Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night

When Hope was 4 years old, Brandon decided to start the tradition of reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to her on Christmas Eve.  Our family has grown and the tradition has continued.  This year marks the fifth. 

2006

 2007

 2008

 2009

2010



Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

To update, Hope decided to audition for the Lunch Bunch show, Annie, figuring she could still do basketball if she didn't get a part.  She did get a part - she was chosen to be Annie!  She is very excited, but a little anxious about all she has to learn.  She can now call herself a "professional", as she will get paid a whole $5 for every show! : ) We're proud of her and know that she'll do great!

Zoo Lights and Santa

We go to the zoo a lot throughout the year, but it's a whole new experience every December when they put on Zoo Lights.  It's always a cold, but fun time!

This year we hadn't seen Santa before Zoo Lights, so we waited in line there to talk to him.  EJ was very excited to see Santa until it was actually our turn.  At that point, she wouldn't go near him, and only peeked around the tree to watch Hope and Beck visiting with him.  Hope asked for a touch screen MP3 player.  We told him Beck wanted a new monitor.  The only thing on EJ's Christmas list is a ball.  She had Hope pass along to Santa that she wanted a blue bouncy one.  Hopefully Santa's elves can make one, otherwise he may have to spend a lot of quarters trying to get the right color out of a vending machine!

Mr. Smily

Here's a short video of our little guy.  Please excuse my pig noises.

Hope as Susan

Hope's debut as Susan in Miracle on 34th Street was Saturday.  She did wonderfully well!  We're so proud of her!  She's considering auditioning for "Lunch Bunch" at the same theater.  It's like a dinner theater for kids.  They do the show, but they also learn to greet, seat, and serve lunch to the audience.  She has to decide by Friday if she wants to audition.  If she were to become a part of the group, she would have to skip out on basketball this year.  We'll see what she decides!

I have video clips of a few scenes from Saturday.  I wasn't at a great angle, but you can get the idea.

                                                            Susan and Doris

Susan and Kris Kringle

And the part that always gets me teary  . . . the bow.

Wordless Wednesday (almost)

Cookies and Hot Chocolate - only Thunder can peel his

eyes away from The Grinch

Still Kickin'!

No blog entry for awhile, but we're still here!  Here are some pictures to prove it:

Hope finished up Fall Soccer on a beautiful, 76 degree, sunny November day (our first snowfall didn't come until this last week - 3 weeks later than average).  They had a great season, with a 4-2-2 record and two tournament championships.  She has now started indoor soccer which, thank goodness, is only 1 game a week - no practices!  She also got a lead role (Susan) in "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas", the musical version of Miracle on 34th St.  She'll be putting in a lot of time at rehearsals over the next few weeks, but she loves it!  As always, she's doing awesome in school, and keeping us on our toes at home!

Ellis is obsessed with babies.  Pictured are some of the many babies and stuffed animals she must have in bed with her every night.  Many nights we find her asleep on top of a pile of babies, because there is no room in the bed for her.  We try to sneak some of them away from time to time, but she knows if one is missing.  She hit a "big girl" milestone this past week when the Twiddlebugs finally ate the last of her pacifiers.  We had some tragic days at the beginning, but she's seem to adjusted to life without them.  It's nice that we don't have to sift through the pile of babies in the middle of the night to find a pacifier anymore!  Ellis, also, keeps us on our toes.  Just today, she locked my mom in the back yard.  I think EJ thought it was much funnier than my mom did.

Is that not the cutest smile in the world?!?!?!  Beck turned 2 months yesterday.  He weighs 12 pounds 13 ounces - 75%ile - and is 2 feet tall!  That sounds a lot bigger than 24 inches, but either way, it puts him in the 90th %ile for height.  He is a smiley little guy and he loves to be snuggled.  He is trying hard to make his mommy very happy - he has slept through the night the past 3 nights!  The mere fact that he cannot yet talkback or run away from us makes him a pretty easy kiddo!

First Haircut

Since her hair didn't really even start growing until she turned one, we didn't have to worry much about getting EJ's haircut.  Now, at almost three, we figured it was time for at least a trim.  She went a few days ago and just got a couple of inches taken off.  She got to sit in a fire truck, watch Dora, and eat a sucker.  All was good!  Once I got to the cash register and found out how much it cost, things were not so good!  At least they included a little certificate and a lock of her hair.  I guess the cute "First Haircut" pictures made it all worth it.

                                                              "Before"

                     

                                                         "After"
                                                                       

Fun in the Fire Truck!

                   
                                                      "Cheese!"

                                                                                                                   

Next time, I may be doing the cutting.  We have a fire truck and Dora at home for a lot less money!! 

Happy Halloween!

As in years past, we stretched Halloween over several days.  We've been to the pumpkin patch, Fall Fest at church, parties at school, and, of course, trick-or-treating - at mom's with all of the cousins, and at home!

