Christmas #3

Adam, Harper and I had a very non-tradition Christmas Eve/Christmas this year. Everything closes at 6:00 p.m on Christmas Eve. Well, we had hardly any groceries in the house and every place in town that sold food was closed. So, for supper on Christmas Eve Harper and I shared a frozen Weight Watchers meal and Adam had to fend for himself at work. Wait, it gets better. Our Christmas dinner was Kraft Macaroni and Cheese :) But we didn't mind - we had our fair share of food and Christmas goodies the week prior.

Adam had to work Christmas Eve, so Harper and I hung out by ourselves. We watched Christmas movies on TV and we made sure to Read 'The Night Before Christmas' before she went to bed. Adam also had to work on Christmas day, so we just bummed around in our pajamas all day - it was actually kind of nice to relax.

Harper was very excited to see that Santa had visited our house. She was shocked to see that Santa had ate the cookies and milk that she had left out. She loved her presents - I think she was actually sick of opening presents because she was pretty much just going through the motions of opening gifts - wasn't really paying attention. She was more interested in playing with the puzzles that Santa brought her!


Harper with her toys from mom/dad and Santa: 4 wooden puzzles, Mrs. Potato Head, 2 books, watercolor paint book, Home Alone, Hawkeye hooded sweatshirt, baby doll, Elmo slippers, hooded bath towel, candy, toothbrush/toothpaste, and a sippy cup

Opening up her stocking - she is just noticing that she has "Kevin" (Home Alone) in there!


As for Adam and I, we didn't exchange gifts this year. We haven't really bought each other gifts for awhile now - we usually just go on a date or something. However, we did receive some excellent gifts from our families. I think we got almost everything off our lists - thank you again to everyone for a great Christmas! We love you all.

Now that Christmas is behind us, we wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!

Christmas #2

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We spent Friday (12/23) at my parents' house and celebrated with my mom's family in the evening. We woke up on the 24th and exchanged gifts with everyone. I know Christmas isn't about presents, but when you have a 2-year-old, it seems as if that is the only thing she can understand. Once again, she loves handing out presents, as well as opening her own.

She liked helping mommy and daddy open gifts too. Thank you Mom & Dad our my canvas wrap of our little family!

A few of my favorite people: Kaitlyn (Michael's gf), Michael, Harper & Brett

Do you think she likes being center of attention?!

Once again, Harper got SPOILED! List of goods: coloring book, doll, baby carrier, candy, doll house with additional accessories, 2 ornaments, hooded sweatshirt, jeggings, little baby with nursing items, toy school bus, Barney & Dora stickers, Minnie Mouse & Dora socks, and a princess tent!

Check back tomorrow for a Christmas post about just the 3 of us. I hope you all are enjoying this special holiday!

Christmas #1

We survived our first Christmas of the season! We celebrated with Adam's family last weekend. It was a great time - LOTS of yummy food and a lot of laughs and lounging around as a family. Each family was responsible for making a soup, bread of some sort, and an appetizer or dessert. I made mushroom and wild rice soup, garlic bread, pickle roll dip, and Oreo balls. I was miserable by the end of the night!

Harper got totally spoiled - as I predicted! She enjoyed handing out the gifts just as much as she did opening them. Here is a picture of Harper with all of her goods....this is just from Adam's side!

Harper received: baby pack-n-play, Elmo puzzle, wooden rocking chair, PJ's, jeans, Hawkeye stocking hat, little doll figurines, 2 babies, diapers for her babies, sweatsuit outfit, slippers, Jingle All The Way book/dog, chap stick, candy, baby gear (stroller, play mat, swing, high chair).

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I think we need a bigger toy room! We are heading to my parents house tomorrow for Christmas #2!

I Did It!

It came down to the wire, but I did it. I got all A's this semester, which landed me a 4.0 for the first time in my life! I came close a few times during high school and while I was at UNI, but the idea of earning a 4.0 seemed 'unachievable' to me. I don't know why, I guess I just never pictured myself to be the 'straight A' type.

So now I can check that one off the list!

