Harper's First: Sledding

We finally got some snow today (this has been the weirdest winter!). Not a whole bunch, but it snowed most of the day and we ended up with a few inches of soft fluffy dry snow. On top of the inch or two we had gotten on Thursday. Enough for sledding and just the right amount for Harper to manage walking in it on her own.

January 21, 2012

She had been playing in the snow at school when they'd go out during the day, so we knew she'd be okay out there. (we're told she mimics the older kids who are trying to make snow angels by laying on her tummy and just wiggling her arms and legs)

We'd never even seen her in her snowsuit yet, and she'd never been sledding, so today was the perfect day for it.

We went over to my mom's house. It's not far from ours so we didn't have to worry about traveling on bad roads. She has a small hill in her yard that was just about the right size. Daddy and Harper went first.

She cries at the bottom for a moment, and Rob yells up that she got snow in her face.

But when we asked her if she wanted to go again she said yes. So then it was Mommy's and Harper's turn to go together.

We rode down in the same track that Daddy and Harper had made and we went pretty fast!

Fast enough that I got a little worried about the trees and brush ahead, and so I stuck my foot out to slow us down. It veered us off to the left.

And I know she looks pretty happy in that last picture, but the truth is that she's crying again. When I stuck my foot in the snow, I totally whitewashed her. (hanging my head in shame) Look at how much snow I cleaned off the sled - all of it landed there after hitting my sweet babe in the face. Ouch.

But she got right back on the sled for the ride up!

And when I asked her if she wanted to go again she said yes! I couldn't believe it after getting a face full of snow! So we set her up on the sled with Daddy and then she started crying. She was done. Two runs were enough for her so we put the sled away.

But she didn't want to go inside yet either, so we let her loose to explore on her own.

snotsicles

And then.... she she called it quits!

A Story In Pictures - Unit Blocks

Her great grandfather Disbrow would love to see her building already.

Christmas Day Recap

To keep with the theme of the last post, here you go:

Christmas Day. Three weeks late.


If you remember, we had been out celebrating with Rob's family on Christmas Eve. Even though we wrapped it up much earlier than we usually do, it was still a very late night for Harper. We debated letting her sleep in on Christmas morning, but then realized that she'd never nap in the afternoon, so we decided to get her up at normal time and hope she'd stick to her usual morning nap before we went to my mom's to celebrate with the whole family.

She looks a little surprised to be photographed so early.

We moved into the living room to see what Santa had brought her. For not wanting anything to do with Santa, she didn't have any problems accepting gifts from him!

Santa brough a Mr. Potato Head. And Mommy had fun with her camera (ooh! bokeh!)

I couldn't believe that Harper had not only the concept but the dexterity to do it mastered in no time.

And she even knew to try the glasses on herself!

And share them with her best friend :)

Santa also brought her an easel and some dry erase crayons.

The whole family was together to enjoy Christmas morning, even super-shy Emmy.

Soon enough Harper started to get sleepy and it was time for her nap. We washed the crayon off her face and tucked her in.

After a nap and a tubby, we headed to Grandma's house to celebrate.

Harper kept herself busy playing with the buckles on her booster seat while she waited for her cousins to arrive.

As soon as they got there she helped Lainie out of her carseat buckled Lainie in over and over again while she slept...

...and played cars with Noah.

We opened stockings,

loved on the little ones,

and exchanged gifts with one another.

(yes, Adam is blowing up a whoopie cushion!)

The toddlers were enjoying Grandpa's stories.

Harper gave Noah a bucket of bristle blocks fr Christmas and they busted into them.

It was Noah's idea to build some train tracks for Thomas.

Just as we had all predicted, there was too much excitement and fun for any one one other than Lainie to get a nap. So we tried to help the toddlers wind down and relax a little. Adam and Noah enjoyed a book together.

And Grandma read Harper's new book to her.

Sweet Lainie snuggled with her uncle.

It was so much fun to see Noah and Harper start to participate and understand what was happening. I can't wait until next year- they'll understand it that much more and Lainie will enjoy it, too! Harper didn't even make it to the end of Grandma's street before she had fallen asleep in the back seat of the car.We had a wonderful two days of celebrating with all of our family.