The Twelve Days of Christmas

We've had a crazy quick Christmas season in the Wentz house. Over the last few weeks, we've seen Santa twice (no tears either time), Harper and I flew back to Memphis for a quick pre-Christmas visit and we had three wonderful Christmas celebrations with all Harper's grandparents, aunts and uncles. Somewhere in the mix we put up her first tree, played with friends new and old, baked cookies, wrapped presents and even managed to mail a few Christmas cards (my apologies if you didn't receive one....hit a bit of a snag in the remembering to stamp the cards department). It's been a whirl and I keep having to look at the photos to prove we've done all that we have!

3 Months

Harper is just over 3 months old. You hear new parents talk constantly about how difficult it is to get a handle on how fast their kids are growing. Elizabeth and I get it, to an extent, but 3 months have passed on the calender just as they always do so I can't say it's all that hard to believe.

Harper's doing well. She's recently discovered her feet, which is certainly an entertaining site to behold. It's like watching her watch a tennis match. She checks out her left foot, checks out her right, goes back to the left, back to the right and so on. It's solid amusement for us for a good 48 seconds or so.

I personally get more amusement from her ability to fake sleep. I'll preface by saying it takes Harper an eternity to wake up in the morning - she acts like she's been hibernating for the winter. Anyway, when we walk into her room in the morning after she's been rustling around (attempting to come out of hibernation), we'll peek over the crib to see her eyes open. The minute she sees us - BAM, eyes are shut and she's "asleep." It's funny to watch. Then she'll peeeek and if we're still there, BAM, shut again. So just to give it one more try to see if she's playing games or not, this morning she was "asleep" and the minute I started talking to her she started grinning from ear to ear and then, miraculously, she was wide awake. Whatever.

A turkey for you and a turkey for me...

What can I say, holidays are meant for dressing up.....

Thanksgiving week photos

Walking in Memphis...

Harper's had quite a week. Last Friday she and I waved goodbye to Robbie and started on a little early Thanksgiving mother-daughter adventure (photos to come as soon as I get Robbie to download them)

The first "first" of the week was Harper's first flight. I was really nervous to take an 11 week old on a plane by myself, but she did great of course. I'd had serious nightmares of a screaming baby 10,000 feet up and approached the airport with sweaty palms and a diaper bag overflowing with baby gear. To my surprise, I discovered that flying with a teeny one is as close to traveling with a celebrity as I'm likely to get (and her cute traveling duds probably didn't hurt either) The good folks at Delta gave us rockstar treatment from arrival until we de-planed in Memphis - zipping us right through security, helping with the stroller, even letting me sneak into the Crown Room. In fact, I'd be tempted to borrow a baby just for the service.

Harper pretty much slept the entire flight, even during the 45 minute delay on the runway. Once we were airborne, we had time for a quick baby manicure and some sweet smiles to the other passengers and before touching down in the land of the delta blues.....(though no rain this trip)

On Saturday, Giagia hosted a sip and see to introduce Harper to all the Memphis ladies. It was a such a nice, prissy girl party and Harper was an angel the whole time, smiling and sleeping as she was passed from person to person. And Harper finally got to meet her Great Auntie Bow and "aunt" Manth, who came from Cincinnati just to see her (being the first baby in the family definitely has its privileges!)

We marked another first on Sunday when Aunt Melissa, Giagia and I took Harper to St. Louis for a few days. She spent her first nights in a hotel and didn't seem the least bit fazed by the car trip, the hotel or the freezing cold weather. As long as we have momma's milk, clean diapers and some loving arms, Harper is good to go. I swear, this child has got to be the most easygoing baby ever. Robbie and I are in serious trouble if we have another baby...no way will we get this lucky again!

We're back in Memphis now and looking forward to celebrating Harper's first official holiday tomorrow. Turkey Trot here we come!!

Party Girl

It was a party weekend at our house. On Friday, Harper celebrated her first Halloween. She dressed up as a sweet ballerina just long enough to take a few photos next to our (uncarved!) pumpkins. I think she was asleep before our whopping three trick-or-treaters came to the door. It's understandable though, we'd had a full day going out to lunch and running around with Aunt Melissa getting ready for Sunday! Thanks Mels!!!

Saturday brought a friend's birthday party, more party prep and visits from Giagia, Papa, Grammy and Poppy.