It was a long semester. Microbiology was not my friend. But I loved my OB/Pediatric nursing class and clinical experience. I think I would like to be an OB nurse when I finish school. (which is only a short 6 months away!)

It's time to move on to my final semester of nursing school! Everyone says it's going to be challenging, yet achievable. Wish me luck!

I would like to give a big THANK YOU to Adam, for supporting me and encouraging me through nursing school. There are days/weeks when I am not physically and/or mentally available as a wife because I have so much school work to do. Thank you for understanding and being patient with me. I love you!

2 and a Quarter

Ok - here is a quarterly update on miss Harper. She is now 27 months - or 2 1/4 years!


Weight:

Diaper Size: I am VERY happy to report that Harper only wears diapers when she is taking a nap or at night, which in that case, she wears size 4. Otherwise, she wears 2T pull-ups and 2T underwear :)

Clothing Size: 24 mo/2T bottoms, 2T/3T tops

Shoe Size: 7

Teeth: Harper's 2-year molars finally made their appearance on the bottom - no evidence of them on the top yet...

Eating: If it were up to Harper, her diet would consist strictly of yogurt, cottage cheese, apple juice, milk (white or chocolate), apples, cheerios, apples, ravioli, ranch (it's a food group in her eyes), m&m's, & chips (any kind). Harper continues to be a pretty brave eater - she tries almost anything and usually likes it.

Sleeping: Harper is still sleeping in her big-girl bed and does pretty good for being 2. There are some nights when she wakes up in the middle of the night and wanders into our bedroom - but we put her right back in her own bed. She stays in her bed 95% of the time and crawls out of bed in the morning to wake us up :) She is still taking one afternoon nap - and goes to be b/w 8:30 and 9:30. She usually wakes up in the 8 o'clock hour.

Speech: Harper can hold a pretty lengthy conversation with us now. She is so smart and picks up on everything we say. I don't even know where to begin. In the past 3 months her speech has grown exponentially. Let's just say that she is a talking machine! Sometimes she gets so excited about what she is trying to say that she stutters a little bit, which is normal.

Favorite Toy: all of her babies and baby blankets

Favorite Activity: coloring, singing, running around the house while we chase her and play hide-and-seek, JUMPING (if she were an animal she would definitely be a rabbit!)

New Things:

• wears a pull-up or underwear during the day and uses the big-girl potty
• sometimes call us Adam or Brooke ???????????
• can drink out of a cup with no lid
• puts on her own shoes
• likes to wash her hands
• LOVES LOVES LOVES Barney
• starting to watch TV - has about a 30 min attention span
• HAS to pick out her own clothes
• very good with manners - please, thank-you, welcome, bless you, excuse me, sorry

I know I am leaving out so much stuff about Harper's development; so much has changed in just a short 3 months since my last update. Everyday with Harper is amazing - we are so blessed to be the parents of such a sweet, silly, and lovable little girl. Our hearts are overflowing with love for her - it's so hard to describe the love that you have for your own child - it's something amazing that we are so thankful that we get to experience.

Video Message from Santa

What is everyone looking at?!

Everyone is watching a video message that was sent to Harper from Santa! This was the perfect way to bring Thanksgiving to a close and start gearing up for Christmas. It is the neatest thing ever; I wish the internet would have been around when I was a child! If you have young children, I highly suggest that you check out the website below and make one for yourself. It's FREE! I'm not sure how long it takes to make, as Harper's Uncle created this for her. Awww! Thanks Brett! That was very thoughtful of you! {Gary and June, you MUST watch this:)}

Harper's Video

Make Your Own

Christmas List

Remember making a Christmas wish list as a child? Spending hours browsing through the toy catalogs and the weekly store ads. We received a toy catalog in the mail last month and Harper has enjoyed flipping through it. I told her to circle the toys that she wanted, knowing that this was totally beyond her cognitive ability. Here is what she came up with:

Looks like she may possibly want Elmo or a guitar....

Or BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell the girl LOVES her babies and all the accessories to go along with it?! You can't make this stuff up - here it is in black and white! I love her! This made my shopping for her (and everyone else that knows her) very easy!

