Mommy's helper

ast week when we had a babysitting fiasco, I took Harper to work. Here are a few pictures of her helping me raise some money for my clients.

6 Months of Harper

Harper,
Happy 6 months baby girl! You are such a delight to be around. Mommy and Daddy just can't imagine life without you. You are the apple of our eyes. We are so lucky and blessed to be your parents, I hope you feel the same about us some day.

Six months have passed so quickly. People weren't joking when they said life moves so quickly. But like I always say "time flies when you are having fun".

Here are a few stats. I want to type them out so I can look back some day and remember the different milestones!

6 month check-up
15 pounds 7 oz (25-50th percentile)
25 inches long (10-25th percentile)
16 3/4 head measurement (50th percentile)

You are still our little peanut, but great things come in small packages! The doctor said you are just perfect and developmentally on target for everything. She was just telling us stuff we already knew! :)

You fell asleep while waiting on your shots, so waking up to a nurse and mommy holding you down to get shots wasn't pleasant. You screamed at the top of your lungs, but it was over once I picked you up.

- You are now taking 6 ounces of breastmilk in a bottle and take 5 bottles a day.
- You sit up like a big girl, but I still put a pillow behind you for when you get tired. You are still mastering that skill.
- You start your bedtime routine at 8pm EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT. You LOVE your routine. You go to bed VERY easy for us. We realize we are very lucky. Although, I'm beginning to realize you much prefer your bed to any pack-n-play.
- You sleep from 8ish to 4:30am. You take a bottle and sleep until we wake you up at 7am.
- We try to make you take 2 good naps a day. It's debatable if it really happens.
- Your first tooth starting popping through the day you turned 6 months! It's the cutest tooth I have ever seen! :) The doctor even said it was cute today.
- You just started last night deciding you may want to check out what crawling is all about. You are NO WHERE close to crawling, but you started feeling out the position. But why crawl when you can roll wherever you want to go? Because you sure do!
- You are grabbing for everything. You have even reached for mommy! It's an amazing feeling.
- You are still a talker. Everytime we go to the grocery store you talk while we go up and down the aisles. And you talk the most when you are trying to fall asleep. Your voice is so sweet. Daddy and I always wondered what your voice would sound like, and it hasn't disappointed!
- Last but certaintly not least....YOU HATE BABY FOOD! Like throw your head back and scream! It's like nothing I have ever seen before. The doctor told me to just keep trying and you will eventually come around. Although the doctor and I agreed, my breastmilk must be pretty dang good.

I'm sure I'm missing so much, because you are constantly learning and showing off new skills everyday. But girl, we have come a long way in 6 months! I'm so very lucky to have such a healthy little girl. We love you to the moon and back!

PS-Harper, Will and I took the elevator up to the doctor's office. In the elevator was a lady with a baby in a baby condo....I mean a stroller. I noticed how thin and cute the mom looked but the baby was so tiny. I immediately thought, "wow, she dropped the baby weight fast!". So I ask the Mom if she cared if I just looked at the baby. I oohed and awed over the TINY baby. I noticed he had ointment on his eyes. So I just thought we was coming in for his first checkup. I asked the Mom how old the baby was and she said two months! I was shocked. I told her how handsome her little boy was (which he was a little heartbreaker). She mentioned he was born early. I then noticed machinery in his stroller, like something to help him breathe. I asked how early he was and she said he was born 4 weeks early. The elevator then opened up and we went about her days.
As I sat there with Harper in my arms in the waiting room I realized just how lucky I really am. She was born 5 weeks early and is healthy as an ox. Not a problem has risen cause she was born early. I realize the baby probably had other problems while he was in his mommy's belly, but I can't help but realize just how blessed I really am.

Harper, you have taught me so much in 6 short months. But most importantly, you have taught me what love truely means! For that, thank you...

Last week

Last week was crazy! I was afraid I was going to get fired from my job...seriously...sorta!

Monday, Will had off work so was able to keep Harper for the day. <---- which this is so ironic to me. I work with/for federal government and I don't have the day off. Whatever, I'm just a wee bit bitter about it!