Pumpkin Picking

with Grandad and Gammie and Cousins

Fall Fest

School Parties

Trick-or-Treating

Happy Halloween!

EJ as Dora, Hope as a hippie, and Beck as a sweet pea (as always)

Wow!

Has it really been more than 3 weeks since I last posted?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  Most days I can't even find the time to do a load of laundry from start to finish.  By the time Brandon gets I get the clothes folded and put away  it's been "fluffed" so many times everything is 2 shades lighter than when it went into the washer.

Why am I blogging right now instead of, say, putting laundry away?  Because Beck is eating.  And when Beck eats, I have one free hand to type with.  Unless I'm using it too cook dinner or wipe off counters or wipe EJ's #%%, because she's finally decided she needs to poop at the exact same moment that Beck starts eating even though I've asked her if she needs to poop 26 times in the last 30 minutes.  But right now I'm using my free hand to type. Hold on, I need to switch hands.  EJ is locked in her room "napping" aka taking every doll, animal, and book she owns and throwing it on the floor while singing loudly.  And Hope is playing "spa" in the basement with a friend.  I'm trying to just push the thought out of mind about what the basement might look like right now.

So to update, Beck is still growing way too fast.  He was 10 lbs. at his one month appointment and some days I feel like I can see him get bigger between sun-up and sun-down.  He is smiling and cooing, but still sleeps a lot and cries a lot.

The girls both had their Halloween parties at "school" today.  I'll add pictures to this post later.  Hope dressed as a hippie and EJ as Dora.  Beck just wore his pumpkin shirt.  Hope's still a soccer machine and has auditions for a Christmas play next week.  I'm hoping rehearsals won't be too many days a week.  Fall soccer will be over, but she'll start indoor soccer immediately.   EJ, advanced as always, is already embarking on the "terrible threes".  Though she has the tendency to be the sweetest, snuggliest little girl on the planet, the lack of a nap really starts to show right about 3:00 every. single. day.  Even the days she's actually napped.

So, life with 3 kids is crazy and yes I know there are people that have more than 3.  I don't know how they do it and at this point in time it just seems asinine, but, as the saying goes, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  We are crazy busy and the house is a mess until Brandon comes home from work and picks up but this time in our lives is already flying by and I know one day I'll miss it.  That's what I keep telling myself  - one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this, one day I'll miss this . . .

Champions!

Hope's soccer team took first place in their division of the Colorado Youth Soccer Cup last weekend.  After losing their first game, they went on to win the next 3 to make it into the finals.  They played a great team and it was tied 1-1 at the end of the game.  The score remained the same through overtime and they ended up winning in a 5-4 shootout.  It was about as exciting as 8 year-old soccer can get!  The girls were so pumped and us "soccer parents" were too!  We were so proud of the girls for coming back after that first game. 

Hope's become quite the defender!

5 soccer games in 2 days is a lot for a 3 week old!

Go United!

Light The Night

A couple of weekends ago Brandon and Hope participated in a Light the Night walk in Boulder.  They walked for Team Addison in honor of our friend, 6 year-old Addison Kleinhans, who was diagnosed with leukemia in April.  Hope is good friends with Addison's older sister, Madelene.  Addison is such a fighter and he is beating this disease.  He's now in the most intense chemo phase and will complete his treatment program in 2013 when he's 9 years old.

Light the Night is a walk put on by the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society to help raise money for blood cancer research.  Thanks to generous donations by our family and friends, Brandon and Hope raised over $500 for their team!  The walk was such a great experience for such a great cause!

2 Week Stats

Now that Beck is 3 weeks old, I'm finally finding the time to post about his 2 week appointment.  Here are the stats!

Weight: 8 pounds 2 ounces - up over a pound from his birth weight (50th %tile)
Length: 21 1/2 inches - 1/2 inch longer than at birth (75th %tile) - although I think this measurement is fairly arbitrary - they try to stretch them out and put a mark on the table at the head and at the heel and then measure.  Not real accurate, and I think I've even had kids "shrink" from one appointment to the next.
Head: 14 1/4in. (25th %ile) - he has a little peanut head! :)

Beck's wardrobe is further proof that he's growing - he is now in that "in between" stage of clothes sizes.  The newborn stuff is really too short for him and he still kind of swims in the 0-3 month stuff.  I also just bought size 1 diapers for the first time today.  They still seem too big for him, but the newborn ones just seemed a little snug. I can sympathize, I'm kind of in that "in between" stage as well!

We go back to the doctor next week for his 1 month check and his first shots. :(

Love at First Sight

This little guy has stolen my heart.  As he grew inside of me, so did a strong bond of protection and affection.  But the moment he entered this world and I saw his glossy blue eyes and his pouty lips, I fell in love.