Tree Farm

I have no clue what is going on with Blogger - I can't seem to get my pictures to stay in the correct order. Sorry folks.

Anyways....Adam, Harper and I made our 2nd annual trip to Aldrich Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas Tree. We went on the day after Thanksgiving while the weather was still somewhat 'mild.' We had a great time again this year. Harper really enjoyed herself. I think her favorite part was getting to sit on my lap in the front seat of the truck as we idled through the rows of trees.

Clark Griswold himself.....

Harper and I with our tree!

Happy Harper :)

This is something we forgot do to last year - it will be fun to track her height throughout the years.

Our tree skirt made by my Grandma Betty - isn't it amazing?!

O' Christmas Tree~

See - the pictures are out of order.... cute picture of Harper & Daddy

Christmas is only 23 days away! Time to start Christmas shopping!

Thanksgiving 2011

We hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday. We traveled back 'home' to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner with Adam's family, and a Thanksgiving supper with my family. Needless to say, we were STUFFED! We enjoyed spending time with our families and we are already looking forward to Christmas. Harper had a lot of fun this year; so much fun that she didn't take a nap. She enjoyed running around and playing with her cousins all day. She was SO tired but behaved fairly well. She was asleep within 3 blocks of heading home. I guess she didn't want to miss any action!

Harper with her oldest cousin, Nicole
They both love to color

Harper decided to take a dip in my parents' hot tub - she loved it! It was in the upper 50's on Thanksgiving - so we thought it'd be 'warm' enough for her to get in

My mom and I

Harper and Bump watching her video from Santa

Harper, Uncle Rusty, & Cousin Cody helping break up the bread for the stuffing - a new tradition that has been started with Harper

Upcoming Blogs:

• Christmas Tree
• Christmas List
• Video from Santa
  

Funnies # 4

I'm experiencing some technical difficulties with trying to upload my Thanksgiving pictures to Blogger - so hopefully I'll be able to post a blog about Turkey Day soon. In the mean time....

Whenever we drive past the swimming pool we tell Harper that the pool is closed and that it will open again next summer. Harper has now taken the initiative to voice that pool will open "next summer" on her own. She also says "next summer" when driving by the football field and park as well.

As you may know, we are working on potty training Harper. This has been frustrating because she has NO interest in her potty chair. I asked Harper the other day when she was going to go on the big-girl potty and she replied, "Next summer!"

Let's hope it's before then! Little stinker......

Nursery Rhymes

Harper LOVES to sing. Some of her favorites are: Happy Birthday (which we end up singing to EVERY.PERSON.IN.OUR.FAMILY), Twinkle Twinkle, Itsy Bitsy Spider, ABC's, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Wheels on the Bus, This Old Man, and If You're Happy and You Know It. We are currently trying to spice up our mix with a few Christmas carols :)

We usually sing for a good half hour - let's just say that my voice is sore by the end. No joke!

Here is a video of Harper singing a few of her favorites.

Christmas Cards for $1.49..TOTAL!

Create an account at See Here and get 20 free 4×8 Photo Cards. Choose from holiday, seasonal, designer designs and more.

Use Coupon Code: 25 CARDS at checkout and pay shipping.

Note: To reduce shipping costs, add only 20 cards to your cart – so it will be $1.49.

Black Friday.....I mean, Thursday????

I don't know about you, but I am not fond of the 'Black Friday' shopping/deals beginning on Thursday evening. I think people should enjoy spending time with their families, instead of worrying about their shopping trip.

Maybe I feel this way because I have never gone shopping on Black Friday, so I don't really understand the big deal. Honestly, it does not sound like fun to me. I don't like big crowds when I'm trying to shop, I don't like waiting in line, and I have road rage. Therefor, I don't think Black Friday is for me.

I just cannot believe that some stores are opening up at 10 PM on Thanksgiving and most others opening at midnight. For crying out loud, let the employees and customers enjoy their families! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it is so relaxing hanging out with family, and there is no stress of buying gifts for everyone. It's a day to eat way too much food, maybe drink a little too much wine :), watch football, and bond with family! Sounds like a perfect day to me! I don't need to be pressured into interrupting my day to go shop.

