Nine Months

Can you even believe it? 

We kicked off this month by spending a week with Mimi and Doc in Virginia! You were a real trooper on the 10 hour car ride. Go you! We also got to spend lots of quality time with Aunt Mary Beth, Uncle Caleb, and Ava. Such fun! We celebrated our Gilbert family Christmas and you walked away with your own special chair (that Ava wanted to sit in!!) and lots more new toys. As you can see in this picture we were SO happy to all be together!

We also spent a good bit of time just enjoying snuggles and family. 

 Grandpa Doc wanted to pout about the picture like the little girls were doing! 

Hanging out with Ava and Auntie Mary Beth! 

We welcomed the new year before we left-where is the time going?!? You also tried some puffs and, of course, loved the sweet potato flavor. You are up to 16.6 lbs. and 26 1/2 inches (we think the measurement was off last month). You closed out the month with a double ear infection and a case of bronchiolitis. It was not fun for any of us :( But we were glad we got you to the doctor early in the week because the day before you officially turned 9 months old, you were baptized! 

January 24 was a beautiful day of celebration! We even got to sneak in some extra time with Mimi and Doc who came to town for the special occasion. We are thankful for the gift God has given us in trusting us to be your parents. We are thankful for the wonderful community of faith that watched as you were baptized and vowed to help us grow you up in the love and grace of the Kingdom of God. You are SO very loved. 

Eight Months

Month eight has been a fun one! During the past 30 days you've had your first round of winter holidays. We celebrated Thanksgiving on your seven month birthday and Christmas on your eight month birthday! 

You are growing, growing and are up to about 17lbs or so now and definitely getting longer by the minute. Your feet can almost reach the floor in the exersaucer. Still only have the two teeth on the bottom but seem to be thinking about the others every now and then. You still love sweet potatoes-they are by far your favorite food! And you definitely enjoy talking and this month you learned to clap. You are a marvelous clapper! 

We tried to soak up the season this year and introduce you to all of the fun things that Thanksgiving and Christmas bring. We spent lots of time with family and ate lots of yummy food. We visited Zoolights Safari to get in the Christmas spirit and you loved all of the lights. 

 We also took you for your first visit with Santa. You weren't quite sure what to make of that crazy old man with the beard but you didn't hate him :)

We made cookies for our friends, you learned about Hanukkah at school, you loved playing with your Little People nativity, and enjoyed all of the extra time with the people we love most. Christmas Eve was extra fun with you around-after a yummy meal at Bebe and Pops' we headed for a special service at church and ended the evening by reading the Christmas story and Twas the Night Before Christmas together on the bed. 

Christmas morning was full of toys and laughter! Look at all of those goodies Santa left! 

After some time playing at home, we loaded up and headed to Bebe and Pops' house. What fun we had (until the storms rolled in). We made it home safely (and snagged your 8 month picture at the top super quickly before it really turned bad) knowing that storms were on the way. It was a strange ending to Christmas as we spent a good 30 minutes in the closet hoping for no tornadoes. Thankful to be safe but we spent the rest of the night without power. We definitely won't forget your first Christmas any time soon! 

Seven Months

Growing like a weed. You officially broke your first two teeth over the past month. You weathered your first ear infection (we didn't even know you had one until we took you in for your 6 month check up). You still talk ALL the time and when you get a case of the giggles you just lose it! You love to chew on your teethers (and anything else really). You are very interested in iphones and remotes (don't worry Xmas is coming, maybe you'll get your own). 

You celebrated your first Halloween and were the cutest strawberry I've ever seen!

We are working on finding new foods to try and eat. Mostly you like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and avocado. It's a work in progress. 

What a joy you are Harper! Thank you for making life more fun! 

Six Months

 

Half a year already! Where does the time go?!?!

This month has been a big one for you. You are up to 15lbs 13oz and 26 1/2 inches long.

