On (self) weaning

A rare glimpse at the new chomperz.

So I just wrote this crazy emotional post about Harper self-weaning. And then I decided eek too personal and emo.

I'll keep it simple then. My little bug has decided, 2 months ahead of my schedule, she's done with her mama's milk.

I'm real sad.

But I meditated on it for awhile this morning. And realized this is her (crazy independent whathef**k are you going to college next?!) plan and I've got to roll with it. Because that's what we do as parents, yo. Dig deep and see the forest and roll with it.

Also? She just started saying mama. I'mma make it, frands. Fo sho.

Thanksgiving in Texas picture overload

Hey ya'll. 

'ts been a bumpy week around here (and there) for a few different reasons, but we're home and safe and getting our bearings again. Though it probably won't go down as Our Best Week Eva, it's always good to visit family and share around the goodness that is Harps. 

Still feeling a small bit grump and I have a bowl of Italian Wedding Turkey Meatball soup-in-the-slow-cooker waiting for me, so for now I'll just leave you with a bunch of photos from our trip. Crikey, we love that bugger. 

I know so many things. So many. (And please wipe my nose?)

We turned on a fan for this one.

Real menz wear purple. (I'm IN LOVE with the shape of her dewdrop head.)

Um guys? Have you ever seen a golfball before? Amazing.

Going in for a Great-Grandad Mickey smooch. 

He had this coming his way 2 seconds later. Luscious.

Grandmom took me around in this wagon get-up. I humored her. 

How big is Harper? 

Me and Grandmomz. 

Big cousin Connelly was my favorite. I mean GUYS. I LOVE HER. 

Home and happy

Thanks, Unca Lee, for the cutest hat maybe evar? We missed you on Toikey Day.

And now --- Time to sit still in one place! (!!!)

Oh, "vacation"

Ze Cowans have landed in East Texas, worse for the wear and wondering why there's no pie yet.

(Except cc. He's not thinking about pie. He's puking. I guess Harps isn't either. She still only wants mom-milk. So fine. It's just me and the pie thoughts.)

Hoping everyone out there is lots less sick than my brood and enjoys all the awesomeness of T Day tomorrow. Muah! (Air kiss. Spreads less cooties.)




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There is nothing sadder

[[ insert a really sad, hoarse, and pukesmelly but somehow-lovely-thru-it-all baby picture ]]

I repeat -- NOTHING SADDER than a sick baby.

Chestnut started getting fussy Friday evening and by Saturday morning (after a night chockfull of unsleeping), was full-out sick. Hurling her cookies, choking on her snot fountain, wimpering like a wimperfish. Each time she reaches a new milestone, I make an imaginary check! First barf? This weekend! Gooooooo Harper!

The most pitiful moment -- and there were many -- came last night. Cuddled up on the couch together, we turned on Toy Story 3 before bedtime. She was looking chipper and had even enjoyed a small little nibble on some toast. When all of a sudden (cue slo mo cam)

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke. And then a break. Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuke. And then a break. Puuuuuuuuuuuuuke.

And each time we both thought it was over. But it wasn't. And we were equally horrified and soaking wet and pathetic. I've got a serious vomit phobia, but I only felt sadsadsadsad and slightly panicked and wanted to make it stop and make her laugh again. Which, by some strange miracle, after getting it all out? She did. Ten minutes later, she was crawling toward her dada, naked in her berfday suit and ready for more Buzz Lightyear. Oh, babies! You so crazy.

So that was our weekend, really. Last night we took her into bed with us to make sure she was okay while she slept. Which was interesting. She wouldn't fall asleep until she was spooning me, both hands AND mouth firmly lodged in my hair, feet pushing off my back. Securely tree-frogged, she drifted off. But over time, she somehow turned perpendicular to me? Making a T with her little small sweaty form. And I'd move her and she'd cry and we'd nurse and she'd sleep and then treefrog and then T and then on and on and on.

But! There was no more puking and I got some much-loved snuggles and I "slept" easier knowing she was  cozy with her peoples.

She still won't eat food (this is really saying something), but is slowly on the mend. Just in time for a plane trip to Texas in two days where there will be bountiful new germs to sucker punch us once again! I give thanks for the giving-of-germz! I do, I do.

We drove all over Colorado today

To the 'burbs for a playdate (and some Chick-fil-a; my sweet tea addiction is getting fierce and worrisome) and a killer mountain view.

Then home again home again jiggity jig for banana bread and a diaper change.

Then across town, dodging traffic jams and temper tans, for playgroup. Where H scooted around and ate a basketball and eventually found a cozy corner and a fancy periodical -- Beer Connoisseur. I'll probably get her a 'scrip for Christmas.

Tomorrow = chicory coffee and beignets with Manj and the Bean at a creole cafe we're trying out.

Weekend weekend weekend huzzah pants!

Today

Was my first day off Twitter. Cold turkey, man. It stings.

Finished knitting one hat, powering thru the next. (Coincidence? Me think non.)

