Birthday Girl and lil' helper...

Good Morning Two Year Old! 

Ready for school

Harper and Daddy like to climb up the ladder to see if the kitty cat is in the neighbors yard.

Mac 'n' cheese masterpiece...doesn't everyone look better with eyebrows?

Helping me unload Christmas decorations. Note that leftover birthday present ribbon makes a great necklace! 

Harper is super active these days, and so much more of a big girl for sure. We play "itty bitty baby" and she will pretend cry, then we say "nooooooooo! Harper's a big girl! " She'll now say that Claire is an itty bitty baby. Harper is excited to be a big girl, because big girls can run and jump! 

Harper is also really into asking "whatcha doin' Mommy?" over and over and over and over....and also "what's that Mommy/Daddy?"....she has the sweetest little voice, but two or three times would be plenty!

We are counting down the days until baby Claire is here. Just two more days and Harper will be a big sister!!! Mommy is VERY ready! :) 

37 Weeks...and other things

I had a check up with the doctor today, and everything is still great. She was going to have me come for one more visit, but decided it wasn't really necessary. We just said, 'see ya next week!' It's wild to think that I've had my last prenatal visit!

I'm working through Wednesday, then I'll be home for a while. I feel extremely pregnant, i.e. HUGE, and am so ready to have this sweet baby! It's nice that I've got Thanksgiving, the Iron Bowl, and Christmas decorating to distract me until the big day!

Speaking of distraction, I have to mention that my Grandmother had heart surgery at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham today. She was transferred there from the hospital in Winfield last Thursday. It's been a while of getting her stabilized, and waiting for the surgery to be scheduled. But, we are all very thankful that the surgeons were able to fix her faulty heart valve. She's was doing great in recovery-all vitals were good and the heart was beating on it's own at 94 bpm. When I last spoke to Mom around 6:30, she was starting to wake up. They expected her to be off the ventilator by shift change this evening. She will have about 10 days of recovery in the hospital, then on to a rehab center for 3 weeks of follow up. Thanks to all of you that have been praying for her. Please continue to keep her in your prayers because the recovery period is so critical for patients her age. My Grandmother is a fighter, with determination like you've never seen!

Call me hormonal, but I know that there are so many miracles and blessings in life. There is a lot of tough stuff too, but the good things really remind me to be thankful to God for what I have and to enjoy life every day. This Thanksgiving I am so thankful for wonderful family and friends, an amazing husband, one beautiful daughter--and another one on the way. I am thankful that I have a job to be tired from and that I have a house to wish I could keep clean. I am even actually thankful to waddle around, because it means I have a sweet baby in my belly.

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy 2nd Birthday Harper!

Harper's birthday is the 24th, but we celebrated it on Saturday. Leading up to the party, we'd been practicing singing "Happy Birthday to You", then talking about how after singing it would be time for her to blow out the candles. It was so cute when it actually happened because she looked at me like "wow, it's really happening!"

She got such fun presents & enjoyed unwrapping them, too. Thankfully, she had a little help from more experienced cousins Lily and Isabell! Otherwise it might have taken while, since she and Anderson began by tearing off the most microscopic pieces!

I can't believe it's been two years since Ken and I held her in our arms for the first time. She is the most amazing thing we've ever done!

Working so hard on present opening! 

Harper kept Daddy Ray busy helping :)

Part of her teapot set...and you can see some of her new play food in the background! 

Got wheels now! 

36 Weeks!

I had my 36 week check up today & I am perfectly healthy and normal. I say it this way because I've been so uncomfortable and impatient lately, and half-hoping for an early arrival miracle! But alas, I've got no major swelling, my blood pressure is fantastic, and the baby is just the size she should be right now. So, looks like I'm to just be grateful for that and keep myself occupied for the next three weeks!

I have not been very diligent about documenting this pregnancy with photos, so here's one Ken snapped of me on Saturday. I'm 35 weeks and 2 days in the picture.

We are ready for baby at our house! Harper seems to kind of understand that there's a baby in my tummy  & that she will be coming out after her (Harper's) birthday. She sees the little baby clothes and says "Baby C'aire!" I can't wait to see how she reacts to the real deal. I think Harper will be a sweet big sister.

Harper is growing so fast and getting smarter every day. It's just amazing to watch her be such a sponge to knowledge! Her latest favorite thing to do is sing 'Happy Birthday". We've been practicing together, and I think they've done it at school quite a bit at this point. Now she's just not sure about the blowing out the candles part. She says that she wants Anderson to blow them out for her! Guess we'll see! 

Fall!

Gotta love some crunchy leaves!

Happy Halloween Part Two

Harper went trick-or-treating for the first time this year. She was the cutest little Tinkerbell! See for yourself!

When we got back home (after all of 3 houses!) Harper plopped down on the porch and started opening candy! 

If you can't make up your mind, just have both! 

Being tomboy with Daddy!

Gotta throw a girly pose in there too! :)