How To Cure The Grumps

Parental intuition is a gift, let me tell you what. Sometimes you know just what will solve your little one’s problems just as well as you know your own name, but also know that convincing the small one you know what’s best can be a feat unto itself. The other day, Harper was snoozing the afternoon away and her nap was bleeding into a time that was later than advisable, that is if we want bedtime to stay as it should (and we do). So there was nothing else I could do but wake her up.

I opened her door, slowly — she doesn’t like sudden movements — and sat on the floor next to her crib (submit, as Tex likes to say). The teeny girl was out cold, face down on Elmo, pillow flung to the other end of the bed, tangled in her quilt. I peeled her out of bed, and as was her right, she was not thrilled with having been woken up.

Since we’ve been potty training, I’m all business when I get her out of bed. No time to waste from getting our sleep diaps off and Peppas back on, in order not to confuse the two. But I could see she was not ready for all this commotion — I mean, she really was out cold — and I knew splashing in some water would do the trick.

So instead, I say. “Harper, do you want to take a bath?”

“No.”

“What about a bubble bath?”

“No.”

“In Mama’s tub with bubbles up to your ears?”

“Okay.” (there is a noticeable flicker in her eyes here)

Anyone who’s anyone knows the best bubbles are made with plain ol’ dish soap, so I added a bit to the water and we watched as the bubbles grew and grew until my gloriously 80s spa tub was filled to the brim. Harper couldn’t believe her eyes. We made Santa beards, angel wings, tried to see just how high we could pile the bubbles, and it was all I could do to get her out of the tub once Grammy and Nana showed up to visit.

Once I got her out of the tub, she kept racing back into the bathroom to snag another handful of bubbles, thinking she could take them with her out into “the house” (aka the family room). I finally convinced her to leave them be, thinking she’d forget all about them and be onto the next thing. But lo, the next morning she woke up, ran to the bathroom and nearly shouted, “Where’d the bubbles go, mom?!”

I better stock up on dish soap.

 

But, What Will You Call Him?

 

As many people know, the moment you decide to share the name of your baby, you open yourself up to comments, potential criticisms, and for baby Tex, who happens to be a third, you get questions (so many questions):

“But, what will you call him?”

“How about Tripp?”

“Is he going to be a Trey?”

Questions increase and number and intensity when all Tex Grubbs ever in existence (probably) live within 7 minutes of each other, with two in the same house, no less!

My answer, nearly every time is: “Well, right now we call him Baby Tex.”

And the response, nearly every time is: “You can’t call him that forever, can you?”

Try me.

Is this thing on?

Tap, tap… um, hello? Is this thing on?

As I was trying to fall asleep the other night, I felt gripped in panic for failing to record what goes on around here. It seemed terribly unfair that these days with two little people may become forgotten sooner than later. What seemed really unfair was that Harper and Tex really won’t remember any of it. These days that are simple and mostly revolve around their needs, will be gone from their memories without their say whatsoever. Days that their parents lived for — watching their tiny people learn new skills almost daily, the littlest things that would result in total delight (or a total meltdown) — will not be retained.

I’m afraid of not being able to remember enough. Harper’s misuse of words that change and evolve too quickly (swim suit was once swim soup, backpack is currently packpack, I’m am for I am, and often times we get “frust-er-ated”), Baby Tex’s heart melting grins — I don’t want to forget any of it. I know that isn’t possible, but I do think I need to try harder.

So, for posterity, below are some things that need to be on record about my small charges:

A Few Things to Remember

How do I take this perfect second and lock it away in a tiny box so I can keep it forever? Just one of the million times a day I kiss your cheeks, because I can’t help but kiss your cheeks if they’re near me. Soft, rosy, little apple cheeks. I ask you daily if I can give you 10, 12, 14 thousand kisses in a day and I don’t believe I’m too far off at the end.

****

Tonight I watched your daddy read a book of first words to you. He sang the words and each time he turned the page, you would tense up with anticipation, then giggle when you saw what came next. It was pure magic.

****

This morning you started to crawl — just a few scooches– but it was clear that your motivation was Lola, and boy, did my pug-loving heart just melt because I really feel that you will love smashed up little dogs as much as your mom (and great Grandma Edie).

****

I am having the time of my life being your mom, so keep on being teeny, wonderful you. You are the piece I didn’t even know I was missing.

Just Shy of 5 Months

My beautiful baby girl will be 5 months old this weekend – 5 MONTHS. Just a moment ago she was a tiny, sleepy, eyes-barely-open newborn and I was convinced she was made of porcelain. Now we have ourselves a giggly, bright-eyed, 14lb sack of sugar with marshmallow cheeks.

This past Saturday Harper rolled over for the first time and while I was cheering her on like a madwoman, Tex walked in mere moments before the big event. (Now I know what parents of Olympians must feel like.) It was pretty sweet having both of us in the room to witness one of her first milestones. Fingers crossed we are lucky enough to witness more major moments together (and plenty of not-so-major moments, too).

