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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Harper is 6 months

Wow, how time flies! This has been a BIG month for Harper, so many changes since she turned 5 months. Most important one is she is now officially sleeping through the night, WOOHOO! I never minded waking up with her once or twice to nurse but it is nice to get solid sleep (although my "mama clock" still wakes me up around 2, but I am sure that will stop soon).

She is also eating solid foods twice a day. She gets oatmeal for breakfast and a veggie for dinner. Feeding Harper is a very messy and often loud experience, as we can't seem to feed her fast enough and she yells at us, but she will smile from ear to ear when we do "airplane" with the spoon, SO cute! We have tried avocado (not a fan), squash (LOVES IT) and carrots (hates it). I think we will do peas next and maybe revisit avocado. We still breastfeed the rest of the day and it continues to go very well. She loves it and shows no signs of wanting to stop, thank goodness, since I would like to avoid formula completely and make it to one year when we can introduce cow's milk. So far, so good!



Harper has been sitting up unassisted for about 2 weeks now and gets more solid everyday. Now she rarely falls back when looking up or forward when looking down, unless she intends to roll onto her belly. And she is quite the roller! She is ALL over the place and often scrunches her legs up and pushes with her feet, "scooting" herself around.
She loves to jump in her jumperoo, and enjoys sitting on the ground playing with whatever toys Avery doesn't currently want.


We still aren't on much of a schedule with Harper which has proved challenging when leaving her with a babysitter (which we will have done 4 times this month!) as we sort of wing it most days. She does get tired around 8:30 or 9 in the morning but rarely gets a solid nap as we are always out the door doing something with our friends or Stroller Strides. Sometimes she will fall asleep around noon in the car, other days it is not until 2...but we do have a bit of a routine at night. She eats her dinner around 5:30, and will hang out until we are done eating dinner around 6:30. We give the girls a bath, and Harper is generally asleep by 7 or 7:30. Avery gets to stay up playing and reading books until 8.

Another big milestone for Harper this month...she broke through her first tooth!! Avery's first tooth didn't arrive until 8 months, just after we finished nursing. Harper, true to her second-born status, broke her first tooth through 2 months earlier. So far it hasn't affected nursing and it shouldn't as the tongue covers the bottom gum line during proper latch, but she is sticking her tongue out over it more often which is very cute. In this pic (taken today, 11/14/12) it looks like the one just next to it will pop through soon as well. She hasn't been extra fussy or seem to be in pain, just tired and very oral as always.
 
I swear, I truly didn't think it was possible to love TWO babies as much as I do, but Harper sure does have a special place in my heart and I simply cannot get enough of her these days. She is just the cutest, sweetest, funniest little baby and I am more in love with her with every day that passes.
 
 
 
 


Thursday, November 1, 2012

All things Halloween!

While one of my least favorite holidays, this Halloween I was really looking forward to dressing my girls up in matching costumes and taking Avery trick or treating around our neighborhood.
The festivities began on the Saturday before Halloween, when we went to Halloween on Elm in downtown Carlsbad. It is an entirely free festival with all the businesses offering candy to trick or treaters, balloon animal-makers, face painters, bounce houses, slides, crafts, drawings and a costume contest. The downside of free festivals are the CROWDS! But Avery seemed to get the concept of trick or treating better than last year, though she wanted to sit down and eat every piece of candy as she received it...
On Halloween day, we had a big party with my amazing playgroup at our house. We had a great turn-out and the kiddos looked adorable, of course. I got to try a few fun Pinterest party snacks and everyone had a great time!

 
Monster mouths
(apples with peanut butter and almond slices)

"Pumpkin" rice krispie treats

Monster yogurt cups
(tinted vanilla yogurt with mini choco chips on top)
 
15 kids in this pic and there were at least 5 not pictured...

Avery checking out Kathleen's awesome beekeeper costume
(with her bumblebee Rhys in the background!)

Ref Connor playing at the sand table

Some of us moms

"Katy Perry" jumping on the trampoline with Avery, Connor and Karsen

My sweet cupcakes!!
 
Later that night we went to our friends the Labrums house for dinner and treats, then trick or treated all the way home! Avery didn't get to bed until almost 9 and we didn't get to bed until after 11.
What an exhausting but fun day! I think the older the girls get the more "into" this holiday we will become. :)
 
Until next year...