3 months old!

Harps,

Happy 3 months to you, happy 3 months to you, happy 3 months sweet Harper, happy 3 months to you!! We have had a fabulous month. I have loved spending every single day with you. I feel like you have become more than just a newborn who doesn't do much more than sleep, eat, and dirty a diaper. You are learning so much. Everyday you explore and try to take in everything that is going on around you. I am so thankful that I am here with you to witness and be a part of your new discoveries. Here are a few things that have happened this month.

* No more swaddle!!!!!! You are free!!!!! You love having the freedom to move your arms and kick your little legs around. You love to rub your face and head with your hands when you get tired. I guess that is your way of soothing yourself. We know you are tired because you always start rubbing your face. It is so easy to put you down for a nap. You just lay there and stare at your mobile and are usually asleep in about 10 minutes. You seem to be a little more vocal at night time. We laugh because you just lay in your bed and coo and talk. It is funny how amazed and amused we are at your little sounds.

* You have gotten really good at holding your head up. We started putting you in your bumpo seat and I think you like it.

* You are smiling so much more this month. It is so neat how you respond to a simple smile. You even smile at strangers, which makes a me happy.

* We are starting to notice you are making what sounds like a laugh. We have heard a few really good distinct laughs, but you are still trying to learn how to do it. You mostly just squeal when you get excited.

* You love sucking your fingers, hand, and thumbs. We are trying really hard to get you to like your pacifier instead; I guess we'll see which you prefer, though daddy is determined to make the paci win out so we don't have to pay an orthodontist as much money down the road.

* You have had a lot of fun with mommy's friends from high school. Emily & Nouhou made a trip from New York. We can't wait to meet their baby boy in December. We also found out that mommy's friend Rachel is having a GIRL!!!! We can't wait until Anna Barton makes her apprearance in February. You and Kate are also getting to know each other. Your form of play is just staring at each other. We just like to sit and watch the two of you together. It should be really entertaining once Anna Barton and Indeehe join us.

* We took a trip with Mimi to Hartselle to visit with family. You spent time with mommy's cousins, aunts, uncles, and your great-grandparents.

* You made your first trip to Auburn! We decided to take you to the first Auburn game of the year on Labor Day weekend against Arkansas State. We didn't do much tailgating beforehand but you loved the football game. Believe it or not you slept through part of it and when you were awake you were looking at everything. Even the crowd noise didn't seem to faze you. We will be spending many more weekends at Auburn and I can't wait to see your running around on Saturdays in the fall.

* You are really starting to grab at things. You love holding onto the legs of your zebra pull toy while you sit in your bouncy seat. Today at lunch we watched in amazement as you tried so hard to grab onto the little bird legs hanging from your carrier. You tried so hard to grab onto them. We could tell you were really concentrating. Then of course when you did we were so proud and thought it was the greatest thing. It is funny to us how we are so entertained and so excited about these little things.

* We took you to your first Homewood High School football game when mommy got her teacher of the year award (Yay!!!). Mommy was sure to point out the Star Spangled girls during the halftime show in case you want to follow in her footsteps...

* The weather has been beautiful this past week (the last week of September). We have been on lots of walks with Maggie, played on a quilt in the front yard, laid in the hammock with daddy, and taken naps on the swing outside.

* You are quite the grunter! You make grunting noises in all kinds of situations. Pretty funny. I like to say that you get that feistiness from your daddy. Maybe you are a redhead after all.

* You light up when your daddy comes home after work. You give him the biggest smile and squeal when you first see him. It is so cute!

* You get very upset if I take the bottle from you in the middle of a feeding. I guess we are going to have to work on the patience thing. (This is also a challenge for your daddy!)

* You are starting to notice Maggie a lot more. When she comes around you follow her with your eyes. You are even starting to compete over whose toys are whose.

* Mommy cut the tip of her finger off slicing potatoes on a mandalin one day. Thank goodness Mimi was there to help. The injured finger made it very hard to take care of you for about 2 weeks. She learned to change diapers, burp, and dress you with her left hand and daddy had to help more than usual.

* You weighed 13 pounds 3 ounces and were 24 inches long on your 3 month birthday.

* You are getting these cute little rolls on your legs that are precious!!! It looks like you have little rubber bands in places that are squeezing your legs.

* Lately when we lay you on the changing table you straighten your legs out, raise them up high, lift you head, and grunt really loud like you are trying to sit up. You get frustrated and keep grunting while we just laugh at you. Don't worry we have it on video.

* You are cooing and talking so much more now. The mirror seems to be one of your favorite toys. You just lay there and talk to yourself in the mirror while daddy and I just stare at you in amazement. You are such entertainment for us.

We have had a fun month watching you change and grow. I go back to work in a few days and this is what happens every time I start talking about it...

just kidding...mommy is the one who might not survive the first day. We are very thankful that you will get to spend your days with Miss Kristen. We'll just have to make Miss Kristen promise to not tell us when you do something new, so that we can discover it like it was the first time. We love you Harps and can't wait to see what you discover next month.

loves to the harps!

mom & dad