since Harper's birth, we have had many friends have babies. One as recent as two days ago (yay Megan and Ben!) Grant and John grew up together in Macon. Grant and Carrie had sweet Vivian about 7 weeks ago. She and Harper are fast friends. Harper just REALLY wants Vivian to play with her. Before we know it, they will be going on spring break together. Yikes.

A Full Heart

I love Christmas for so many reasons. Although some people may disagree, I love how full the church gets around Christmastime. People coming home to be with their families or maybe people who feel the need to go to church and celebrate Jesus' birth; whatever the reason, it warms my heart.

I grew up in Marietta. I was an "East Cobb Snob" from the age of 2. At 18, my parents built a house in West Cobb. When John and I got engaged, we bought a  house in West Cobb. Most of my friends don't live in Marietta anymore. So Christmas means that they will be coming home and I always hope that I have a chance to visit with them. (We took Harper to a Walker Christmas Party and she was so well behaved. I think people wanted to see her more than they wanted to see me. I don't blame them.)

Christmas also means that my whole family gets together. It is often assumed that we all spend a great deal of time together because we all live so close (the furthest sibling being near Lenox.) Although I do spend a lot of time with my siblings and their families, it is not very often that we are all together in one place. I just love it.

Christmas Eve was so exciting. We went to the Children's Nativity Service and Harper loved it. She wanted everyone to know how much she loved it so she squealed as loud as she could. :) After church, we had dinner at Waffle House. We then hurried home, gave Harper a bath and to bed she went.

(L) Harper with Aunt Janice, (top) at Church, (bottom) Christmas morning.

Christmas morning was spent at our house. Harper opened -- chewed on -- her presents. The dogs ate their bones, and John and I exchanged a few gifts. After Harper's morning nap, we packed up and headed to my parents house (all of 5 miles away.) We all decided to have a breakfast buffet instead of a large meal and IT WAS AMAZING! Betsy's breakfast casserole, Dad's cheese grits, Keri's bread pudding, my sausage balls, Mom's biscuits and Kelly's fruit salad. We had a great time exchanging gifts and spending time together. Soon it was Harper's nap time, so we headed home. John and I had a little nap, too.

Christmas Day!

The next day we headed to Macon for the Clark family Christmas. It's great fun to have Harper spend time with Madison because they are just 2 weeks apart. Sweet Baylee is so good with the babies. We spent a few days in Macon, so we had a chance for Harper to spend time with her Great Grandmama and Grandaddy Mason. We also visited the graves of her Grandmama and Grandaddy Clark. If you know anything about John's mom and sister, Meagin, then you know they are bargain hunters. They inspired us to do a little early birthday shopping for Harper. Perhaps even a little early Christmas shopping? Let's see if I can wait that long!

with Great Grandmama and Grandaddy Mason.

I have so many ideas/plans for what we will do with Harper when she is more aware of Christmas. I am in no rush for her to grow up, but I intend on her knowing the true meaning of the season.