Welcome Baby Haddie!

Well, after a week of making us wait past our due date, Haddie finally made her grand entrance!

Hadley Orella Lastick

Born December 8, 2011

@ 7:15pm

5 lbs 12 oz and 18 1/2 inches long

For anyone who doesn't want details of the delivery, stop reading now...! I went into the doctor on Thursday morning for my 41 week check up. They talked about risks to the baby if I were to wait longer to deliver naturally, but I was still on the fence because I did not like the idea of being induced. After they did an ultrasound to check fluids and checked baby's heart rate, they told me my placenta was no longer functioning properly and I needed to head to the hospital immediately to be induced. There were many tears, but it was beyond my control and I knew it was best for our baby girl to listen to the doctor and head in. We made an appointment for noon that day, packed up and headed over to the hospital. I cried the entire way home and was a bit of a basket case... just not what I had "planned". We waited 3 hours at the hospital, hooked up to monitors, before they had a doctor who could see me and begin the induction. They checked my cervix and I was only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced--not very much progressed at all. They told me I would get a dose of cytoxin every 4 hours for 16 hours, and this would soften my cervix to prepare it for labor. After that they would administer pitocin to kick my body into labor. So... we were thinking hours/days until she arrived. 2 hours after they gave me the first dose of cytoxin, I started getting contractions, fast and furious, every 2-3 minutes lasting 1-1 1/2 minutes each. They were so intense, I asked to walk around but they still had to monitor baby. They hooked me up to a portable monitor so I could sit on the ball & move around to deal with the pain better. The nurses and doctors were all so busy--1 doc to deal with 10 women in labor. So I was at the bottom of the totem pole since they thought I'd have at least 16 hours till I went into labor. The charge nurse kept whisking in and out, telling me I was only having cramping, I was not in labor. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I had a few choice words swirling around in my head for her... I was definitely in labor, no question. After 15 minutes of moving around she blew in again and told me I had to lie down b/c she couldn't get a good read on baby with the portable monitor. She hooked me up in bed and had me lie on my side. It got so intense and painful all I could do was yell out for someone to please help me. The nurse then saw that I was having actual contractions on the monitor, but she still said it could be false labor, etc. Baby was fine on the monitor but the nurse wouldn't let me get up out of bed to move around. After over an hour of this, and nearly breaking Tom's hand from squeezing s

o hard, the nurse asked if I wanted a pain medicine to "take the edge off". As much as I wanted a natural birth, I would do anything to avoid an epidural and c-section, so I accepted this at 6:30pm. Within minutes the pain in between contractions was manageable and I could breathe and relax for a minute... and I felt loopy, which was a welcome change. The contractions themselves were still awful, but the little break in between was so nice. Any guilt I had for taking something was gone because I knew I couldn't last for hours without it. At 7pm the drug wore off and I started to feel like baby was coming out. The charge nurse was no where to be found, nor was the doctor. A nurse checked my cervix again and sure enough, baby was ready to come out! The nurse told me not to push until the doctor could get in there (she was next door delivering another baby!). I was screaming that the doctor had better get in there because I was going to have to push! A couple of minutes she arrived, 4-5 pushes and out came our baby girl! Oh my goodness, I have never felt such relief! The pain/pressure finally subsided and I crashed. They dropped her on my chest, Tom cut the cord and that was that. Nothing else mattered! I took one look at her and we knew, she had to be Hadley Orella. We liked the name Hadley but had a couple of others picked out... Orella was Tom's Nonnie's name, and he wanted to somehow incorporate his father's name/family in there somewhere. It all just sounded great and it fit her. We spent a night in the hospital and were going to stay one more night, but around 5pm we realized we'd be more comfortable at home... so we checked out early (no medical concerns with myself or Haddie) and were home by 7pm.

The next few nights were rough, Haddie cluster fed all night long, pretty much non-stop but she was so calm and quiet about it. There was some concern on day 5 that she hadn't had any poop since we left the hospital, so the nurse came out to check that she was getting what she needed from me. My milk had come in but no idea how much she was getting... she weighed 6 lbs 1.5 oz six days after birth, which is amazing! Usually they only hope for babies to be up to their birth weight at 2 weeks old. We far surpassed that!