In the trend of milestones, Harper will be dedicated at church this Sunday, and we have lots of family coming in town to help us celebrate. Tex joked to Harper that he may not hold her all weekend (this probably isn’t too far from the truth, to be honest — but, we’re happy to share the snuggles with those who get them in much more limited quantities).

I’m already wishing we had more than a weekend to spend with everyone, but this short visit will be a good one, no doubt about it. It’ll be a nice pause before the craziness of renovating and moving takes over, which is just a couple of weeks away.

2016, you’re proving to be a memorable one.

 

 

A Good Sleeper

I spent a lot of my pre-baby life worried that once I became a parent, I would never sleep again. I had convinced myself that I wasn’t ready to be a mom because I wasn’t ready to be that tired. Well, my fears were unfounded because, as it turns out, we have ourselves a good sleeper. Not from the jump, of course, but by week 6 we more or less had a through-the-night snoozer.

Believe me, I say all this not to brag, but only to point out the irony of it all. The irony being that once Saturday morning rolls around, I am usually up a good hour or two before my chubby cheeked princess and I bide my time, missing her until she wakes up. I glance anxiously at the monitor to see if she’s stirring, trying to distract myself with coffee and Gilmore Girls while I wait.

Though I find it funny, I’m not wishing for a change, not in the slightest (I feel like I might jinx it all just by bringing it up). I am grateful for my champion sleeper, and for the chance to sleep in myself. And, don’t worry, she does remind us every couple of weeks that she is in control and is up and squawking around 4:30am. This is a gift we know full well not to take for granted and praise her for it daily with extra kisses.

P.S. Don’t be fooled by the picture above, our girl is wrapped tight as a burrito in her swaddle at night. We do not take chances around here. 😉

P.P.S. Thanks for being a teeny rockstar, Harper. We love you for it.

 

For the Dads

Daddy and Harper, Day 1

It’s the first Father’s Day for this house and I am eager to celebrate. While Pal has only been a daddy for going on three months, he is such a natural. He is so sweet with our girl and seeing them together does my heart endless amounts of good.

Look at her face!

In honor of the dads, and my favorite one of all, here is a short list of what makes me the happiest seeing my Pal as a papa:

• The way his face lights up each and every time he sees her
• Overhearing their conversations, though they are sometimes one-sided
• Watching him read to her (and her big smile when he does!)
• That he knows just when I need a break and steps right in
• All the silly songs I overhear

I am lucky to have this guy on my team. Everything he does is done with the utmost thought and care, and I know that raising our sweet girl will be no different. Happy Father’s Day, Pal. Harps and I are happy you’re ours.

This Baby…

…has cheeks made of spun sugar and marshmallows. God knew what He was doing with this one. Happy Monday!

 

Letters To My Baby: 002

Dear Harper,

Your two month birthday is just around the corner and wow, what an amazing two months it has been. Your dad and I are starting to get the hang of this parenting thing, at least we think so anyway. I’ve put together a list of things I hope to never forget about these early days with you. This will be an ever-growing list, I am sure of it, but here are some of my favorite things so far:

Let me never forget:

• The warmth and weight of you while napping on my chest, and the way you liked to be folded up tight, like a little frog.
• Your soft-as-down, fuzzy baby hair against my chin.
• The hundreds (thousands) of kisses planted on your teeny head.
• How slow you were to wake up some mornings before nursing and those big, big stretches and yawns.
• How you’d grab onto my fingers with all your might because you were so mad that I dared change your diaper.
• The first times you smiled – being on the receiving end of those smiles felt like winning the lottery, and something tells me that feeling will never, ever go away.

Your dad and I look forward to many more firsts and favorite times with you. You are our world, little girl.

I love you,

Mama

 

Harper’s Library, Vol. I

One of my favorite parts of getting Harper’s nursery together has been figuring out which books are absolute must-haves for her shelves. I’ve always been an avid reader, and I hope to pass my love of reading on to her.

We’ve received a lot of classics as gifts – Goodnight Moon, Matilda, Pat the Bunny, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass; and also some newer stories that are favorites around here already – Chick ‘n Pug, Hedgehugs, On the Night You Were Born. These, and many others, have been in heavy rotation already, so I decided it was time to treat us to some new titles. (Alice is still in our current rotation – I like to read a chapter at a time to Harper while she falls asleep.)

 

I came across the Baby Lit and Hello, World books via Amazon and fell in love with them immediately. Vintage-style illustrations and lovely color palettes are really all I need when it comes to a kid’s book. Our new additions to the library include: New York: A Book of Colors, Wuthering Heights: A Weather Primer, San Francisco: A Book of Numbers, Alice in Wonderland: A Colors Primer, and London: A Book of Opposites.

The books are adorable and I look forward to adding more from these series to Harper’s library soon.