Anyway, Tuesday morning we wake up and are ready for our weekly routine. I head to the babysitter's house and notice the house is dark. Something in my head thought something was "up", but I told myself not to worry about it as I stood on the front porch. Our babysitter opens the front door with a confused look on her face. She said she tried to call me (which I know she did, but I swear I never go it!) to tell me that her youngest daughter has RSV. I immediately start panicking. I call work and tell them I can't come into work and let them know what is going on.

Wednesday - I asked our wonderful neighbor to watch Harper. She was fabulous. She has a 2 year old herself, so Harper was in hog heaven. I was able to get a normal work day in!

Thursday - Will's normal day off, but NOOOOOOO, Will had to drive 2 hours south to a court case. Oh, are you wondering why?! Just a reckless driving speeding ticket!!! So I had to take Harper into work with me so I could get things done. Unfortuntely, members of Congress actually do work and they weren't willing to wait for my husband to get back from court. Harper was a complete angel at work and I enjoyed having her around.

Friday - work as usual. THANK GOD!

We did leave for WV Friday after work. Will had military duty and my cousin had a baby shower for her little boy arriving in March. Harper enjoyed meeting and visiting with all of her relatives. And she was a very good girl. It was a very short weekend. Those WV weekends really wear all of us out! And poor Harper's schedule is shot, which makes for a very confused baby. But we got back on track last night.

That sums last week. It was crazy!

We have a tooth

Harper woke up Sunday proud as a peacock...she got her first tooth! Coincidentally, she celebrated her 6 month birthday that same day.

Everywhere we go, someone always comments that she must be teething. But I wasn't sure if she really was. I mean, she ALWAYS has her hands in her mouth and she has been drooling for 5 months now. So I just didn't know.

But sure enough, she has one coming in!

She has her dreaded (because of shots!) 6 month doctors appointment Thursday morning, so I will make sure I post her official stats on Friday. Along, with her official 6 month pictures.

Solids

For the past few weeks I have been noticing that Harper has shown a lot more interest in our food. She watches us and opens her mouth as we eat something. So when she turned 5 1/2 months I decided to give her some rice cereal. She seems to like it. But I have to time it just perfectly. If I wait until she is REALLY hungry, she will just throw a fit until I give her a bottle. But I can't give her the cereal when she is too full or she just won't eat it. My daughter eats to live, not lives to eat. I'm not sure where she gets that from?! Trooper maybe?

Anyway, here are some pictures of her starting her rice cereal. Also, she has a new BFF when she eats the cereal.

Trying it for the first time

Seriously Trooper!?!

And in case you were wondering, she prefers to eat when she is in her bumbo.

Trying to feed herself...as evidence on her shirt it didn't go as she planned

<3

"Just shooting the sh*t" after dinner

And she is naked because she much prefers to eat her bib than her food. I told you, she isn't much into food!

I had to add this picture in here beause I think Harper looks too dang cute (and grown up)! Grammy and Grandy gave her this for Christmas...she LOVES it.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. I know the Cutlip's live for the weekends!

1K

That is how I rang in my New Year.

No, I'm not talking about $1000....I'm talking about a 1K walk.

A sorority sister that lives in my town asked me to walk a 1K with her. I was happy to do it. Just my speed...LOL!

I think we finished the 1K at the exact same time as a runner finished the 5K race. Pitiful huh?! Oh well, at least we got SOME exercise in?!

And I of course I had to take a picture of my first big 1K!

How did you ring in the New Year?!

Picture overload!!!

Cutlip Family Stockings

Mom and Dad's mantle...the stockings have multiplied in the last 5 years!

Emma and Grammy inviting Santa in for a visit

Santa asking Harper if she has been a good girl. Is this not adorable?!

Daddy's little elf playing on her new playmat from the Tidd's.

Emma and Harper's great grandma gave Emma a wheel barrow for Christmas. Emma pushed Harper all around the house. It was absolutely adorable. (And of course, there were several adults following them around!)