Harper is an amazing big sister! She and Tom are pushing each other's buttons a bit, but we're all tired and it's to be expected. But she is very gentle and cautious of Haddie. Memere is here and she's been taking Harper on special outings to the library, store and Butterfly Pavilion. Tom is off work until Monday, Memere leaves Tuesday. Not quite sure what we'll do after that... I'm definitely still weak, fatigued and sore. And nowhere near having the nursing thing "down". I know I'll be on my own at some point, but not quite ready yet... it will be interesting to see how it goes.

Haddie is very mellow at this point in comparison to Harper. I thought Harper was a very good baby, but she was feisty and never seemed to really settle. She was a great sleeper at night, and slept though the night early on, but she had other challenges. Haddie seems to have fallen into somewhat of a night routine. Feed around 8pm, 11pm, 3am, 6/7am. Roughly. Not too shabby. She's still not thrilled about being away from me (survival instinct) so no luck with her going down in the crib yet. She sleeps next to me for now, which is not ideal, but we'll do what it takes to get sleep at this point. Last night she was so hungry, and I seemed to have run out of milk, so Tom gave her a bottle I had pumped earlier in the day to "top her off". She took it, no problem, so soon Tom will do that 10/11pm feeding with a bottle so I can start off the night with some sleep... we shall see...

Stay tuned as we move through this new adventure!!!

Three, Kauai, Big girl bed, First snow, Halloween & baby!

Wow, it is beyond time for a big update post! We've had so much going on I keep forgetting to write about it! Let's start w/ Harper's 3rd Birthday back in September... we rented a Princess bouncy castle for the day and a few of her little friends came to play and celebrate (Lily, Levi, Gracyn, Lola, Gillian & Garrett). What could be more fun than a few three year olds bouncing for hours, eating cake and playing in the sprinkler?! It was a great day and Harper had a blast sharing it with her closest pals.

To follow suit, Harper has suddenly turned into a "big girl".

She was 100% potty trained during the day last summer and oh-so-proud of herself! We've been introducing it for quite some time, but one day, she just decided it was time. And, miraculously, zero accidents. She's amazing!

We went to Kauai at the end of September for 10 days and had a blast--it was so fun to see Harper playing in the water, going on hikes (tough hikes too) and enjoying the tropical bliss. She was so good--on the plane, in restaurants, driving all over and being a super star. She also flawlessly transitioned into a big girl bed while we were there. They had a pack & play in the condo, but also a guest room bed and she asked to sleep in the "big girl bed"... so we let her and she did great. She stayed in bed, slept and was great for bedtime and naps. Amazing. She is so great about adapting to changes... it blows us away every time. She would also get up in the morning and use the big potty all by herself before she came into our room. Some fun things we did in Kauai: gecko hunting (Harper is amazing at catching them!), fun kid friendly beaches, lighthouse, farmer's markets, beach trips every single day (sometimes twice), hikes, pool, fun dinners out, cooking in the condo, Tom got to golf and I got a massage. Ah. Our most favorite place on earth did not disappoint this time around and was actually MORE fun with Harper in tow!

When we got home, Aunt Karen helped set up Harper's big girl beds in her room. She now has 2 twin beds that will eventually stack into bunk beds. She was SO excited and squealed with delight when she saw them for the first time. She's done an amazing job settling into her new bed... a few missed naps, but she stays in bed like a good girl. Over the past 2 weeks we seem to be back on the nap train. She definitely still needs them & is a bit of a mess when she skips one. We'll keep going with them, and days she can't sleep she at least reads & does quiet time in her room. I love how much a three year old can comprehend and understand--setting limits and consequences is much easier when they get it.

We got a big snow storm toward the end of October and Harper absolutely loves playing in the snow. It's fun this year to get her all dressed up to go romp around the yard. Unfortunately, our trees took a toll with the heavy wet snow falling on the leaves, but we all pitched in and helped cut and drag the limbs away (Tom did most of it, but Harper was happy to help for a little while).

And what was our little princess for Halloween? Why, Cinderella of course!!! One day, Harper said, "Mom, you know how Pam calls Lily bean?" (Lily is Harper's little 3yo buddy), "Well, can you call me candy corn?" So, we started calling her candy corn instead of punkin', monkey, sweetie and all the other random names I seem to come up with... now, that nick name has evolved into "Princess Cinderella Candy Corn" per her request. Oye. That's a mouth full, but she will correct you if you shorten it to candy corn.