You have really found your voice--you LOVE to talk. Every time I pick you up at daycare the teachers tell me just how chatty you have been. I love it! You are also really beginning to master some of that hand-eye coordination. You can grab and hold on to your paci and even get it to your own mouth (hallelujah!). You are sitting up on your own and sleeping through the night like a champ. You love eating oatmeal in the mornings and at lunch (though I can't seem to get you interested in any other foods just yet--no apples, no pears, no squash, nothing). 

You still love Lennon and think she's hilarious. You are also beginning to really be interested in toys--you can grab onto them and sling them around in the air! 

Your hair continues to be some of the best looking 6 month hair I've ever seen and your personality is just a delight! We love you SO much! 

Five Months

Another month has come and gone! In our unofficial weighing at home you came in around 14lbs 7oz! You are growing like a weed and beginning to really plump up...sweet little baby rolls on your legs and arms. 

This month you took your first vacation with us to the beach! We even took Lennon along for the ride. You loved the water but mostly just took naps in the warm sun in our laps while we read books and enjoyed the sound of the ocean. You also loved the swing on the beach--we'll need to get you a swing at home I think! 

Your toes finally found their way to your mouth. Well most anything eventually finds its way to your mouth these days :) You are drooling up a storm and watching intently when we eat in front of you (soon, baby, soon!). You love to feel everything--you open your little palm and scratch your fingers across anything that comes your way--books, the couch, your sheets, your clothes, everything. We also discovered that you are a tummy sleeper--once we flipped you on your belly (after coming in several nights where you were arching your back and head like you wanted to flip) you sleep like a champ (usually). 

You continue to be such a happy little bug and we just love watching your personality continue to emerge. You are a little charmer and have the sweetest smile when people talk to you. We love you more and more with each passing day! 

Four Months

We've made it to month four! What a fun month it's been! You are up to 13 lbs 10.5 oz in weight and are 24 inches long. You toughed it out through your 2nd round of shots and are a good, strong, and healthy little girl. And your hair? More awesome than ever! 

This month you started at the Discovery School at Temple Emanu-El and so far you love it there! You love taking rides in the Bye Bye Buggy and sitting up in the Bumbo seat for Circle Time. It's been great for you to meet other friends and begin to develop all of your skills and abilities. You come home SO tired because your brain is learning and growing so much every day. 

You really are a happy and good baby. You spent one week this month with Mimi as she helped us with the gap before day care started. And you also spent some time with Bebe and Pops who helped us when we had other things to do that weren't baby-friendly. You love to talk and grab your toes. You are working really hard to roll over--any day now! You still love to be on your piano play mat--you love to grab all of the toys. (You've become quite grabby now that you realize you can do it!) We also bought a jumper seat for the doorway--though you haven't quite figured it out yet, you do love to be upright and seeing the world around you. Lennon thinks your scary in there and barks at you but you just think she's funny! :) We love hearing your laugh--best part of any day! 

We love you so much little girl and are loving watching your personality begin to shine through! 

Three Months

Three whole months! Each day is more and more fun as Harper's personality begins to emerge. These days she loves to talk--to her toys, to us, to anyone or anything that will listen really! She smiles often and is working really hard to giggle and laugh. It's my favorite part of the day to come home and hear her sweet voice and giggles. She is drooling up a storm and we think beginning to feel the early stages of teething as she is constantly putting her fingers to her gums. 

She weighs 12lbs 5oz and her hair grows more full and poofy by the day! I love it and love putting bows on that full head of hair. We were loaned a piano play mat this month and Harper loves to kick at the piano and pull at the animals. She is really learning to grab on to things and wanting to sit up on her own. She is working towards rolling over but not quite there yet. 

I survived my first few weeks back to work and Matt enjoyed some dad time with Harper. Together they've learned how to master bottle feeding and are working to prepare her for the shift to daycare in only a few short weeks. She has also made the switch to her crib at night and, just like her mommy, Harper loves to sleep! She will often go from about 8:30pm-4:00am and then go back to sleep until I wake her at 7:30am or so. Yay! 

Harper what a joy you are to watch grow and learn! You are loved!