Time flies...

...Faster each day!  And it's been far too long since an update.  This sweet little man has me running like crazy, and I wouldn't want it any other way!!  I've had great-grandparents emailing wondering where we are, as well as friends who have simply given up on me in the blogging world.  For that, I apologize!  I hate letting people down, and I hate missing episodes of favorite shows, as well as I can't stand starting a book just to leave it on an airplane!  So I've had this frustrating inner battle with keeping up Harper's story via his website, and letting it die because I'm so far behind!  There are many factors for this lull.  I think this winter as Gus came home for four days and then was sent away for another month I got discouraged.  Frustrated with the fishing lifestyle.  Angry that we couldn't have our promised family time together.  Sad, as Harper struggled with his vanishing Daddy.  And so we began clinging to each day, and to each other.

This year is a ship yard year.  It happens every three years.  And every time it approaches I silently kick and scream in frustration.  Everyone I know hates ship yard.  I used to adore it.  It used to be a fun escape from dental hygiene school in the sticks (Google LaGrande, Oregon and you'll totally understand) to head into the city (Seattle) and catch a baseball game with my boyfriend, go out together for wonderful meals and great wine parings.

Then we got married... I realized that we could spend every second together not on that boat and all of a sudden ship yard became extremely undesirable.  Ship yard takes up family time.  Gus is in Seattle from Sunday night through Friday night every single week.  Usually during the spring we plan trips, garden as a family, or just try to have a normal mundane home life.  I love that time, and so do Gus and Harper!  And I become a bitter Momma!  It's not pretty.....Quite ugly in fact.

But yesterday I had a moment.  A moment that I want to remember forever.  Which leads me back to this  journal of my sweet boy's beautiful life.  As Harper called for Momma after his nap, I skipped up the stairs to greet him with a kiss.  He met me with a smile, and I scooped him up.  Still struggling to wake, he laid his cheek on my shoulder.  Now, this doesn't happen very often as I like to describe my little Harper as high-octane.  He's constantly running, climbing, talking, dancing, singing, riding.  So I carried him from our bed to our bathroom.  I gazed at him in the mirror while swaying, singing to him softly our song.  He laid with tired eyes, and when they met mine he would smile, urging me to continue the song. He would squeeze my neck and give me a grin with that wonderful sparkle in his eye.  I didn't want it to end.  I know I can't put that moment into words that can do it justice, so my apologies, but I never want to forget that moment.  Just me and my little man.  How blessed I am by him.  It's those moments that make all the hard work and sleepless nights seem not so bad!  (yes, he still doesn't sleep through the night!)

These are for you great grandpa Keith and Nanci!

 Sliding at the park a few weeks ago.

 On a quick road trip to Bend, Oregon with Momma and Daddy.  He loves to plug his ears!  I promise I wasn't singing!

 Last Tuesday in Ballard, Washington at a parade!  He was in it, and we pretended to be Norwegian for the day!

 Harper in the parade in an English Mini waving to all of the people!  He waved for close to two hours.  He loved being in that little car!

 Flashback!  While in Seattle for the week last week visiting Daddy we stayed with friends who have a three month old.  Harper enjoyed reverting back to his infant ways!  Makes this Momma wonder where all the time went!

 Harper snuggling with his "arf arf".  His latest must-have in bed.  Too cute.

Harper at the park in Edmonds, Wa.  It was warm and sunny, but the babe can't stand to be without his knit hat.  Thanks Gram, for the favorite beanie!

Because I'm the Worst Mommy Blogger...

So much to catch up on...(like Christmas in March..Ugh!) but no time.  Harper's daddy has been gone almost five weeks and we're running around like crazy!  Playdates, swimming, music, and baby boy's first horrendous cough.  He's been so sick the last three days it's horrible.  He can't breathe, he's easy to cry, he can't sleep.  But tonight as I was preparing his night time diaper (his favorite time of night to run around nakey) he had a little hop in his step!  I saw my old crazy babe again!  I'm happy to see him!  But I do fear this yucky cough will be the last symptom to fade, and we will get side eyes from fellow moms at the play ground!  But because I'm too overwhelmed at the thought of catching you all up, I will leave you with a few pictures from the last week...Just to suffice...!

 Harper loved playing with Gramma Debber's reading glasses!

 He's never been to school, but he sure looks scholastic here!! (note all his hair!!!)

 It snowed at the beach!!  (Disregard Mama pre-workout and shower!)  Harper didn't want down to take his picture solo...

 Toy time at the end of swimming class!

We spent our snow day in our skivvies with ninety degree water!

Hope this is sufficient!  I'm sorry it's taken me this long!  It's difficult adjusting to life without Gus the more mobile Harper gets!  The good news is he will be home in less than two weeks!!  Thanks for not giving up on me!

Mexico and Babies!

Preface: I attempted my Christmas blog the other day and one quick video was going to take 394 minutes to upload...I decided I'd retire the idea until we get home....Although I strongly detest Christmas after it's proper season....

We ran into some funny happenings with Harper and the local Mexican people!

Yesterday we were out of the house a lot!  Chela, the sweet little maid who is always one of my favorite parts of visiting Jack and Jo, needed to clean around us so we decided to go out to breakfast at the marina.  We got there and ordered quickly.  The man of the husband and wife duo, who owned the restaurant in the bahia, was stacking lawn chairs next to us as he was taking our order.  Joanne figured their breakfast rush was over, so he was cleaning up the tables and chairs.  I paid little attention as I was shoveling snacks into Harper's hands...He always has to have one for each hand to walk around with!  As soon as he had three chairs stacked he said, "Here, this is for your baby" ::insert best Mexican accent here::.  So we laughed all morning about the high-chair mexicanada!  It sure was a high chair...that he could fall out of!  We sat him in there but he would rather run around the other tables and pull his hat off in the wind!  We ran out of the house so quickly that I forgot to take the camera....but still, it's a great memory!

