Hair

Lucy loves the Barbie head she got for Christmas. She puts makeup all over it, she glitters her hair, she puts a zillion barrettes in her hair and claims she "look beautiful, just like a princess". Every once in a while she turns the tables on me and "needs to do my hair. Very beautiful like Barbie's." On Friday I ended up with 22 barrettes in my hair, each pulling a single hair so hard that I had tears running down my face. But she had so much fun and didn't spare a barrette for her own hair either. At least I wasn't glittered. Or photographed.

Inaugural Weekend

I know everybody saw it on tv, but it really is hard to explain exactly what it feels like to be in a crowd of 2 million people. It is chaos, even if peaceful chaos. Ian and I have both said a million times, we are glad we went to the festivities, but it was not what we would call a "fun" day. We went to the concert on Sunday, which was amazing to hear U2, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, John Mellancamp, Bruce Springsteen and so on and so on play for a gazillion people for free at the Lincoln Memorial (who would have thought that Garth Brooks would have been the highlight for the crowd, but he was definitely the most fun!) We froze and couldn't believe the crowds but we got home pretty quickly and were so happy we went.

Then we thawed out Monday and headed to DC that night so we didn't have to do the commute twice on Tuesday with the crowds (good decision, by 6:30am the roads were jammed for miles heading into the Metro stations). We froze our tails off all night on an air mattress in the kitchen of our friend (a 2 room tiny apartment with apparently no heat in the kitchen!) but were so excited the next morning to be so close the the Capitol and the The Mall (just about 5 blocks away). Those 5 blocks took us about 45 minutes to walk with the detours and crowds but no complaining. Then we navigated through the Mall area for a while until we found a small spot with a slight elevation so that I could see over heads to the Jumbotron.

We were in the spot at 8:30am and had to hold our ground for 3 hours with thousands of folks trying to also claim the same ground. It was cold, yes, but we were happy to be there. We were at 12th street, about 9 blocks away from the swearing in. By 9am they were announcing that the parade route was already full and for nobody else to try to get a spot along the route (we had already been warned to choose one festivity and stick with it). By 9:30am they were trying to block off the area we were in. They claimed that from 12th street to the Capitol, there were a million people. But people just kept coming and they gave up trying to keep folks out. We were wedged in, with barely a view of a jumbotron, but we were there. The energy when Obama took the oath was thrilling and inspiring and we only hope that the same spirit continues. A lady named Grace stood next to us, she was from Ohio and is 81 years old. A little boy was held up by his parents in front of us and a couple from Georgia stood to our left. It was an eclectic crowd, but all there for one purpose and it was amazing to hear all these different people cheer for our new president.

When the inauguration was over we headed out (all of us). It took forever to shuffle through the crowd. We headed back to our friend's house, attempted to go to a restaurant and then decided to just head home. We got to the metro stop closest to us and there it was- a crowd of 6 people deep, wrapping around the block 1 and a half times just to get into the station. We turned around and headed across downtown, passed a couple other stops and then went into Chinatown. It took forever and we were exhausted but we were able to get right onto a train, no wait and were home shortly after. Food, warmth and a tv along with our girls' smiling faces and Lucy's recount of the inauguration (she of course, thought she knew more about it than we) made the day complete. Lucy went to bed wondering only one thing: "when do the Obama's get a new puppy?" The President already has a constituent to answer to.

Harper

Harper, it has been mentioned before, loves to stand, at anything. The love is multiplied though when she can dance as well. This toy plays music so it prompts some booty shakin' and some clicking and clucking. What's that, you say? Yes, Harper speaks in her own secret language of clicking, clacking and clucking. She will repeat the sound of computer keys, snaps, and our own renditions of clicking. She is still saying Momma, Milk and now she has added "Hi". But the clicks still rule her vocabulary. It's very tribal of her.

Tight Pants

Aunt Lauren supplied Harper with two pairs of skin tight pants for Christmas. Leggings on a baby with a diaper butt are hilarious. Seeing Harper in them while she thinks she is being cool is even better. This video demonstrates how Harper may not be able to crawl, but that does not keep her from getting to whatever she wants and then pulling up on anything and everything in her path. This has resulted in lots of bumps to the head and mouth, a few tears, but even more determination. I guess you gotta show your skills when your aunt and mom dress you in ridiculous monkey leggings.