Sorry if you are in favor of the change of Black FRIDAY shopping, I'm sure you'll have a ball. When is enough, enough? Soon we'll be shopping the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.

Check out the story below regarding this debate.


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-friday-backlash-early-openings-112000843.html

Thank You

I know I'm a day late, but Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served the good ole' US of A!

There really are no words that even come close to the thanks and respect I have for the men and women who have served and protected our nation. So I will keep it short and simple and say "Thank You!"

As I was at the store yesterday, I noticed an old man proudly donning his VFW cap and it brought a smile to my face. I planned on thanking him for his service but Harper had other plans. Veterans should feel very proud of their dedication to the US and should show their military pride everyday. And WE should thank them everyday, not just on Veteran's Day or Memorial Day. I thank a Vet every chance I get - whether I'm passing by a Humvee on the interstate or I see a man/woman in their BDU's out in public, I show my respect.

This is one of my favorite commercials of all time! Remember - Veteran's should be thanked everyday, not just one day out of the year!



A special thank you to my favorite vet, my husband! I am so proud of you and honored to be your wife! I love you!

Time for More Pictures

I haven't posted a good photo deal for awhile, so here ya go!

300 prints for $3 (plus S/H)

OR

100 prints for $1 (plus S/H)

Codes: SPOOKY300 or SPOOKY100

Offer good through 11/19.

Halloween 2011

We had so much fun with Halloween this year. Kids make everything better - Harper is at the age where she is just starting to understand what is going on. It's a lot of fun.

On Friday night we carved pumpkins. Harper didn't care for the carving - but she loved staring at the pumpkins when we lit them up. I made a traditional happy face and Adam made an Iowa Hawkeye. The Hawkeye pumpkin was a big hit with a lot of the kids!

Speaking of pumpkins........

Harper had more fun handing out the candy than the actual trick-or-treating. She stood at the door all night and watched the kids walk by. She'd run into the living room and shout "some one's here!" before the kids would even have time to ring the doorbell. Harper would then run back to the door, knock on the glass and wave at the kids. She was not scared one bit. It was fun to watch her interact with everyone.

A little trip down memory lane....

Halloween 2009

Halloween 2010

And here's a funny video for you....make sure your volume is up at the end ;)

Funnies #3

We have already gotten into the holiday spirit in our household by singing Christmas carols. As I was getting Harper ready for bed tonight I started singing "Santa Clause is coming to town." Harper immediately clung to me and buried her head in my shoulder. I asked her what was wrong and she said "I scared." I asked her why and she said "Santa's coming!"

Little does she know that this is a good thing!

Walmart Price Match Policy

Do you realize that Christmas is only 2 months away?!?! I am working on my Christmas list and I am keeping my eye out for coupons and hot deals for items on my list. I want to start buying a few things here and there so I don't have to spend so much money in December, but I am worried that I will be able to get a better deal when the holiday sales start. Walmart has a program that will help me ease my worries - the holiday price guarantee program.

Walmart Price Match Policy

Wal-Mart has announced a holiday price guarantee program.

The price guarantee program is good on purchases made November 1st through December 25th that are available at a competitor’s store within the same local market. Under the Christmas Price Match program, Walmart will offer shoppers a refund on the difference if they find the same product they purchased at a Wal-Mart store advertised for a lower price elsewhere.

To get a gift card for the difference, customers must bring in their original receipt and the local competitor’s printed ad before December 25th . Items placed on Walmart layaway are also eligible for the Christmas price guarantee.

The offer excludes Black Friday ads and Internet pricing, among other restrictions.

HAPPY SHOPPING :)

Bye Bye Crib

Adam and I decided that it was time for Harper to move out of her crib and into a big bed. We had no real reasons other than Adam's sister gave us a twin bed that they weren't using and it was being stored in our guest room; so we were reminded of the 'bed transition' every day! Harper has never tried to climb out of her crib or has shown any other signs that indicate that she's ready to move into a big bed. She probably would have slept in her crib until she was 5 if we'd let her!