For Halloween we took Harper to the Munchkin Masquerade on Pearl Street--such a great event, where the stores on the pedestrian mall give out candy to the kids during daylight hours. A great alternative to night time Trick or Treating... but we did both. Lily, Pam & Mark came with us to visit our neighbors... the girls filled their pumpkins with tons of candy and they ended up weighing more than the girls themselves! It was Harper's first time Trick or Treating in Colorado (we were in MA last year) and she had a blast!

Harper is also now 100% potty trained--day and night. She got to pick out new big girl undies as a reward for being dry at night for 2 weeks (princess of course!). She had 1 accident the first night in her undies, but none since. So another 2 weeks of dry nights. I think she had to have the 1 accident to figure it out, but she's going great. She's still a little peanut, but is trying new foods, having full on conversations, asking "why?" all the time and learning a lot! She knows almost all of the letters of the alphabet out of order, and can write about 10-12 of the letters on her own. It's so fun to watch her learn and develop! She's still in daycare with Jackie Tues & Thurs and that is still going great. We apply to Boulder Valley Preschools today--it's a lottery--and find out in February if we got in. What will be Harper's Elementary School (Douglass) just added a pre-school starting in Sept 2012, so we're hoping to get her in there. 4 mornings a week for a really good price. Can't beat that!

Baby news--I am now officially 40 weeks pregnant and READY for this baby girl to arrive. I'm really hoping it happens on its own, rather than being induced... I keep thinking it's happening, then nothing. I had the flu all week and I'm just starting to recover and feel like I'd have the energy should this baby arrive. At the last ultrasound 2 weeks ago her estimated weight was 6 lbs 14 oz. That's a good size, she can come out now. (:

Stay tuned for more posts when baby does decide to arrive...

Goodbye Sweet Rudy

Last weekend we lost our beloved friend and companion, Rudy. It is hard in words to sum up feelings, thoughts and the life of someone that was very much a loved part of our family, but I will do my best.

Shortly before getting Rudy, I moved from my condo in downtown Boulder to a small house with a yard in Louisville for the sole purpose of having a dog. Maybe not the best move for a 28 year old bachelor to move from the city to suburbia, but that is how much I wanted a dog and Rudy never made me regret that decision. After being there about two months, I got Rudy as a seven week old puppy and picked her from a litter of her mates. While her brothers and sisters all just snoozed in the sun, Rudy instantly took to me and followed me around, even as I was looking over her siblings and talking to the breeder about which dog was the best. Rudy made my decision easy. From that day on, Rudy was my best bud and literally always at my side.

Having a puppy was a lot harder and more work than I ever thought and Rudy was no different. However unlike most puppies, especially labs, Rudy was never destructive and never chewed anything up. She was also very smart and easily trained. She was house trained, walking off leash, sitting, laying down, etc. within a few weeks. Rudy’s only quirk was peeing. From the time she was a puppy until at least four or five years old, she’d pee almost every time we’d get home from work and was excited, especially when someone would pet her in that state. It is a good thing the house had wood floors!

Rudy was always happiest at my side or hiking or swimming. She literally squealed with excitement when she would hear the word walk or see her collar or leash get picked up and she’d almost knock you down to get out the door first. Rudy also loved to play fetch. I never had to teach her that skill, she was a ball dog from day one. Even into late adulthood, she would continue to play fetch for as long as someone was willing to throw her a ball...or until she literally puked and passed out from exhaustion. She slept with me in my bed, crawled up with me on the couch every night and pretty much for the first year of her life we did everything together. She had an amazing ability to sense emotions and would come to you when you most needed someone to hug or just a friend to lay at your feet and keep you company.

Not too long after that Cari came into my life and Rudy was very jealous. She definitely gave Cari the cold shoulder forawhile. Rudy was too sweet to hold a grudge for long though and quickly took to Cari as her momma.....and then not too long after that, Jake as her brother. Jake had issues with other dogs when he first came to us, but never with Rudy. I think anyone, even a dog like Jake that had clearly been tormented by other people and dogs could sense she was a lover and a threat to nobody.