On Sunday, we were excited to celebrate Harper's Baptism at St. Philip's, a big event for such a tiny girl!! Harper wore the christening gown that my sister, cousins and I wore, which was so special. This was Harper's first trip to church and we were a little nervous about how quiet she'd be, but to our amazement she slept through the ENTIRE 90 minute service, even when the priest poured the water on her little head! It was outstanding.

After church, everyone came back to our house for lunch and to take turns holding the baby....five grandparents and one aunt equals a LOT of loving arms!!! Harper of course continued the "poop-capades" and tried to leave her mark on the family gown, but thanks to Giagia's superwoman laundry skills, it's pristine once more, pressed and ready for baby Lorenz to wear this summer. (Aunt Melissa, however, is still sweating from the incident)

True or False?

The best way to get baby poop out of berber is a mixture of Dawn, Woolite and good old fashioned elbow grease? ...... TRUE!

And how did I come to possess this important knowledge, you may be wondering? Well, this afternoon, our sweet Harper became a projectile poop machine. It was just too absurd not to share.

Let me preface this by sharing that Harper's Baptism is this weekend and I have spent the better part of a week making to do lists, getting the house ready and making sure every last detail was covered. So, after we ran errands this morning, I fed and changed Harper and got her settled into our (borrowed) swing so I could make pumpkin bread and do some cleaning. Just as I started on the bread, Harper let out a blood curdling scream that had me running to her at top speed. As I reached to unfasten the safety belt, I noticed a peculiar stain seeping out from under her tush...and down her legs, and under the seat, and across the floor....fortunately stopping just inches from the air register.

Needless to say, the next hour was spent bathing a poop-covered Harper, washing her clothes and scrubbing everything in a four foot radius of the swing. Meanwhile, Harper took a nice long nap, clearly exhausted from the ordeal. Oh, and did I mention that Harper seems to only have these episodes when she's wearing her designer duds? Put a Target outfit on and she's clean and dry all day. But just show her a Strasburg or Janie and Jack tag and it's spit up/throw up/poop central.

And another parenting highlight from the Wentz house - apparently our daughter likes to hang out in the garage. Yep, the garage. I put her in the bouncy seat while I did laundry yesterday, and since our laundry area is in the garage, the only place to put her was on the floor next to me. Now, it's not as bad as it seems, I do have a rug out there. Anyhow, Harper LOVED this vantage point and proceeded to sit there for 30 minutes, laughing, smiling and looking around the entire time. I'm not sure what this says about her future....jiffy lube employee perhaps?

Regardless, the Parents of the Year trophy is most definitely not showing up on our doorstep anytime soon. But maybe I'll at least have somebody to pass the laundry off to in the future. Robbie turns the towels blue.........

Picking a Pumpkin

We took Harper to the pumpkin patch last weekend for a little pumpkin picking photo-op. Happy fall!!

VW Baby

Harper's in a phase where, if she's in Elizabeth's car, she's got to be moving. She is, however, not the type of baby that needs to go for a car ride to settle down. At any rate, her attitude when she's in the car is rather standard modus operandi for babies around her age I'd imagine. Maybe, maybe not, I really have no idea. Anyway, Elizabeth drives a Jetta, and as if on cue, when the car stops, Harper throws a mini fit. When you hit the gas, she immediately falls asleep. My car isn't as sugar sweet as the Jetta so Harper just sleeps in my car. It made us think of this Jetta commercial from a couple years back.

Harper takes a Holiday

Anybody who knows me well knows that I spend as much time as humanly possible at my parents' beach house. I've told Robbie on more than one occassion that I'll live there in the summer and he can come on weekends (not sure who dropped the hammer on this plan faster....Robbie or my dad) Anyhow, my mom and I did end up spending a disproportionate amount of time there last summer, but I'm pretty sure Robbie and my parents only tolerated that due to my hugely pregnant (and not entirely unemotional) state. The worst part of pregnancy to me was not the swollen feet, achy extremeties or unrelenting heartburn; it was the last month when I was grounded in Atlanta while my mom and sister lazed away on the sand without me. I think I had four farewell trips before August, convinced that I would be old and gray before I would again sit in a beachchair with a book and a boatdrink, questioning the bathing suit choices of my fellow sunbathers.

