January with Baby Girl...

Our little one is just about 10 months old.... are we REALLY in the double digits now?!  CRAZY

This month has been pretty quiet, but it has been nice to spend Saturdays just hanging out together- here are a couple moments from that past few weeks:

Girl's Best Friend

a few pets and a little happy music and singing for Harper's very best friend ;)

....and I'm pretty sure Emma doesn't mind the attention either!

The jumper is still pretty good times.... she sits there and watches Bubble Guppies... her all-time favorite show, and dances and claps to the music in her jumper- so cute.... she seems so happy!

Baby girl is trying SO hard to crawl!  The frustration is at an all time high, and THIS is as far as she gets... we get on our hands and knees, do a bit of rocking, and then splat.... face plant and happily roll to our back- ha!

Well, my dad keeps saying... the height of frustration will make the crawling come sooner- and folks, we DEFINITELY have a frustrated girl on our hands!

Thank you, Aaron for the beautiful portrait you sent us.  It totally made my day to receive this smiling face blown up life size for my wall- thank you!!!!!  I can't wait to add other family pictures and Harper artwork around it.

We hope you all have had a wonderful, relaxing, and refreshing start to your new year!!!!

Family

A couple good family moments :) 

Sand between our toes....

This year we were grateful for the invitation to the O'Connell Beach Vacation.... it had been 3 years since we had been together as a family for longer than a day or 2.... what a blessing this year that we were all able to be together- THANK YOU, Mom & Dad for giving us such memorable moments that week...

Harper's first time at the airport!  She did wonderfully- a pacifier and snuggling with Mommy and Daddy make a plane ride wonderful!

Her first moments on the beach:)  She LOVED it- the breeze and the sand between her toes- baby girl was in Heaven :)

Needless to say, after a couple sleepiness nights, occasional throwing up, and just pure yuck we found that our little sweetheart had her first ear infection- times 2!  Double ear infections = antibiotic = no sun exposure at all!  Nana came to the rescue with a beach umbrella... Harper loved her little cabana :)

My AMAZING parents..... thank you for all you do for all of us- WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

poor thing always had to be pretty covered up when it was 80 degrees outside!  She was still in such great spirits!!

My brother, Aaron, and his wonderful girlfriend, Manuela.... THANK YOU for all the wonderful pictures and good times!!!

My sister, Abby, and her boyfriend, Adam.... thank you for all the laughs this week- and Adam, thanks for keeping Pete busy on the beach- he really enjoyed it!

Anna, Manuela, Aaron, me, and Pete 

Anna.... it's KILLING me I don't have a pic of you with Harper!!!  You were truly AMAZING and a lifesaver with her this week!  Thank you for all the bottles, stroller rides, and playdates you had with her that week!!  You are her long lost best friend!

Parasailing!  It was Pete's first time and he seemed to enjoy it!!   

The last sunset of 2011.  

Thank you 2011 for all the blessing, growth, and happiness you brought.  We look forward to 2012.... filled with good health, family, love, and even more wonderful moments:)!!

Harper's First Christmas

Christmas time...

I absolutely LOVE this time of year.  I'm a sucker for tradition, yes, so I was eager to begin those with our baby girl, but it's more than that...

I am more guilty than anyone of filling my time with to-do lists, agendas, and busy-ness.... I always have something I want to accomplish and if it wasn't for my husband FORCING me to slow down a bit, I would just keep on going!  Well, this time of year is so important to me- especially as I get older to realize what the holidays are really all about.  I enjoy the reflection over the past year to thank God for the wonderful blessings in my life, and to slllloooooww down and enjoy the loved ones around me- even if the sink is full of dishes ;).  

"Life isn't about the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away."  I hope you all enjoyed a couple of those this holiday season.

"Oh BLURRY Christmas Tree;)"

Our first year with a tree to sit around this Christmas- again with the traditions, I was excited to sit with Harper opening presents under our family tree for the first time!

First Christmas with Harper at 9 months old = a MAJOR love of tissue paper....

....wish I could have given Santa the heads up- all Harper would like for Christmas is crunchy paper- ha!

Because of her slight obsession with Mommy's iPhone (thank you Nana for introducing Harper to that amazing piece of technology), she received her own (Fischer Price version;)) this Christmas... yep, she's already killed the battery once.... thinking maybe she's not on the right cell phone plan????? ;)

We had another beautiful Christmas Eve at the Lee Residence.  Thank you Aunt Kathy and Uncle Tony for a fun and classic Christmas Eve.... we love you guys so much!!!

Love this picture!  She is absolutely LOVES her Grandma and Grandpa, don't let her face fool you... she's letting her mommy know she is DONE with the dress- it seems my little punkin' is NOT fond of frills ;)

Some time with Great Grandma Lee (in pajamas FINALLY).... Harper was just fascinated to play with her- so cute!

11:30PM ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!

.... someone was just too excited for Santa to come- ha!

Christmas morning... someone was just a little TOO excited to for Santa to come then could barely keep her eyes open in the morning!

Fun times on Christmas morning:)

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa for a special Christmas morning!

HAHAHA!  I get so excited for a fun event to dress up baby girl- she was so stinkin' cute, but her face made me feel like she wasn't so excited about a dress, tights, and fancy shoes!  Thank you sweet girl for letting Mommy dress you up, even though I KNOW you would rather just be "diapering it" ;)

O'Connell Family Christmas

thank you, Mom & Dad for starting the wonderful Christmas traditions a few days early so we could be a part.... you helped make her first Christmas so special- thank you!

She did so well- note to self for next year: remove items from cardboard BEFORE wrapping to prevent frustration of twist ties before she can actually use ;)

Her stocking added to the mantle!!!  Kind of made my day:)

Everything is easier with Nana ;)

Thank you so much to our "Indy family" for helping us to make Harper's Christmas so memorable.  We  wouldn't have spent it any other way and love you all so much.

And to those I didn't get to see, know we were thinking of you and wishing you a blessed holiday season!!!!