And so for years, Cari, Jake, Rudy and I were a happy family. We hiked or biked or walked with the dogs every day. We moved to our new house with an acre of fenced yard. Jake was in heaven chasing squirrels and Rudy in heaven with the massive yard for fetch and all the trails, ditches and lakes within a short walk of our house. When Harper came into our lives, Rudy and Jake got a little less attention but never less love. In recent months Harper had just starting taking more of an interest in Rudy. Rudy was always very sweet with Harper but for a baby or just learning to walk toddler, a bit of a “bull in a china shop” around her. Harper got knocked over many a time by Rudy. Harper was just tiny and Rudy was just excited but it wasn’t always a

good match. More recently Harper can hold her own. She sensed when Rudy was behind her near stairs or the door to outside and would stand aside to avoid getting run over. She started to play fetch with Rudy and could throw the ball far enough that Rudy would actually bring it back to her and not to me. She would giggle and squeal with delight when Rudy gave her “kisses”. It breaks my heart that Harper won’t continue to grow up with Rudy as her doggie.

The last year of Rudy’s life has been hard on her and on us. She developed an auto-immune skin condition that resulted in her losing most of her hair and her skin being an almost constant flaky, patchy, pussy mess. Cari gave Rudy baths with special medicated shampoo almost daily and had to vacuum the house just as often. We went through thousands of dollars of tests, misdiagnoses and failed treatments. She was poked, prodded, medicated, sick, tired and just generally not herself for most of that time. Yet through all of it she was always sweet and loving. She never whimpered, whined or complained. Our vet said seeing her name on the schedule always brightened his day. It is most sad that in the last month, it seemed like we had a breakthrough with her condition and found the right combination of medications to treat it. The week before she died she was looking better than she had at any point in the last year. It was such a shock to lose her so suddenly after all that she has been through and had seemed to almost overcome. Maybe her death the treatment of her condition over the last year were related and it is entirely possible they were not . All that matters is we now have lost both our beloved dogs in the course of three months

and our house and lives feel very quiet and almost empty without them.

The circle of life goes on and we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next little Miss Lastick in a matter of weeks. Harper is excited to be a big sister and Cari and I are excited to have a baby again. All will be well in the Lastick family and we will never forget Rudy and Jake who will always be in our minds, hearts and souls.....until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge.

Written by Tom on October 12, 2011--what would have been Rudy's 9th Birthday. Happy Birthday sweet girl. We miss you more than words can say...

Almost THREE!

It's hard to believe, but in just one week Harper will be three years old! We're gearing up for a birthday party this weekend--complete with a princess bouncy house, Cinderella cake & pink balloons--all at her request. She is very much into girly things, dresses, dress up shoes, and gloves. Anytime we see anyone wearing gloves, "Why do they have gloves on?" It has become her new obsession. That andshoes... she doubled around behind a woman wearing stiletto heels the other day, looked up at her and said, "Can I wear your pretty glass slippers?" Oh my! It's cute, but I'm secretly hoping it's a phase...

To get ready for her birthday, she wanted to get her hair cut and nails painted. We went to Lollilocks today--a kid salon--and did just that. I'm not quite sure if she was terrified or mesmerized, but she barely moved or spoke the entire time. Afterwards, she

was pretty excited with her new do, nails & toes. She's super excited for her big day this Sunday and can't wait to celebrate with a few of her little friends.

A few recent milestones: she now pees and poops on the potty every time (except at bedtime), she can ride her tricycle all on her own, she can put

her puzzles together all by herself and she swims laps with her float around her waist all by herself. She says she is a big girl because she can do all of these things and she is right! When she helps out or does something really good, she earns quarters or change for her piggy bank. We counted today and she has almost $25! She said she wants to buy princess gloves with it--go figure!

She's speaking in full conversation now and can write the letters H and A and recognizes a few others out of order. She can spell her name and sing dozens of songs. She LOVES to dance and will give up ice cream just so she can have her hands free to dance up a storm!