Beck Robinson Harper arrived on his own schedule, at 1:17 am on September 12th.  We had our plan - a scheduled induction on the 14th.  This allowed us to prepare the girls and prepare ourselves for what would be a Tuesday through Thursday stay in the hospital.  Beck had his own plan.  On Saturday evening I started having some mild contrctions.  Around 10:00 they started to get a little stronger.  I called mom and told her - "Don't lose any sleep, but I'm having some contractions.  Probably nothing - just wanted to let you know."  About 20 minutes later I called her back to tell her I was calling the doctor to let them know we were coming to the hospital.  Things seemed to be moving fast and furious.  We waited for mom to come over to stay with the girls (she ended up being relieved by Connie so she could make it up to the hospital). 

On the way to the hospital, a car in front of us was making Brandon crazy, driving too slow.  He thought about passing him but I asked him or maybe told him not to.  The car eventually turned off and Brandon sped down the road.  "Just don't get pulled over" were my exact words.  Followed seconds later by, "There's a cop".  Brandon immediately pulled over as the blue and red lights came on.  It seemed like it took the police officer forever to walk up to our car.  Brandon eventually stuck his arm out to wave her up.  As she was walking over to us Brandon told her he was just trying to get me to the hospital and as soon as she shined the flashlight into the car she said, "Labor, GO!".  She did not, to my dismay, escort us there.  Luckily we weren't too far away. 

We arrived a little after 11:00 and Beck was born just about 2 hours later.  He came quickly and, as far as labor goes, fairly easily. 

I have been through this process three times now, and I still know nothing more amazing.  This person that has grown inside of me, who I have felt move everyday, whose heartbeat I have anxiously awaited to hear each week, is now in my arms.  He's breathing and eating and crying.  He always has his hands right up by his face, and I can see, now, why I always felt little punches way down low in my belly.  I can touch his adorable little baby feet that were always sticking way out on my right side.  This little being created by us, created by God, has completed our little family.  I couldn't feel any more blessed.

His sisters think he's pretty great too. . .

Daddy will make sur he's a Cowboys Fan

I've made him promise to stay this size forever - there's nothing better than a sleeping baby all snuggled up on your chest:

He's not listening - at 10 days old he's starting to get too long for his "newborn" clothes :(

First Day of "School"

EJ had her first "Mom's Day Out" on Friday.  She was so excited!  She had been talking about it for weeks and couldn't wait to go.  Everytime we would drive by the church where it is held, she would point and say "There's my school!"  She talked about what she would do and who else would be there.

Then reality hit.  Mom was actually going to leave!  We had talked about this and, in theory, she was fine with it.  Once it came down to it, however, she was NOT happy.  One of the teachers actually had to pry her off of me as she screamed, "I don't want to stay at school!"  With reassurance that they would call if she didn't calm down in just a few minutes, I reluctantly walked to my car.  Hope happened to have the day off of school and so she got to come with me to take EJ.  She kept wanting to go back and "spy" on her to see if she was better.

2 hours later it was time to pick her up.  Hope and I got there a little early and sat in the parking lot to spy as EJ played on the playground.  She was having a blast!  When we finally got out of the car and she saw us, she just smiled and kept on playing.  She didn't want to leave.

First day of "school" - SUCCESS!!  Hopefully next Friday's drop-off won't be so dramatic.

1st Day pictures of my big girl:

All ready to go!

Heading in!

Look what I made!

In Baby News:  We're just waiting on the little man to let us know he's ready.  After a scare a couple of weeks ago, when we didn't feel at ALL ready for him to be here, we figured we better get prepared.  We came home from the hospital and our bags have been packed ever since.  Now that we are ready, he is as content as can be in there!  I am 37 weeks 4 days, so hopefully he'll be here in the next couple of weeks.  We're excited to meet him!  Here's a pic from the night we thought he was going to make his entrance:

If the current frequency of my posts continues, maybe the next one will include pics of the last little member of our family!

Her world is about to be rocked. . .

A couple of weeks ago as we were driving past the hospital:

Me: That's the hospital, where you'll get to meet your baby brother!

EJ: I will meet him and give him a kiss.

Me: That's so nice - he'll really like your kisses!

EJ: And then when we take him back we will go there get a baby sister!

3rd Grade!

Hope started 3rd grade today!  Her "first day of school nerves" were in full force last night as she was going to sleep, asking question after question - the main one being "What if I don't like 3rd grade?"

So far, so good.  She said her first day was "amawesome" (a mix between amazing and awesome) and "supertastic".  Her teacher, Mrs. Lauce, said she could tell Hope was nervous at the very beginning of the day, but had a great time once she settled in.

My beautiful 3rd grader:

Living Life

We're still around and have been busy.  I just haven't taken the time to blog for quite awhile!

Since my last post, we took a trip to Oklahoma to see Grandad and Gammie:

Hope had a soccer tournament (they took 2nd place!):

And a Girl Scout outing to Cold Stone Creamery:

We had a little "mishap" with a jar of spaghetti sauce:

And Hope topped the summer off with her first overnight Girl Scout Camp:

Tomorrow:  The First Day of 3rd Grade!!!!