My Baby Girl

I originally started this blog to talk about my life, and I think I do a good job at that. Sometimes I'll have ridiculously funny stories and other times not so much. Although I do have a weekend recap to do, I just wanted to dedicate this blog to one little gal I know won't read it, my Harper Maryann. Last night as I was snuggling my Boo Bear (she won't sleep in her crib, I complain but I secretly love having her in our room) I just started thinking how truly blessed I am. This little thing loves me so unconditionally that sometimes the magnitude takes my breath away. There are millions of people in this world who won't ever be able to have children, millions more who abuse that privilege (and it is a privilege IMO) and to realize I'm one of the few that get to experience mommyhood is such a HUGE deal! So, I dedicate my blog to my sweet girl. Miss Harper Maryann who is 29 weeks old today. She's starting solids, making messes, rolling all over kingdom come, won't sit still to save my life and smiles all the time. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love her to the moon and back! 

New York Road Trip Recap: My Daughter Pooped EVERYWHERE

So sorry for the week vacation I took! It was pretty nice and nothing too exciting has happened. I figured I'll let you all know about my New York trip. While it was amazing to see my dad, step mom and step sibs, the trip was BRUTAL. If anyone has ever driven a long road trip with a baby would totally understand. What should have been a 9 hour road trip took us 12 on the way up and 11 on the way back. My sweet Harper decided to serenade my sis and I with lovely screams, tantrums, and adorable noises and poops. It was awesome.  Here's the recap of the road trip:

We left on Wednesday night after work and decided to stop half way to give Harper a break from sitting in the car for too long. My dad called and told us to stop in Columbus, OH because it wouldn't be worth the drive to Ashtabula (a booming metropolis on the Erie, PA border) because he had to work the next day and the weather would be perfect for us. We stopped in Columbus for Harper's first hotel stay. She screamed until midnight, we woke up around 8... didn't leave until 9:30 and this was a view of our drive FROM COLUMBUS TO ROCHESTER

Isn't the sunshine beautiful?

It poured all the way through Ohio, Pennsylvania and all the way up to Buffalo where the weather promptly switched to snow. FYI to all you who plan to travel to NY... the potholes are horrible and rocks will constantly shoot at your windshield. No lie... they come at them like bugs do in the South. It's nuts. From Columbus to Rochester the drive should have lasted 6 hours. It took 9. By the time we got to my dad's, Harper was over the trip and letting us know by screaming and Liza and I were about to flip the ish out. 

Once in the ROC we had an amazing time. Dad got to see Harper and get some time with her while Liza and I saw some of her friends from U of R Nursing School. My step brothers got to meet Harper and my step sister and step mom got to play with her. We went to an amazing wing place called Jeremiah's  (shout out) and another restaurant whose name I have forgotten. But Harper sat in a big girl chair there and rolled around on their sheep's wool benches! We loved it. 

Harper and Grandpa on our last night.

The trip was very much needed but on Saturday night I started to get the feeling of doom. There was a drive back... we had to do it... it would be an all day adventure. F. I should have known this one would be a memorable trip when I somehow over slept an hour and missed our alarm. Then once we got Harper into the car the screaming promptly started 1 HOUR into the 11 HOUR drive. We pulled over checked the necessities and lifted her out of her car seat. She started laughing and smiling. Little A-hole (a term of endearment, I promise) just wanted to get out. I saw where this was going and it wasn't pretty. 

On the upside of this drive, I got my Popeye's for lunch (we don't have them in Lex and it was a big deal) and the weather was amazing. Harper started getting fussy so we pulled over for a coffee break and got her out and snuggled her up. Took this precious picture:

Isn't her Lloyd Christmas cut precious?

and continued on our way. We took this picture outside of Columbus towards Cincinnati. From this point on Harper would wake up, scream, fall back asleep, scream, eat, toot and fall back asleep. It was a routine but we were in the home stretch. I saw the light at the end of road trip hell's tunnel. It was bright. We hit Northern Kentucky and all types of things started to happen. It was snowing, traffic was building up and Harper was getting REALLY unhappy. Once we hit Grant County (45 miles outside of Lexington, 30 minutes left to drive) Harper had a loud toot. Liza started laughing and I just smiled until I heard Liza say "Oh my God, she just had a blow out!" Talk about understatement of the century. My little Asshole wanted to get out of her car seat so bad she literally shit it (I'm sorry but there is no cute way to talk about what she did) There was poop everywhere and the gross gas station I had to pull off at could not accommodate the mess I had. 

See that smug face? That's why she's my Asshole. 

We changed her up to the best of our ability and rushed home to Lexington where I promptly put Hubs on daddy duty for the rest of the night. It was a trip to be remembered.

I don't ever want anyone to think I'm taking my amazing daughter for granted, because I'm not. I would rather have this mess to clean up 459837432498172049 times a day than not have her. But these stories are funny and part of my life so I enjoy sharing them with the humor I chose to look at my life with! 

I should have known what she had in store when she gave 

me this look at the beginning of the road trip. 

Family Photo Shoot!

So, Harper Maryann is turning 6 months old tomorrow. I know, huge milestone! ;) But realistically, I try to take a picture of her every day and I have documented every week of her life thus far. Of course we also do the monthly stickers, too! To say this kid knows that when a phone or camera is pointed at her she should do something cute is an understatement. Baby model in training. I decided for her 6 month birthday we should have some professional pictures done to commemorate the big day! I contacted my friend Jenny and she did the most amazing job! So here are a few of my favorites of my Boo Bear, hubs and me! I just adore my little family! 

I don't think Jenny could have done a more perfect job! Thank you so much for your amazing work and help!