HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Harper! It's hard to believe it's been a year already. We had her birthday party yesterday...I didn't take many pictures, but my friend Nikki got tons of great ones, I will be sure to post when they are done (check out her website here) Pat's mom Gloria flew in from Wisconsin and she was a HUGE help with the party prep, and she also made the cakes (chocolate zucchini cakes w/ whipped cream icing, shaped as pumpkins). We carved pumpkins and opened presents and she was one exhausted little girl by the end of the day.

Cake=YUM!!

Birthday Girl! Just woke up from a nap, and still in a daze.


Kissy face at Maymont Park

More pics at shutterfly

I guess I haven't been very good about posting updates lately...things have been busy as usual here. Today was Harper's first day with her new childcare provider. Her favorite teacher, Debbie, left the center to care for kids out of her home, and we followed. We were happy with her center, but the main reason we liked it so much was Debbie, so we think this will be better for all of us. She's currently taking care of Harper, 2 3-month old twin girls, and their nine year old sister, plus her (almost) four year old daughter Zoe. Harper seems excited to have a new house to explore and new toys to play with. I was worried about the change, but we made it through today and I think tomorrow will be easier for me.

Harper is learning new things every day. She acts very proud when she does the "more" and "milk" signs and is understood. She says dog, ball, mama, dada, hi, bye-bye (ba-ba), duck...she also tries to imitate lots of other words, we should probaby start watching what we say around her! She loves to give hugs-even when she is across the room and I ask her for a hug she'll run over to me to give me a hug. She loves to lay her head on Leroy and Baxter and gives them hugs too :) She is really quite sweet, I guess she takes after her mom (HA!). Pat is busy with work and bought a bicycle a month or so ago. He participated in a 50-mile race a couple of weeks ago and finished in the top group. The patio is FINALLY useable, even though it's not done yet. He had the concrete poured last week and will start on the brick columns and railings next. I can't wait for it to be finished, it seems like it's been under construction forever! It looks great though, and he has been working really hard on it.

Here's a video we took a couple of weeks ago of our giggle monster :)

Bathtime fun!

On the Go!

Here's a video of Harper walking...she is sure a busy girl. She had her 9-month checkup last week, and things are looking great. She weighs 19 lbs (50th percentile) and is 28.5" (75%). The pediatrician said to read ahead in the baby books because developmentally she's at 12 months...things are changing so fast! The beach pictures are from last weekend, at Yorktown beach. Harper LOVES the water and sand, though she found walking in the sand to be a bit tricky!

Mmmm...lemons!

At Bottom's Up with the Kings, with a banged-up forehead due to a faceplant on a brick patio

With Grandma and Grandpa after brunch at Millie's

We've had quite a big development since the last update...Harper is now walking! She started taking steps a couple of weeks ago, right at 9 months old, around the time Grandma and Grandpa Heitman were ending their visit in Richmond. Now she toddles around quite well. I'll try to get a video posted soon. In other news, Pat's wrist is healing well and he expects to be back to work at the fire dept. next Friday. It's been great having him home every night and Harper and I will miss him, but I think he's ready to go back.

Trip Pics!

8 Month Pictures

We had Harper's pictures taken at Haney's photography when we were back in MN. Check them out at http://www.haneysphotography.com, click on "online galleries" and enter the password HARPERMYA (all caps). They turned out so great that we're having a hard time deciding on our favorites!

We had a great, busy trip to MN/WI, but I forgot my camera at Pat's parents in Hayward so I don't have any trip pictures to post yet. Not much new to report...Harper had a virus that caused a fever and rash last week, but she seems to be fully recovered. Still no teeth! I'll post some trip pics soon, when I get my camera back.