We are on night #2 in the big girl bed and she has been doing well. Harper hasn't tried to get out at all - not even for her afternoon nap today. I'm pleasantly surprised with how smooth the transition has gone so far. However, I realize that the day WILL come when she discovers that she can crawl out of bed and protest sleep! I'm not looking forward to that phase and Adam and I already have talked about our 'parenting actions' when that day does come.

Here are a few pictures of Harper's new room!

No more crib and changing table!

Harper thinks the rug is a blanket and likes to drag it around the house....

Notice the pretty wall decals - they are no longer on the walls because they won't stick to the texture. I am currently trying to use my crafting skills to come up with an alternative...

Next big step = POTTY TRAINING!

Mr. & Mrs. Fritz

10.08.11

Abby and Aaron's big day was last weekend and we had such a good time spending time with everyone. We feel honored to have been able to take part of such an important day of their lives. We wish Abby and Aaron LOVE and HAPPINESS for their future together.

Their wedding day was absolutely beautiful. The weather was gorgeous, the food was delicious (I'm STILL talking about how fabulous the food was!), the bride and groom were relaxed and the wedding party had a fun time together. Abby did a great job with all of the wedding details - everything was stunning!

Our little family :)

Do you think Harper is tired?!

The Happy Newlyweds

Harper did a fantastic job being a flower girl, considering she just turned 2! She walked down the aisle like a big girl without crying. Harper actually walked very slow and stopped to smile at everyone. It was adorable. She actually walked to slow that the song ended and I had to meet her at the end of the aisle to encourage her to speed up! We were all so proud of her! She was rewarded with a trip to the swimming pool after the wedding. We made sure to bribe her all day with the swimming pool :)

Congrats Abby and Aaron!!!

Movin' On Up!

I know this is old news to some of you - but now that Harper is 2 she has moved out of the nursery and in with the older kids. The 'big move' had been weighing on our minds a few months before Harper's 2nd birthday. You see, Harper is rather shy and doesn't always handle change well. Harper (and both Adam and I) LOVED her care providers in the nursery and they took great care of her. Harper became rather accustomed to a particular lady named Sandy. The director of the daycare had planned on Sandy working out in the big area when Harper turned 2 in hopes of making the transition easier on her. However, much to EVERYONE'S surprise - Harper adapted wonderfully out of the nursery and no extra guidance was needed! We all were proud of her. We still continue to get great reports when we pick Harper up from daycare. The director told us that she is so proud of Harper and that she is much more outgoing than what we give her credit for. We are so blessed to have such a great daycare - everyone has gone out of their way to make sure Harper is enjoying herself.

I can't believe how much Harper has learned at daycare in the past month; she comes home everyday saying new words. Every morning they teach the 2 and 3 year olds a simple curriculum of shapes, numbers, colors, etc. Harper has also started to make arts and crafts and will get to participate in the Christmas program this year!

Needless to say, we are very happy with our daycare and most importantly, Harper enjoys it too!

Harper standing in front of her very own locker

NERLIEN!!!

Harper now knows her last name....

Abby's Getting Married

September 24, 2011

Last weekend I went to Des Moines to help my friend Abby celebrate her bachelorette party. Abby and I have been friends since 7th grade, which has been 15 years!!! That seams so weird to think about - she is one of the few friends I have remained close with since high school and I am so thankful for her. She is a great friend to have!

We started the night at Americana, for a lingerie shower, dinner and drinks. Then we head to the Funny Bone Comedy Club and got in quite a few laughs. The headliner for the evening was Josh Blue. If you watch 'Last Comic Standing' then you probably know who I am talking about, as he was the winner of one season, and more distinctively - he has Cerebral Palsy. This guys is HILARIOUS - if you ever have any free time, look him up on youtube. However he is much funnier in person compared to the videos I've watched online. After the comedy show, we hit up a bars in West Glen and danced the night away. It was a great girls night out! I can't wait to do it all again this weekend when we celebrate Abby and Aaron's WEDDING!

Me and the Bride-to-Be

The Bride and her 'Maids

Funnies #2

A little background information first: The back windows of Adam's squad car are gated/screened so Ali doesn't try to jump out if the window's are down. Harper likes to help Adam put Ali in the squad car before they go to work, and then we peek in at Ali through the little holes in the window.