Skater Girl

Lucy got rollerskates for Christmas. She was so excited but so nervous about them. She refused to even put them on when others were around. That all changed when we got home from KY. She wore them around the house for a morning, not really able to skate, but able to get the feel of them on carpet. Then the big test, I took her to our building's basement for a 10 minute test. Harper on a blanket playing and Lucy scooting around with all her gear on. The ten minute test morphed into 35 minutes of pure happiness. She only fell twice (it's ok to laugh at the video, she loves to watch herself fall over and over again) although she took Harper out once and left her bony behind bruised for days. I don't think she would have fallen the second time except that she hit a slope in the basement floor that was pretty unforgiving for a kid on skates. She pretended that the floor was made of ice and she really liked the idea of "plowing over" either Harper or myself. Now she wants to throw on her skates all the time, maybe later, skater.

Inaugural Weekend

Zanne arrived today to help Ian and I out as we head out for some of the Inaugural festivities going on about town. Lucy put her to work right away. Within minutes they were playing a game, playing with half the toys in the house and reading the same book over (and over, and over) again.
Tomorrow, Sunday, Ian and I will be heading to the Lincoln Memorial for a free concert with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Usher, Sheryl Crow, John Melloncamp, Bono, etc. Obama will be there as well. I am sure it will be crazy crowded and cold, etc, but we want to take advantage of whatever we can since you never know if we'll have the opportunity again.
Monday we will be staying in DC so as to cut out one of the grueling commutes we will have to make in and out of the city. Layers are the theme of the day. The predicted weather is a high of 30 degrees. I'm sure that some of the couple million of folks on the Mall with us will help with the chill factor, at least that's what I'm telling myself. The other option is to stay at home and watch it all on tv. Nope, that's not an option at all.

Another Chapter

Lucy and I started reading chapter books together last week. Our first book was "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane". It was a suggestion from our local children's bookstore and was a sweet book, although had I known more about it, I would have guessed it was too mature for Lucy. She didn't seem to mind not understanding all the vocabulary or situations and quickly caught on to the idea of a story continuing for days and days. She would remember details that I had forgotten from the day or days before and was far more engaged that I thought she could be at this age. She began incorporating names and storylines into her pretend play as well and now I hear all about "turtles that are stuck on the bottom of the ocean" or "mean boys who don't know how to play nice" whenever she is pretend playing. Up next is the story of Ralph S. Mouse. It is a favorite of mine from childhood and so I am as excited to start it as she is. A new chapter for both of us, I guess you could say.

Jan. 13- 8 Months Old!

Harper is 8 months old today. She is definitely not a little baby anymore, instead she is teetering between babyhood and toddlerhood. She seems to make her way to whatever she wants, even if it is across the room. Her methods are subtle, little scoots, rolls and inching so that before you know it, she is in something she shouldn't be. She is obsessed with pulling herself up and I'm sure as soon as she masters crawling it will be a matter of hours, not days or weeks before she is pulling herself up, or rather pulling things down on top of her.
She is determined to have fun. Ian and I have both been witness to Harper's tantrums. There she is smiling and eating the remote control. You take it away and she throws her head back, arches her back and screams. Same when you take her out of the tub, rearrange a cookie in her hand, or take dirt out of her hands. Smile...scream. Lovely.
She, as stated before, eats and eats and eats. She throws a fit the entire meal until she begins to feel full, then it is all smiles and giggles and flirting and grins. Nothing can come between her and her food.
She is beginning to talk. Harper now says "Momma" and "Mi" (milk). She can make the sounds "dada", "nana", "baba", and "hi". She razzes whenever she isn't babbling and speaks her own language of clicks and clucks. She will mimic sounds when told to her and loves when I mimic her sounds.
Her recognition and memory are coming along. Harper can now point out people via a look in their direction when you ask "where's momma" or "where's Reggie". She will look around the room for them until she sets eyes on them. She can do the same with eyes, nose, mouth and sometimes belly button.
She can mimic gestures. She will pat me on the back if I pat her on the back. She will raise her hands up if I raise my hands up. She will tap on a toy or her high chair tray if I do so first. She will shake hands, first the right, then the left, depending on which hand is held out to her.
She can kiss. They might be open mouthed, wet, sloppy kisses, but that's what they are. She will sometimes do it when you ask, but definitely she will do it if you are kissing her cheek first.
She now really cuddles. Harper loves to cuddle. She pops her thumb in her mouth and settles into my lap. It is the best. She can fall asleep doing that. So can I.
Overall, it seems like she is just around the corner from her first birthday although I know that she has many, many more milestones to conquer before that time. But for now, I must go feed her meal number 6 today (her afternoon snack which precedes her pre-dinner snack and then dinner). It's no wonder she is growing!
PS- we (Ian, Taylor and myself) all believe that Harper actually visually grew in size this week. She is rounder, longer and her belly is now toppling over itself so that her belly button is facing the ground when she is sitting!