So, after a two month hiatus, my mom and I stole a few days, packed up Harper and ALL her gear and headed south on 85 with the promise of sun and sand, and the possibility of a screaming four week old locked in the car in the middle of nowhere for six hours. Though we were a little tentative at first, I am happy to report that Harper traveled like an absolute champion and seemed to love every minute of her mini vacation. When we took her out to the beach for the first time, she was so energized and alert that she absolutely could not close her eyes - my usually sleepy baby spent literally two hours just looking around, feeling the wind and listening to the waves and the birds. And after the first night, she slept like never before - in bed by midnight every night, rather than her usual 2am last call. Say what you will about good salt air, she was one relaxed baby down there. Guess I'll have a roommate for the summer....sorry Dave-o!

Seriously though, this week has been a turning point for Harper. Though she's always been a sleeper, she's actually going down at a semi-normal hour and sleeping most of the night (even now that we're at home). She's up for several hours at a time and we've more than once found ourselves trying to soothe her to sleep, rather than tickle her toes to keep her awake. And when she is awake she's so much more alert and loves looking around at the scenery. She'll even lay in her crib awake for awhile mesmerized by the polka dots on the letters on the wall. The toy of the moment in Harper's world appears to be the "curious counting crab," a friendly little fellow who counts in English and Spanish. Never too early to teach the language that's slowly eclipsing English in our native land. Once she masters that, it's on to the crab's octupus friend....he teaches colors in Spanish. And then perhaps she'll learn to hold her head up (getting steadier everyday).

Beach Bum

Harper and Elizabeth have been at the beach with Giagia this week. Lucky them. Biscuit and I have been hanging out back here in Atlanta all week and we're ready for Elizabeth and Harper to COME HOME. I've had so much sleep it should be considered illegal, so that's good, but I'm ready to be with my girls.

We'll upload the pictures when they get back. For now, here's a pic of Harper taken from a phone earlier today.

1 Month Old

Harper is one month old today...and what a ride it's been so far. We couldn't tell you how much she weighs, but we know she's growing quickly. Her good natured and laid back ways have continued and we have our fingers crossed it stays this way. Elizabeth and I are taking it one day at a time, rolling with the punches and it appears Harper is following our lead and doing the same (we just don't have the heart to tell her we have no idea what we're doing).

Not much happens in the first 4 weeks in terms of "milestones," but Harper "knows" Elizabeth and I, is starting to smile at us, picks her head up more on her own (especially during tummy time) and she sleeps pretty much through the night. She's actually slept in her crib from day one. We tried the bassinet on the first night, but she HATED it after 15 minutes. Instead of trying to make it work or putting her in bed with us - a habit we're absolutely not starting, even if she is an infant - she went straight to her crib and has been there since.

All in all...I'd say the first month has been as good as could be expected. No idea what the little one has up her sleeve, but we're looking forward to continuing the ride.

Bath Time

In a World of Bloggers, I'm Still a Scribe at Heart

It has been brought to my attention that I have become boring in my postings. Harper's baby blog has quickly turned into a scrapbook of pictures, but between having a new baby, football season and the events of the banking industry (read: my job), I haven't had the inspiration to let my fingers do the walking on the laptop.

Harper certainly provides inspiration, but instead of "blogging" I am keeping a written journal for Harper. I don't write in it everyday, but whenever the mood strikes or when there's something I'd like to share with Harper - or when I just feel like telling her I love her - I write her a little note or story about something she did or something going on in our lives. Those thoughts and musings are between she and I though...it's our own little father/daughter thing and not intended for anyone to read but Harper. I hope to continue writing to her and I hope to give her the journal(s) as a special gift one day. We'll see. As much as she's changing every day, I'm bound to burn through some ink.

For now...more pictures.

Three Weeks

On the one hand, these last three weeks have flown by - seems like we just left the hospital yesterday. On the other hand, three weeks is pretty much nothing in the scheme of things. But no matter which hand you choose, you're holding a dirty diaper.

Harper's good nature is still with us, she's tolerating Robbie's and my "we'll figure it out" attitude and is definitely getting more active and alert everyday. Unfortunately, her favorite active and alert period seems to be from 5 to 8am most days......5am comes awfully early after that 1am feeding. We're hoping to readjust her schedule soon. (Who am I kidding; there's no such thing as a schedule to this kiddo.) But when this baby sleeps, she's absolutely dead to the world. You could drive a wailing firetruck (or a rabid Auburn fan screaming at Tony Franklin) through her room and she wouldn't stir.