Earlier this week Harper walked to the front of my car, peeked in the front grill, and said "Hi Ali!" It was hilarious! But I understand her reasoning, the grill of my car and Adam's back windows do look a lot alike.

School Update

I can't believe that I've already been in school for one month so far this semester. It is definitely going by fast like I hoped. My nursing class this semester is 'Maternal and Child Health Care', and as the name implies, we are learning how to provide nursing care for pregnancy, labor/delivery, newborns, and pediatrics. I am really enjoying the class and clinicals. Today I got to see my first delivery and it was awesome!!! The past 3 weeks I have had plenty of opportunities to provide postpartum and newborn care. (and cuddle babies!)

After 4 weeks, I am still getting an 'A' in both of my classes, my nursing class and microbiology. I spend A LOT of time in class/clinicals. Last night I added up my time and I spend 26 hours in school/clinicals and another 4-5 hours driving, making 30 hours spent away from home each week. I understand that this is going to happen when I get a 'real' job, but on top of my 30 hours, I still have to do homework/study, housework, spend time with my family, work, and find time for myself every once in awhile. I am exhausted by the end of the week, but I know it will all be worth it in the end!

So now you know why I don't blog very often! But I do have a few other posts coming this week so check back soon.

Loaded "Baked Potato" Salad recipe

I tried a new recipe out for Harper's Birthday party and it was A.MA.ZING! My mom has already asked me for the recipe - so here it is. I highly suggest that everyone try this at some point!! Click on the link below.

Loaded "Baked Potato" Salad recipe

A few party pics

Once I upload pictures to facebook, I tend not to upload them to blogger because most of my blog followers are also my facebook friends - so I feel like I'm wasting my time. BUT...one of my main reasons for this blog is to document of our lives - so I guess I should write a little something about Harper's 2nd Birthday.

Well, the theme for the party was SCHOOL BUSES! Pretty creative, right?! I wanted to have a party that Harper would enjoy and right now one of her favorite things to do is watch the school buses go by our house every morning and afternoon.

I made my own pale yellow school bus invitations, with black and white polka dot accents. I also made Harper her very own school bus shirt to wear to her party. The shirt resembled the invitations.

We had 21 guests at the party - all family of course. It turned out to be a beautiful day - 85 degrees and sunny! After lunch, Harper opened up her presents. She got some great things, including: colors, markers, coloring books, chalk, Dora tricycle, Little People school bus, underwear, socks, clothes, Dora swimming doll, Dora guitar, Barney DVD, baby, money, treats, school bus picture frame, wooden puzzle cube, bubbles, school bus purse, books, Radio Flyer tricycle and a GiggleBellies DVD.

After presents we had a very special surprise planned for Harper - her very own bus ride!!! I contacted the school district's bus coordinator and asked if he would give us a quick ride around town for Harper's birthday, and he was more than happy to do so. Harper had a BLAST - she smiled the entire time - which was about 15 minutes or so. As soon as we got off the bus she said "more!" She is still talking about the bus ride.

After the bus ride we went inside for cake and ice cream. I attempted to make a school bus cake, but it didn't' turn out so hot! It's the thought that counts, right?!

We had such a great day with our family! We are so blessed to have family so close to our home. Thank you all for making Harper's 2nd birthday memorable for us all! Harper had a blast! It was a very busy day for her - she passed out during supper and didn't wake up until 8:00 the next morning!

24 months

I think this is going to be my last 'monthly update' on Harper. Although she learns new stuff each month, it seems less interesting as compared to the earlier months when she was reaching bigger milestones like sitting, crawling, etc. I will probably do an update in 6 months.

Today Harper had her 2-year well child check and she did fantastic. Dr.Nagel was very impressed with her behavior and suggested that I reward her with a treat when we got home. But instead of a treat, Harper wanted to go to the library! So we went to the library and read books, played with puzzles and practiced drinking out of the water fountain.