We're having a blast and enjoying every second we have with her. She is such a Joie! (:

Goodbye Sweet Jake

We had to say goodbye to our sweet dog, Jake today. We got him from the Boulder Humane Society a little over 7 years ago and they said he was "between 2-4 years old" and was "a great dog"... we knew nothing about the breed, but he was so darn sweet and pathetically thin when we met him... we left that day because we didn't find the "lab mix" we wanted, but as soon as I walked out the door I was in tears. "What's wrong with that spotted one? Who am I to want the right breed? We're taking him!" We were totally unprepared and had no idea how energetic & mischievous a German Shorthaired Pointer could be! He most definitely gave us a run for our money for the first few months--he was super sweet with us but was obviously abused, neglected and timid around loud noises & voices. We were pretty sure he had never been inside a house before--he was probably tied outside. He spooked at the TV, jumped up on tables & counters and marked his territory throughout the whole house. He was nearly impossible to walk on leash, he practically choked himself pulling so hard and ripped his face apart when we tried a "gentle leader". Off leash, he bolted. We lost him overnight on a camping trip in the mountains and were so lucky a nice family found him on the side of the road (10 miles aw

ay!!!) and kept him overnight till we could get in touch with them the next morning. He was also aggressive with other dogs and we witnessed a handful of dramatic dog fights between him and other dogs on walks, hikes, dog training class, etc. We were booted from General Obedience class and put in the "Grumpy Growlers" class instead--what a nightmare! Muzzled dogs trying to figure out how to get along with each other. He was so destructive, especially when he was left alone, and tore up plumbing, heating, sprinkler systems, decks, furniture, bedding, flooring, couches, cabinets... you name it, he went at it with a vengeance. He barked and barked and barked when we went to work and the neighbors finally had enough and called animal control... We were sure we were not the right people for him, but were told if we turned him back in he would be put down. His one redeeming quality at the time was his sweet nature with us and kids. He was amazing... as hyper as he was he would always stop to be pet and literally purr like a cat. The years went on and Jake's aggressiveness all but disappeared, he gained weight, was healthy, happy and trusting. He was still mischievous and kept us on our toes, but he settled into our home and was loved and very well cared for. We learned

how to manage his energy and separation anxiety. Before work Tom would bike Jake for 5+ miles to wear him out. We then had to close him in our small bedroom so he didn't bark all day & destroy our house and yard. Some days, I was lucky enough to take him to work with me. He was SO loved... day one in the office he leapt up onto the office manager's desk to look down on her and say hello. She was smitten from that moment on... such a ham! He would curl up quietly in my office recliner while I worked away... when troubled kids came in he would lay at their feet and let them pat him for hours. He calmed a tantruming kid down on more than one occasion. He was my work buddy... both at Ariel and CTRC. Once we figured out that a chest harness worked wonders on walks, he also became my running buddy--finally I could set the pace instead of him running me! We trained for running races & triathlons together... he motivated me to get up and out the door. My little spotted trainer. (:

When we moved into our new house Jake was in heaven... an acre of fenced in yard to sprint around...and oodles of squirrels to chase. He quickly became a "Squirrel Killer"... he would sit in the grass, still and not moving for HOURS... slowly creeping up to the unsuspecting critter while he ate from the neighbor's bird feeder... then, when they started to creep back over the fence into our yard, Jake would be hiding in the grass and pounce. It was pretty amazing to watch, mostly misses, but every now and then he'd get one. ): I have never seen a dog stalk the way he did--it was catlike.

Jake was notorious for sneaking food... mostly bananas.

Something about bananas... he was a monkey dog!!!

When Harper was born Jake's attention was given mostly to the new baby but he never complained. He was just happy to have me home full time and would nap on the couch while we played. When Harper was 2 weeks old, we put her in her own room for the first time and I found Jake curled up in "his" recliner in her room, keeping her company. He was so sweet with her from day one... gentle, understanding and ever so tolerant.

We are beyond devastated to have lost Jake today. He was in pain, unable to use his back legs and not recovering so we knew it was time. We did everything we could and when our vet said "it's time", we reluctantly agreed. Harper said, "I miss my friend Jake." today and it broke my heart. Looking at "his" couch weighs heavy on my heart but I know, in time, we will be able to remember all of his funny quirks and laugh at all the silly things he did over the years. Rudy seems a bit lost, but I think she's secretly happy to be the sole dog of the family once again... she's a Lab, with the "it's all about ME!!!" attitude, so I think she'll be just fine.

Thanks for teaching us so much, Jake... about patience, tolerance, love and nurturing. You prepared us well for parenting and were a great first dog for Harper. We will bury you under your favorite squirrel tree and can only hope you are as fast as ever in "doggie heaven".

Love you buddy. You are missed.