Christmas lovins' for the baby girl

Showing off her Christmas dress

Harper and her Poppy (Will's dad)

Harper LOVED all of her gifts. The toy she is holding in her hand is her absolute favorite. We found it at Pottery Barn Kids. We showed it to her and when we went to put it back on the shelf she started fussing. Of course her daddy bought it for her and she won't put it down.

Christmas aftermath. Sorry Grammy and Grandy...but we LOVED everything. We (especially Harper and Trooper) are so grateful!

Exhausted from the "Cutlip Christmas Chaos"!

New Year, New babysitter

Let me just start by saying "man, am I lucky!"

I was dreading 2012 because I knew Harper had to start with a new babysitter. With some help from my boss, we were able to find what I thought was a pretty good babysitter. Boy was I wrong....

SHE IS AN AMAZING BABYSITTER! I had no reason to dread 2012.

I know she adores Harper like one of her own. She can't wait to hold Harper as soon as I drop her off in the mornings. And Harper is always all smiles when I pick her up. I know she is happy with her.

My mind is at ease, which means so much. It's been a big adjustment for Harper, but it's working out. My poor little girl LOVES to sleep in until AT LEAST 10am if not later, so getting up at 6:45am is not her style.

Not only is this a big change for me, Will and Harper but it's for Trooper too. He has had someone home with him since July. So for the first time in almost 6 months he has to be alone. He is hanging in there, but still not happy.

I'm very lucky to have found such a good babysitter, now I live in fear of the day she says she can't do it anymore.

Back by popular demand!

Happy New Year!!

It's been one heck of a new year already! But we (Cutlip's) are all healthy again and ready to conquer 2012.

Let's recap Christmas...

We headed to WV on Thursday, Dec. 22nd. We always love heading home to our families, especially now with Miss Harper.

On Friday, Dec. 23rd we had family pictures taken. I didn't time the pictures that well and it was nap time for the kids. They turned out good, but you can see the chaos in the pictures. I'm just glad we were able to get one big family picture.

Saturday, Dec. 24th Hunt cooked one of the best meals ever! We enjoyed a nice family dinner and then Randy's side of the family joined us for evening. We exchanged presents and the kids were surprised with a visit from SANTA CLAUS! It was awesome!
Background info: Grandy bought a Santa suit to wear. He dressed up and snuck outside. He rang the doorbell and Emma helped answer the door. She was in awe. We couldn't have asked for a better acting job out of Grandy. He was awesome! But I have tell you, when Emma asked Santa if he wanted a cookie Santa responded "YEAH! I will take two!" That is so Grandy. Santa posed for pictures and handed out some presents for the kids, but he had to get out quickly to deliver presents to the other kids...or get out of the costume because he was so dang hot!

Sunday, Dec. 25th-Christmas Chaos! We opened and played with our new gifts. Then got ready and began our whirlwind of family visits. Aunts, cousins and uncles all came over for Christmas lunch. We had to hurry up and leave to head to Will's family's house to exchange gifts. Then Will had to hurry up and leave there to head back to VA. He had to work the next day. Oh, and Grandy had a horrible stomach virus. He stayed in bed most the day (this is an important detail!).

Monday, Dec. 26th- I decided to stay behind after my mom offered to drive me back to VA if I wanted to stay. This later was a blessing! Harper and I visited Will's mom and just relaxed.

Tuesday, Dec. 27th - I caught the plague. OH.MY.GOD. It was horrible. I literally had to stay in bed all day long. I don't think I saw Harper once, Grammy and Grandy had to take care of her! Thank goodness I decided to stay so I could get help from Grammy!

Wednesday, Dec. 28th - Grammy caught the plague. So the roles were reversed. I had to take care of her. She was bedridden all day and I was still recovering.

Thursday, Dec. 29th - Headed back to VA. Uneventful but long.

Friday, Dec. 30th - Kelsey came back to VA and headed back to WV to finish school.

We didn't do a thing for New Year's. As a matter of fact, I watched the ball drop from my bed and Harper slept through it. Oh how life changes with a baby.

That sums up our holiday. I will post a ton of pictures once I get them downloaded. But I just wanted to update everyone.