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).