Potty Training 101

Well...we've been "working" on potty training for almost a year now, and have pretty much just tried to introduce it but let Harper make the ultimate decision to actually make it happen... and she did! She's worn big girl undies every day for almost 2 weeks now, and zero accidents. We don't even have to ask her to go potty, she just decides when she needs to go, does her thing and then gets a jelly bean. Us reminding her usually turns into "NO!" and a power struggle, so we just sitback and wait for her to tell us. Last Thursday, she did her first deliberate poop on the potty (we had 2 previous over the past few months, but it was accidental when she was going pee). This time she said, "I need to poop onthe potty!", got a book and there she sat until it was all out. So, minus nap and bed, she's in big girl undies!!! WOO HOOO!!!! She even does a "poopie dance" when she goes on the potty--even her pediatrician joined in and did the dance with her last week. Pretty exciting! We went to Benihana ("fire restaurant") with Harper's little friend Lily and her family to celebrate the girls' potty training success! They were true to form and even left the exciting cooking event to go pee pee on the potty. It was a blast, they were both in awe and ate like champs. They are growing up so fast!

Harper's ears cleared up, so she's all good there. She was having some pain when urinating and the doc suspected it was bubble bath--it bubbles up into the urinary tract and then burns when they pee. Who knew?! He said throw it out, never use it again, and he hopes it will one day be taken off the shelves b/c it causes UTI's and various other problems. How terrible! So, now we are using our newly renovated bathroom/bathtub for warm, bubble-free baths.

Naps/bedtime had become a frustrating battle with lots of screaming and tears. Eventually, we had to just let her cry it out, and since then, it's been pleasant again. Pphew. So now, books, songs and bed. She babbles in her crib for a while (usually a recap of the day) and then passes out eventually... No rocking to sleep, battling, etc. BUT she is two, so there are daily struggles over just about everything... getting dressed, getting in the car, cleaning up... we're finding more and more creative ways to keep her focused and interested in being good. She got a piggy bank yesterday and if she helps with little chores here and there, she gets to put some change in it. This seems to be a big deal, let's hope it continues to be for a LONG time!

Baby news--we're 11 1/2 weeks and have our 2nd appointment on Thursday. I've been super tired and nauseous, but I have tojust keep plugging along. I think it's worse than when I was pregnant w/ Harper but hard to tell b/c I wasn't chasing a 2 year old around back then! So... maybe it's a boy this time...??? Any bets...???

We're expecting!

Well... it's official, Baby #2 (aka Poppyseed) is due December 2nd! Harper is so excited and keeps patting my belly saying, "Hi baby baby!" and asking when it's going to come out. Not only that, but when we visit friends with babies, she plays with their hands, feet and tickles their chins. She then says, "Mommy you hold the baby." whereas before, if I held another baby, she would scream, "NO MOMMY!!! PUT IT DOWN! HOLD ME!" There are 2 babies at her daycare now, so I think the exposure has helped.

Harper has been absolutely amazing lately! She has her occasional meltdowns, but it's almost as if she grew up overnight. We've been having so much fun as a family... going to fairs, parks, restaurants, the Zoo, pool, play places, etc. She's off and on for naps, but we're not convinced she's done with them yet so we still try every day. Some days she just babbles happily in her crib, others she sleeps for a couple of hours.

Her new favorite questions are "What happened?" and "What did you say?", usually both out of context, leaving no real way to answer either question. But she's persistent, not giving up till she gets an answer she understands and accepts. She's just too smart... (;

We're heading into Mother's Day weekend. Alice and her family are coming for a couple of days so we'll meet them in Denver for dinner and Marge & Crow will be here for a night or two as well.

I finish up work next week (I'm ready for a break!) then 3 weeks off... then I'll go back and teach 1 day a week for 10 weeks this summer. One day sounds a lot better than three right now. I'm feeling queasy most days and so so so tired. I'm in bed around 8:30/9 and just absolutely exhausted by the end of the day. Tom has been picking up a lot of the slack by putting Harper to bed most nights and bringing her to daycare in the morning so I can rest before going to work. That has helped so much, not sure what I'd do w/ out him!

You are My Sunshine!

Harper is anxiously awaiting Memere's visit tomorrow and wanted to sing her favorite song to get ready! (:

"You are my sunshine!"

A little of this...

