Sunday, January 31, 2016

#Snowzilla....

There is just something about us having an infant that brings about blizzards. Back in 2010 we had a huge one when Adam was just a baby and sure enough, we just came out of an even bigger one with baby Harper in attendance. Last weekend we got about 30 inches of snow at our house, others nearby saw over 3 feet (I'm looking at you Grandma, Grandpa, Ommy & Poppy!) 





Luckily the weathermen nailed this one on the head so we had plenty of warning and lots of time to prepare. Part of our preparations was gathering up Mark & Kathleen and bringing them over to ride out the storm with us. Our fridge and pantry was full, snow shovels & sleds out and ready, electronics charged, flashlights prepped, and of course the wine and beer was on ice. 

The snow started Friday afternoon and didn't stop until late Saturday evening. I took a few pictures throughout the storm from my office window just to compare - it really was a winter wonderland! 




Happily we never lost electricity, which was even more joyous as it meant we were able to make good use of our new electric snow shovel. With four adults in the house we were able to take turns shoveling throughout the storm which made for easier work of it. 


Indoors there was game playing, brick building, coloring (for adults - a new obsession), naps and of course - a naked snow angel for Adam - he was brave and then he was freezing, ha! 









Adam was in heaven and surprisingly so were the dogs. Somehow we managed to keep track of all of them in the deep snow! 






Once the storm stopped and the sun came out we were able to really enjoy the beauty of it all. Our neighborhood does a great job of clearing the walking paths, sometimes even before the roads are cleared, so we all took the opportunity to stretch our legs on a family walk. It was also Harper's first time checking out that white stuff - he found the storm tiring so mostly he just slept through it, ha. 








An epic storm which led to a week of no school - thank goodness for neighborhood friends who spent time playing with Adam. 


We survived though I'm told there could be another big storm coming soon - guess we better gear up for round two! 

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Brothers...

I am just loving seeing our boys interact and spending time together. Harper's face just lights up when he sees Adam. Adam can always get Harper to stop fussing, whether he picks up a book to read to him, hands him a toy, puts his sock back on for him, or does a silly dance, Adam just knows how to calm him down, and even better these days, how to elicit some giggles. I can't wait to continue watching this relationship grow - and yes, I know it won't always been rainbows and butterflies, so I'm going to soak up these loving and sweet moments while I can.




Happy 1st Birthday Sadie!

Our Sadie Lady turned 1 on January 8th. She really has been a fun addition to our crew. She's playful yet loves to cuddle. She's a bit of a spaz, but I think that's still the puppy in her. Liddy is definitely her best friend - she'd play with her all day if Liddy let her. Of course the best thing about Sadie is how much she loves Adam. She sleeps in his bed every night and gets so excited when the bus arrives and Adam comes back home. Sadie is also sweet and gentle with Harper - no doubt she'll be conflicted on where to sleep at night once Harper is in a bed. Sweet Sadie Lady, we love you! Happy birthday!!






Friends & Family Reunion....

We had a post-holiday gathering with our lifelong friends, the Powers, at Ami and Byron's house. It was long overdue, especially since we'd added two new members to the crew since our last get together - Harper of course, and Abby's new baby, Avery. Harper and Avery were supposed to be about 7 days apart, but well, you know the story. It was so cute getting them together. Abby and I were inseparable as kids, and while these two won't have the benefit of living down the street from each other, I'm hopeful they'll still be great friends!








Meanwhile, Adam was a king among queens that evening. :)



Friday, January 29, 2016

Harper at 4 months...

I remember the 4 month mark being a big one for Adam as it was when he really started sleeping better, interacting more and engaging with us - smiles, coos - those kinds of things. As the 4 month mark approached for Harper I was cautious not to get too excited that we might start turning that same corner with him as I'm fully aware that while he's 4 months on paper, he really would only be hitting the 2 month mark for his adjusted age. Of course Harper, as per usual, has knocked our socks off with his ability to beat the odds and he has proven that not only is he 4 months on paper, he's also acting a whole lot like a real 4 month old. Hooray! 

We've been thickening his feeds with some rice cereal which not only has his reflux under control, but he's also sleeping so much better - and in his own room - and he's gaining weight like a champ! He was 10 pounds 3 ounces at his 4 month check-up and one week later was 10 pounds 13 ounces! He's gaining on Adam who was 13 pounds at his 4 month check up - whereas before they seemed to always be 4 pounds apart. Big boy! He's also fitting into 3-6 month clothes which means he is finally in some of Adam's (& Andy's!) hand me downs - so cute. 






The reflux issues being under control have also meant we are seeing a much happier awake Harper. Hallelujah! He will actually sit in his little bouncy chair, interact with the toys on it, smile and hang out for 30 or more minutes. This has been such a big turning point! 

His sleeping better can also be attributed to the Rock 'n Play that we finally bought - what took us so long?! The positioning really helps as he's at an angle and we don't even have to turn it on to have it rock him. 



His smiles are to die for and he's passing them out left and right. 






His 4 month cakes was supposed to resemble the New Year's Eve ball - suppose that was a better idea in theory, but a festive and delicious cake none the less. 





A happy 4 month mark indeed!