Weight: 27.9 lbs (+.9 lbs) b/w 50th and 75th percentile

Height: 35 1/2 " (95th percentile)

I can't remember her head circumference, I think around 18" - 50th percentile

Diaper Size: 4

Clothing Size: 24 mo bottoms, 2T tops

Shoe Size: 6/7

Teeth: Harper's 2-year molars are DEFINITELY trying to make an appearance - the girls has been constantly chewing on her fingers for the past few weeks

Eating: nothing new to report - maybe a smaller appetite related to her poor gums. Dr.Nagel told me today that Harper can start drinking 1% milk now, and to limit her apple juice to 1 glass a day. Adam and I decided that Harper will drink milk with all meals, water before bed, and apple juice for a morning OR afternoon snack.

Sleeping: nothing new to report. Even with her teeth trying to break through, she has been sleeping 11-13 hours each night. As I hoped, Harper's bedtime has moved back up to the 8 o'clock hour on most nights and she is sleeping in her own bed again. We were given a twin bed set, so I think we will be transitioning Harper to a big girl bed in the next coming months. (don't worry - you know I'll make a blog about it!)

Speech: Too many words to list. She surprises us with new words each day. For example, today she saw Adam get out the coffee maker and said "coffee!" and during supper I wanted Harper to take a bite of her macaroni salad and she said "I taste it." A few of our favorite phrases right now are:

• "I hold you" - she says this to her babies or to us if she wants to be held
• "Shake your booty" (sounds like "shake your boy!")
• "Sit up!" - she says this when Adam or I trying take a snooze on the couch
• Nationwide is "ON YOUR SIDE." - she likes the Nationwide commercials on TV
• "Awesome!"
• "Touchdown!" - anytime she sees football on TV she yells touchdown

Favorite Toy: new baby that she got for her birthday - it laughs, cries, says "momma" and makes suckling noises she you feed her. Harper named her baby 'Sandy.'

Favorite Activity: playing outside - riding on her new bikes or playing with Ali, she still enjoys playing with her babies, reading books, and coloring

New Things:

• is officially out of the nursery at daycare :( She is now with the big kids - she did great during her first 2 days there - didn't cry!
• can count to 12
• recognizes a few of her numbers (4, 9, 10) - Thanks Adam - I had NO part in teaching her these
• is obsessed with our neighbor boy - they usually play together a few times/week

*Birthday pictures/video coming soon

*how-to-video coming soon

*recipe coming soon (you don't want to miss this one!)

Note to Harper

Dear Harper,

Yesterday you celebrated your second year of life. And what a year it has been!

In the past year, you have learned how to feed yourself, run, jump and do somersaults, count to 10, brush your teeth, sing all the verses to 'The Wheels on the Bus', and so much more.

In the past year, you have grown to love taking care of your babies, coloring, swimming, spending time outside, playing with Ali, school buses, watching Elmo, Dora and Mickey Mouse, Wheel of Fortune, and America's Funniest Videos.

In the past year, you have enjoyed trying lots of new foods. Your consistent favorites have been apple juice, yogurt, cottage cheese, apples, and goldfish.

In the past year, you have become very shy around stranger, but very rambunctious at home with your mommy and daddy! The best words to describe your personality are funny, curious, attentive, and affectionate.

In the past year, you have gained 6 pounds, 2 shoe sizes, 2 clothing sizes, and 1 diaper size.

In the past year, you have gotten to know you family members very well. You love spending time with both sides of your family. You love to look at pictures of everyone and point everyone out and say their names. You are a very lucky little girl to have your entire extended family only an hour away. Your family loves you more than you will ever know.

In the past year, you have made your Mommy and Daddy the happiest people on this Earth. You have filled their lives with laughter, love, happiness, and a sense of peace in this crazy life that we all live in. You will never understand the importance of a simple smile and "Hi Mommy!" or a hug and "Wrestle Daddy!" You are the air that your Mommy and Daddy breath. Life seams unimaginable without you in it.

Harper, we are looking forward to what this next year of life brings to all of us. You are such a good little girl and you bring happiness to all of those around you. Our love for you is unconditional and grows each and every day. I never knew how big my heart was until you were born. I hope this next year brings you happiness. As long as you are happy, your mommy and daddy are happy too. Thank your for being the best daughter that we ever could have asked for.

Happy 2nd Birthday Harper Marie!

Love Always,

Mom and Dad

Funnies #1

Harper is beginning to talk a lot lately and picks up on almost everything we say. She has said some pretty funny things in the past few days. I want to write them down before I forget. So it looks like I'll be starting a blog series of 'Funnies.'

1. Brooke: Harper, what kind of pizza do you want?

Harper: Purple

2. Brooke: Let me pull up your pants.

Harper: Britches falling down!

3. Brooke: These bubbles reek like popcorn oil.

Harper: Reek...popcorn!

Brooke: What do they smell like?

Harper: Poop!

Best Friends

Here is a sweet video of Harper and Ali showing their love for one another :)

These two have really taken a liking to each other this summer. I love watching them 'play' together.

I am afraid of dogs, so I am amazed at Harper's courage while around Ali. Harper has never shown any fear around Ali.

I love that I trust Ali 100%. I know that Ali would never do anything to hurt Harper. Now Harper on the other hand....I think she gets a little rough with Ali by wanting to point out her eyes and ears while she gouges her little fingers in Ali's face. None the less, Ali takes it; after giving Adam a "help me!" look.

Harper also likes to boss Ali around ;)

I never thought I'd say it, but I am happy that Adam has brought Ali into our 'family.' (But don't get your hopes up, we will NEVER have an indoor pet.....EVER!)

Planking

Planking or the lying down game is an activity consisting of lying face down in an unusual or incongruous location. The hands must touch the sides of the body and having a photograph of the participant taken and posted on the Internet is an integral part of the game. Players compete to find the most unusual and original location in which to play.

Example A:

Example B:

Example C:
Yes, people, this planking fad is 100% real. Google it!

Girls Day

Harper and I had a fun 'girls day' with each other today. It was my only day off this week, so I took full advantage of spending time with Harper. Here are a few fun things we did:

• Walked to the library - Harper played with puzzles, pulled a few books of the shelves, and played with the gigantic horse stuffed animal, while I read the newspaper. A trip to the library wouldn't be complete without a {long} pit stop at the drinking fountain (the girls loves them!)
• Stopped at the post office - Harper loves to mail things - she pulls down the little door, drops one piece of mail in, and then shuts the door. This process gets repeated for every piece of mail. Once all the mail is in the box, she wants "more!"
• Ordered Chinese take out for lunch! I ordered chicken and broccoli, knowing that Harper would eat every last bite of broccoli, and she did. The kind lady at the restaurant even threw in an extra fortune cookie for Harper so we wouldn't have to share :)
• Took a nap together in 'mommy's bed' while watching the Food Network.
• Painted our toe nails a pretty, shimmery, deep purple
• Smelled all 19 of mommy's Scentsy bars for 5 hours - no joke! I have a major headache! Harper enjoyed stacking them - after smelling each one first. They all "smell good" according to Harper! My new favorite, LUNA!
• Made a trip out to mommy's work to do a few odds and ends - she got to talk to all of mommy's friends and see the fishes!

I love days like today! Just me and my baby girl! She is growing up too quickly. I start school next Thursday and know that days like today will be few and far between. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I know mine is off to a great start!

Mini Oreo Surprise Cupcakes

I made these to take to work today. Easy and oh so yummy! They look very fancy - everyone will think you slaved over these. It's okay to let them think that :)

Mini Oreo Surprise Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 egg

2 TBS sugar

48 mini Oreo cookies

1 1/2 cups whipped topping

Directions: Prepare cake batter as directed on box. Mix cream cheese, egg, and sugar until well blended. Spoon half the cake batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Top each with about 1 1/2 tsp cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie; cover with remaining cake batter.

Bake 19-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks. Cool completely.

Frost with whipped topping and remaining cookies. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days.

(Our grocery store doesn't carry the mini Oreos so I bought the regular size and broke them in half)

Pony Tail

Look who finally looks like a little girl....

Why didn't I do this sooner?! Harper looks so cute! Oh I remember - she never sits still :)