Leg warmers and leotards

Lucy started gymnastics yesterday and it was hilarious. Not the class, but her tiny little body in a black leotard and UK blue and white striped leg warmers. You know your kid is cute when a hallway full of parents who all have a kid in your kid's class are talking about how cute she is. Of course, there was a lot of jumping. Lots of running around aimlessly and lots of "dimnastics". She went across a short and tall beam, hung from the bars, flipped over the bars, tumbled in various forms, stretched, and other assorted "good gymnastics moves". She finished off the class by putting on a hoodie and green warm up pants, with red Chuck Taylors, of course.

32 Fun

We celebrated my 32nd bday by sleeping in (Harper slept until 9:30am- yippee!) hanging around the house and meeting Ian and our friends the Davis Family out for dinner. Taylor is in town so she was able to join us as well. Lucy insisted on party regalia-hats and party blowers for everyone at the table but then decided that everyone else should wear the hats, but not her. The babies were hilarious in their hats and neither even noticed them on their heads.

We headed home afterwards for ice cream cake and gifts. Lucy drew my favorite card of all time for me- a drawing of our family- her first of this type of drawing. She also "wrote me a note" with all the letters she knows how to write. They included such sentiments as "Happy birthday" and "I love you". Harper did not come up with a card of her own, but the sleeping in was a great gift. Ian surprised me with a night on the town complete with "West Side Story" tix, dinner and a dress. Happy birthday to me!

Harper and Max's Baptism

Harper and Max were baptised in the same ceremony at Ascension Catholic Church in Louisville on Sunday, December 28. Harper's hair was greasy for a week afterwards from the oil that was rubbed on their heads (that head of hair can apparently soak up a lot of oil). The babies were so sweet and looked like little angels in their long white christening gowns. Harper wore the same gown that I, Lauren, Taylor and Lucy all wore that my Nanny made when I was christened. Harper's godparents are Daniel and Taylor. Max's godparents are myself and Damon's brother, Ryan.

Afterwards we went to Lauren and Damon's home for a party. The babies slept, the adults ate and Ian lived off of white sheet cake for a week ("ah, big icing roses, that's great!"

Pics from KY

Highlights from KY:

More wrapping paper and ribbons for Harper to play with, oh and she got a truckload of toys as well.

More toys for Lucy. Her favorites were the ice cream shop, all the variations of rockets that she got, bubble gum machine, and the bride and groom complete with wedding alter (they kissed immediately) and monkey pjs.

Spying the castle on our way to and from Lexington.

Spying horses on the same drive.

Lucy playing with Jackson in the basement at Aunt Lauren's.

Harper and Max's baptisms.

Harper and Lucy playing the piano.

Missing the stroke of midnight while at our friends Courtney and Jeff's house. Kids sleeping, somebody saying "what time is it?" Ian claiming it was 11:20pm, me realizing that no, it was 12:20am.

Ian's sweater vest. Rob's sweater vest. The "vest friends" photo.

It was a great trip and both girls did fantastic on the car rides to and from. It took me 3 days to completely unpack and find homes for all the new toys in our house.

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