A little of that... we're just going about life, having fun and enjoying new adventures! Harper just turned 2 1/2, but sometimes I think she is going on 4... she has begun to ask the question "

why" all the time! Sometimes she accepts your explanation of things, sometimes she follows up with another "why", but we think she's learning a lot by asking. I can tolerate about 50 why's before I cave and say that's enough for now.She is big into dress up shoes, purses, nail polish

and dressed (Oh-oh!!!!)... looks like I've got a

princess on my hands! She loves to help me bake, cook, clean and do laundry. She will actually ask to help with laundry ("londee") on non-laundry days! Such a nice little helper! We take her everywhere... she loves the grocery store and will ride the horse after if she is good (which is every time!) and says she is riding

Lakota! Too cute!

Harper's pretty nails.

If the answer is no for something, she responds, "But I NEED to!" Oh my... she's clever. She is counting to 10, but will sometimes count 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1. She loves to paint and will do it for hours a day if we let her. Now that the weather is warming up we'll be taking loads of trips to the Zoo, parks and hiking trails.

Harper just started her first swim lessons without us in the water with her. There is 1 instructor and 4 kids. They all stand on a platform in the water and one at a time they work on kicking, paddling, back floats and jumping in the water. She's getting really good at it and is very comfortable with the instructor. Tom or I watch from the edge of the pool... at first we were nervous, thinking she was not advanced enough but she is learning so quickly!

She is at Jackie's daycare two days a week and loves it! I went back to work at CTRC a few weeks ago filling in teaching this session. I am loving it and enjoying the break from "house stuff". It's definitely a change, but Tom has been really supportive and has picked up the slack at home and with Harper.

Vacation!

Tom, Jo Jo, Bambi & Harper watching the Mobula Rays

Well, not only did we survive our Nicaragua/Costa Rica trip, we had a blast and saw, and did, some pretty amazing things includi

ng: thousands of Mobula Rays jumping out of the water, monkeys, butterflies, jelly fish, horse drawn carriages, zip lines, sea kayak rides, puffer fish, hermit crabs, crossing the border on foot, beautiful beaches, active volcanoes, a trail ride, free grazing horses & cattle, amazing restaurants, great pools at every house we stayed in, cool cities and great cultures.

Harper had so much fun in the pool, ocean and cities we visited. She went on her first sea kayak rides (two of them!) to watch thousands of Mobula Rays jumping and flipping out of the water. Most people never get to see that in a lifetime but she got to see it at the ripe old age of two! It was like a fireworks display, just when you thought it was over they would start jumping and going nuts again.

Harper had so much fun in the pool, ocean and cities we visited. She went on her first sea kayak rides (two of them!) to watch thousands of Mobula Rays jumping and flipping out of the water. Most people never get to see that in a lifetime but she got to see it at the ripe old age of two! It was like a fireworks display, just when you thought it was over they would start jumping and going nuts again.

Nicaragua was so nice--the people are kind, but go about their business and don't really care that you are there. If you need help, they will give it, they work hard and care most about family and Jesus. We stayed in Granada for 4 nights and enjoyed the benefits of walking out our front door right onto the street, so we could venture into town quite easily. We had some amazing

food (gallo pinto--rice and beans--being one of our favorite local dishes) and great weather. There are horse drawn carriages you can ride around town in and it was almost like a different era all together. Very simple, laid back and slow pace.

We then moved onto the "fishy little sleepy town" of San Juan Del Sur. At first glance, it wasn't so great, but we ventured down dirt roads to find beautiful beaches and again, some amazing restaurants with fabulous food. We ate out a lot, and Harper was very goo

d for most of the meals. However, we will not be going out to dinner with her for quite sometime--we've had enough. Ha!

Harper enjoying a mango smoothie in Granada

Our rental house in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

After San Juan Del sure we crossed the border into Costa Rica (what an experience!) and stay

ed in Playa Del Coco in a great condo near the beach, with amazing ocean views. We hung out by the pool and putzed around the tiny town, but didn't do much beyond that. Three nights there, a 4 hour drive to San Jose where we spent one night at a hotel and then drove home.

Harper has more stamps in her passport at the age of two than I did at 25! She is still talking about the rays jumping out of the water and the jelly fish we saw on the beach. I think we have a world traveler on our hands. (: