Play Day

Harper is FINALLY starting to enjoy looking at her toys - for a few minutes anyways. She likes her toys that light up and play music the best. I realized today that I am taking fewer and fewer pictures of her as the weeks go by - and these are the moments that I will never get back and miss the most as she starts growing up.

I still like lounging in my boppy pillow

Laying under my new toy play mat

Mirror, Mirror...

I don't like tummy time so much

Stop taking pictures and roll me over!

Here is a cute little video of Harper 'talking' - more like squealing! You will want to shut my music off so you can hear her cute little voice!

Auction

Another Holmes Christmas Club Auction has come and gone! If you remember the story about our first Christmas tree then you know the auction is a blast! This year my mom and her friend Robin decided to join in on the fun. It was packed again this year so we didn't get a good spot to sit. We ended up spending all of our money on drinks, beer nuts and frozen pizza instead! Last year the auction raised about $25,000 and I'm sure they did the same if not better this year. How can they make so much money in one night? A plate of peanut brittle sold for $90! There are a few retired bakers in town that only make baked goods for the auction - so people spends TONS of money on them since it's the only time of year that they are available now. People don't mind spending the money because all of the money raised goes towards a great
cause!

Here's a picture of my friend Angie, my mom, Robin and I taking a little break from pool. We started a traveling t-shirt for the pool champ - too funny - it was a great night! My mom already took vacation for next year again! Anyone who wants to join in the fun is welcome to come with us - the auction is the Monday before Thanksgiving.



Speaking of Thanksgiving, this year I was in charge of making lefse by MYSELF! I received a lefse grill last year for Christmas and finally busted it out. I have been helping my grandma make lefse for the past few years now - but I always had the easy job - grilling it. I had a heck of a time rolling out the dough - it kept sticking to the pastry cloth and/or the rolling pin. As you can see below - I need to improve my rolling out skills - lefse is supposed to be ROUND! This was my very first lefse that I made on my own!

Harper kept me company!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, faith, food and LOVE!!! I know that I have much to be thankful for this year: a caring husband, supportive family, and the CUTEST daughter in the world!

Jack Ryan Shields

He's here......Jack Ryan Shields was born today at 1:17 p.m. He weights 8 lbs 6 oz and is 21 inches long. He has LOTS of blond hair! I have a few pictures on my cell phone but none via computer so no pictures of him to show you just yet.

Both he and Ashley are doing well - both tired. I am so JEALOUS of Ashley's labor and delivery! She went into the hospital last night to get induced to avoid having a c-section because the doctor told her she had a narrow pelvis and Jack was already measuring over 8 lbs as of last week. The injected some gel on her cervix last night to soften it and planned on starting pitocin this morning to help things along. I talked to her around 11 a.m. and she was 6 cm dilated and they had just broke her water. Within an hour she was dilated to 10 cm and ready to push. She only had to push for 20 minutes! In fact, she had to hold off pushing so the doctor could get there to deliver Jack! What a GREAT labor/delivery for her first baby - so jealous of her! She did a great job!

Happy Birthday Jack!!!!!!

Funny Girl

I came home from work today and this is what I found....


Adam and Harper napping - IMAGINE THAT! She looked so cute - she had her face buried in Adam's chest and had her handing blocking the side of her face. I guess she doesn't want to be bothered when she's sleeping :)


This is just too funny! I think Harper sees mommy and daddy doing too much of this so she had to give it a try! She's getting so big and strong - she'll be sitting up on her own
before we know it!

2 month stats

Harper had her two month wellness check today and she is a healthy little girl :) She had to get 3 shots today - poor thing! I chose to leave the room right before she got them because I knew I'd probably cry! Adam said she did pretty good - didn't really cry until they were done giving the first one. I couldn't hear her from the waiting room so that's a plus!


Weight : 12 lbs 7 oz (90th percentile)

Height: 23 1/2 inches (90th percentile)

Overall with her head measurement, she is averaging at the 75th percentile! Big girl!

Goal this month: work on her feeding schedule and getting her to sleep through the night!

2 months

I attempted to create a blog yesterday but our internet was down all evening, so this is a day late. Harper turned 2 months old yesterday! She goes to the dr. for her 2 month wellness check tomorrow, Friday the 13th - very fitting because she will get her first round of vaccinations - NOT looking forward to that! On one hand it seems unreal that shes already 2 months old, I remember being in labor like it was yesterday! But on the other hand, it seems like I've gotten WAY more than 2 months worth of sleepless nights! She has her good days and her bad days - seems to be more bad than good lately! She is SO SO happy for the first 15 minutes when she wakes up in the morning - and then its all downhill from there! She's at the stage right now where she's awake more and needs more attention. Unfortunately, shes not able to entertain herself yet, so she is very demanding - always has to be held or likes to be talked to. She will only play on the floor for about 10 minutes before she's bored. She is a HIGH MAINTENANCE little girl already! She really isn't on any sort of schedule yet - sleeps and eats whenever. Her nights are a little more structured - we give her a bath b/w 7 and 8 and put her to bed b/w 8 and 9. She usually wakes up b/w 12 and 1 and then again b/w 3 and 4. Shes up for the day b/w 7 and 8! She used to be the queen at taking naps - not so much anymore - 30 minutes here and there - I wish she'd take longer naps so she wasn't so crabby! O'well - everyone keeps saying it'll get better after 12 weeks! I hope the Lord blesses me with patience for the next 4 weeks! I've decided that she has a case of the colic!!!!

2 months old - can you guess who bought her shirt?! (it says 'pretty like mommy')

Yes he does Harper! :)

Happy belated Veteran's Day to my hubby! I love you and I am so proud of everything you've done for our country! Also, thanks to my father-in-law and brother-in-law and many other friends!

Accountability

The best part of being pregnant - EATING and not feeling guilty! I think I may have ate one too many hot fudge shakes or brownies during those long 9 months because I'm still trying to lose the baby weight! I still have the last 15 of the 35 pounds left to lose...and its definitely not easy! So I decided to join Weight Watchers. I've tried dieting on my own but I need someone to report to and weigh me. I've decided to take it one step further and tell all of YOU - to hold me even more accountable. I will track my progress on the right-hand side of my blog. I weigh-in every Monday night - so I'll have it updated no later than Tuesday afternoons. I'm hoping this will help me stay motivated and I may even just motivate YOU!

Have you ever visited the Hungry Girl website? I just heard about it last week at my meeting - a wonderful website for recipes, eating out guides, diet do's and don'ts, etc. Check it out!

8 Weeks

Harper is 8 weeks old as of yesterday! Every Friday we always tell her Happy Birthday - I guess we're celebrating the weeks right now instead of years. She will turn 2 months on Wednesday November 11th - time is going by fast! Nothing exciting is going on around here - hence no blogs. Adam is working a lot and I'm training at my new job a few hours each day. Yesterday was Harper's first day at daycare - it was only for 3 hours - but we both did good! It was hard leaving her but I managed not to cry. I think it helps that we've left her over night a few times with the grandparents. Well, not much new to report. Supposed to be a beautiful weekend - finally get to take Harper for a walk again! Oh yeah - we're going home tomorrow to take some family pictures for Christmas cards. We won't be using the family picture because I've got some great ideas of just having Harper in the picture! You'll just have to wait and see...

Have a GREAT weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!