So far we've taken a few mini outings with Harper - she's been shopping (obviously loved it....definitely my daughter), out to lunch a few times, walking on the trail and of course to Starbucks more times than we can count. We're starting to wonder if Starbucks smells more like home to her than our house. What did new parents do before Starbucks was invented??? I particularly love to sit close to the folks using the Starbucks internet as their office - the looks of horror when we approach are priceless.

Next week Harper's in for some excitement - a trip to the beach with Giagia and I (might as well break her in early). Of course, we might be riding the lawnmower to get there if Atlanta doesn't stock up on gas, but get there we will!

Well Deserved

Dos Semanas

Pics

Editor's note - she won't wear another Auburn outfit until Auburn can get a first down. Hope the outfits still fit in 09!

It takes a village

Hello family and friends! It's Elizabeth this time (Robbie is currently taking a well-deserved nap with some SEC football after a week of being super dad.) Seriously, he's johnny on the spot with dirty diapers, tummy time and Biscuit duty. It's incredible. I just wanted to thank everybody for their phone calls, emails, gifts, prayers and thoughts this week. We're so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends to welcome this little one into the world.
And I especially want to thank my parents for making this week so much easier - understatement of the century. They arrived in Atlanta last Friday afternoon (after a sleepless night that started at 10pm when I called wondering if six hours of contractions MIGHT be something to take seriously....) and didn't leave until this morning. In the meantime, they served as personal chef, lawn man, gardener, laundress, grocery shopper, dishwasher, chauffeur, cleaning lady, dog walker, florist, decorator, host and hostess, manicurist, advice givers and babysitters, yet my dad still managed to get a full week's work in and my mom didn't miss a single interview with McCain/Palin - and I think they even changed a few diapers. Now that's dedication. Harper is one lucky girl to have such a wonderful Giagia and Papa and I have a lot to live up to as a mother (and some serious laundry/ironing skills to acquire.)

Perhaps we worked them a bit too hard though - I tried not to take it personally when they left tire marks on the driveway as they peeled out at 6am today, mumbling something about getting back to Memphis in time to have the cars washed. Mels, Rich and Ryan, we sincerely apologize, but after this week we're betting they hire help for you instead of taking on all the manual labor when your babies are born!

Harper's had a wonderful first week. She's sleeping a ton (even at night), which we're certain won't last. She changes a little bit each day and makes the most entertaining faces. Our favorite time is just after she's eaten, when she passes out like a drunk gorilla, limp as spaghetti. It never fails to make us laugh. She even stayed with my parents for a few hours yesterday while Robbie and I went to lunch to celebrate my 30th birthday.

She's a patient model for the zillions of photos we've already taken and seems to tolerate my constant dressing her up with laid back amusement, a personality trait she could only have inherited from her daddy. We really couldn't have asked for a better baby - and she's the cutest thing ever to boot!

A Successful 1st Week

First week was a good week. Certainly some adjustments being made, but overall, the three of us are hanging in there. We are constantly switching back and forth from a zone to a man-to-man defense, trying to stay one step ahead. But you know how that goes...Harper pretty much makes the rules at this stage in the game. It's her world, the rest of us are just living in it ;)

And yes...yesterday we played dress up. She digs it.

Picture Post...get used to em.

Love This Picture

Busy Monday

Today has been a busy day for little Harper. She successfully made it through her first pediatrician's appointment and handled things fairly well. We left the hospital Sunday with Harper weighing 8lbs 1oz (after being born at 8.11), but today she was up a little to 8.3. Still a ways to get back to her birth weight, but we're ahead of schedule according to the doc.

Also, Harper has some extremely long finger nails and since we can't cut them for 2 weeks, she had her first manicure today courtesy of her GiaGia. It was interesting to say the least...but it worked. Thanks GiaGia!

Lastly, we took a run through Target. Not very exciting, I realize, but strange to be out for the first time with our offspring in a buggy.

Leaving the hospital and heading home

We left the hospital Sunday afternoon and made it home. Things are going fairly well...we're just trying to figure it out as we go. Elizabeth and Harper are both doing very well.