Secondly, we had a late lunch at the Marina Cantina (yes, I took my baby to a cantina...When in Mexico, do as the Mexicans).  Harper, Gus and I got there before Jack and Joanne.  We had to bring two cars because the Seahawks were playing and Gus wanted to catch the whole game.  Our cute little waitress came up to us and asked us if she could hold our baby.  We said okay, and she stood by us for a few minutes trying to get him to talk and smile.  He was slightly overwhelmed by the fact that he was in a bar, and there were people all around yelling at the televisions.

Then she asked me if he eats little candies.  I said no, he doesn't.  Then the sweet little lady who was barely twenty-one, asked if he really wouldn't eat them, or if I didn't let him.  I said he's never had sugar or sweets.  We got quite the look from her.  It was almost like she thought we were from a different planet.

She soon brought our cerveza and margarita, and asked for our order.  After she took it, she explained that she would hurry up with her other patrons and hold Harper while we ate because she has a 15-month old baby girl herself and she knows how it is, and doesn't want our food to get cold before we eat it.  She was extremely insistent upon taking him for me, and seeing as our food didn't all come out together there was only about five minutes of over-lap between Jo and I, so she couldn't hold Harper.  She was pretty bummed about it.  I would've been fine with her playing with him inside the cantina, but he had been outside with Joanne and she went all the way around the building trying to find them to take over!   I just can't imagine this happening in America.

I understand there is a lot of hostility in much of Mexico, and many are scared to travel through most of it.  But I have noticed, in traveling with a baby that everywhere we turn, everyone wants to play with him or kiss his cheeks.  He has caught eyes from the officials at the airport, random men and women in the marketplace in Guaymas who stop to touch his head, people on the beach, in stores, street-side vendors, out at the orphanage, you name it.  This boy is well loved in this country, and it makes me proud...and it makes me feel like the good of the world is out there...you just have to search for it.

Hola From Mexico!

We are busy playing in the sun, surf, and sand...but I know I need to do a Christmas post!  Will do so when I have another moment!  But I just had to show this sweet picture of my babe's first go at a sand castle!  He was a perfect travel companion for Gus and I; all went more than smooth.  He loves being outside all day here!  He's so free!  I think my Christmas post will come when we get home considering it just took me about twenty minutes to upload that one picture!!  I seem to love this little man more every single day.  It's fun to see him with his aunties since we rarely all get to be in one place!

Harper's Happenings!

We've had a great week getting ready for Christmas!  We've baked the homemade dog treats (yeah, apparently we've missed the cookie boat, but I started making dog biscuits for our dogs the year we got married, and it's kind of a fun thing for us to fill their stockings with each year!), finished all the shopping for the big day (both food and gifts!), and even did a little work of the elves!  Tonight, after Harper went to sleep, we had my parents over and put some things together for him to find under the tree Christmas morning.  It was a lot of fun to all be together.  Now I've got to wrap a couple gifts for the babe from the grandparents all the way in Mexico, and I think we will be ready to go!  This year will be exciting to see the excitement on his face when he comes down to all the gifts.  He was pretty impressed with the lights and decorations when he first saw them, so I can only imagine his reaction!

 Pay no attention to the messiness of my pantry.  It needs serious help, as I shove items away as Harper hands them to me on an almost hourly basis each day!  Here he is hiding!  He usually tries to close the door with himself inside!  He's quite the character!

 Tonight before bed he was hilarious!!  He was all over the living room (as you can see from all his toys and pillows) and he couldn't stop giggling!

 After taking his stocking down he had to check out the lights.  Again, he's trying to blow them out!

 He was posing for me here!  I think he thought about settling in for a split second.  Then he remembered he only slows down when we make him go to sleep!!  Darn parents!

He's always loved clapping, but in the last day or so he's been incorporating it into his dancing!  Hi-larious!!

And here's another silly video!  Enjoy!

Harper, Meet Santa!

Santa, meet the biggest sad face you've ever seen!

 His first seat upon the knee....Poor babe...

 I'll stop crying if Momma sits here and I can sit as far away from Santa as possible...

 And I'll smile if you give me something (candy cane) although I have no idea what it is!

And one last try because Dada said so.....Maybe next year will be more jolly?

Also, last Tuesday our small group went caroling!  It was actually a lot of fun.  We went to about five or six homes of members of the church who would appreciate a little holiday cheer.  Our second stop was FarMor and FarFar's home!!  They really enjoyed it.  FarMor was asking where the baby was.  I'm not sure which baby she was referring to, but Harper was there to suffice!  It was very sweet.  She also sang along to every single song.  And FarFar would've loved to continue caroling with us, but they were all ready for bed!

 Dont the great grandparents look happy!!?  And Harper was ready to snuggle into bed with them!

Harper's first look at a candy cane!  He liked the idea of it, but he didn't get to try any.  I'm a mean momma, and only let him play with it until he started putting it in his mouth!

Lastly, Harper and Gus were playing a fun little game between dinner and caroling!

Swimming Pools and King Sized Beds!

Harper jumps into bed like he jumps into the pool!  Listen carefully for his count "1...2...3!"