Headed out the door in my slippers. Realized it while opening the Subie door. Shrugged and got in.

Overcooked the pasta.

Got the fireplace pilot light turned on. Promptly turned the fireplace pilot light off.

Offered H her first taste of vanilla soy milk. She tongued it and then winked for more.

Battled a headache to end all headaches. It won/is winning.

Ate 5 peanut butter cups. (What oh what will I do about my eating once I stop nursing? Srsly.)

Yelled nooooooooooo when H bit me (2 new teeth grrrrr) while nursing. She laughed.

Sang Gaga.

Wrote a post consisting of Twitter-like twitters.

Bed.

Leggings are not pants dot com

Chapel Hill: the recap

It was a lovely weekend.

We'll have to try for window seats again. She loved looking out.

Highlights included:

This fastfood joint I'd never heard tell of: Bojangles? Yes. Yes please. Chicken biscuits all over my mouth.

Early early, cold morning walks with Harper to Starbucks. Feeding her oatmeal in our corner seat.

The beautiful UNC campus complete with sparkly foliage. Made me want to get my learn on, then throw a frisbee.

Glass upon glass of sweet tea. Really really sweet tea. I may have no teeth left.

Getting her crawl on. Spent a lot of time in this little sitting area near our room.

HJ being on her best behavior all weekend long. Happy and curious and flirty and pretty sleepy too. 

Watching cc conduct the ceremony. He really did a great job. And looked cah-yoot to boot.

Stephanie's beautiful dress. Jon choking up. Their letters to each other. Love!

Hanging with friends from all over we rarely get to see. 

Dancing to MJ and eating (chocolate and then vanilla) cake while Harps slept upstairs with a sitter.

Lots and lots of help from cc. Lots and lots of just-us-three hanging and being our fav little unit.

Bojangles.

The wedding outfit. Cruisin the scenery.

She likes to let go. Because she thinks she can walk. She can't. (Yet.)

Too tired and frustrated with iPhoto for a wedding recap post so

Here's me right now, jet lagged, full of weird candies, should-be-in-bed, after 12ish hours traveling:

Cap'n Cowan

Chapel Hillz

Oh did I forget to tell you? We're flying to North Carolina today (leaving behind the snow sprinkles as they fell) for our buddies' wedding. And who will be presiding? The good, atheist Reverend Clay Cowan, of course. I always wanted to be a preacher's wife!

HJ's been a champ so far. We're laid over in Kansas Cit-ay and she's snoozing like a buttery biscuit bum in my arms. And mmm this weird choco-bran muffin cc found us is goooood.

Happy weekend everyone!

Tuesday

 Not feeling too chatty tonight? Maybe THE SNOW THAT FELL IN BUCKETS took away my voice.

Here's what life looked like mere hours before the Evil White Stuff appeared.

(It was actually kinda cool and cozy to see. I'm just getting nervous for the months ahead. Shudder.)

Holy shi$ so serious. Wanted to show off the new mox. And her new bagel love.

 

 

Please. No photos. Okay. Just one more.

Lil boy Harps

Rockin the boy jammz I bought on my solo Target spree (bliss!) Friday night.

We're always buying H these cute little outfits that come packaged together. It'll be, say, a cute onesie, a sassy vest, and then matching pants. Or whatev. But I never really end up putting them together when she gets dressed and it drives cc (her main clothes-purchaser) bonkers.

So today, before we left on an outing, I put her in this hilarious made-for-boyz tracksuit.

I could tell cc wanted to complain (seriously -- how role-reversed are our genders?), but couldn't because:

1) He bought it for her

2) I had put an outfit together without help

BAM!

Off we go. Buying some soup bowls, drooling over Anthro dresser-pull-knobs, drinking milkshakes, pawing J.Crew sweatahs. And can I share something strange and unexpected? Harps-as-boy (who, other than looking boyish, is...the same baby) got considerably less attention than Harps-as-girl.

I don't get it! Sure, she got some smiles and waves and the usual things all babies get. But the fawning and fluttering and stuff? Not really there. Is this a thing? Baby girls are more publicly-loved than baby boys? 'Splain yourself, world.

In other news, she discovered buttered toast today. That's passion.

One of each?

Old picture, new zoom.

For a few months now, Harps has had two different colored eyes. A brown-ey and a blue-y. You don't meet her and go OH THAT! but if you look, it's there and I definitely notice it everyday. It makes me happy -- it's like half momz, half dadz.

Anyone seen this in their babes? They haven't changed for awhile now, so I'm thinking it might stay?

In other news...Biscuit is 9 months today (if you read this on Friday)! Best 9 months I've ever had, thanks!

In other news...WEEKENDNDNDNDND.

Puff puff

Complete and utter focus.

Today! Was a pretty day. My coffee came out punchy but not bitter. I ate 3 pieces of the lemon bundt cake I made yesterday. We tried a new book babies sesh at a different library branch -- led by a dude and HJ likes the dudes. We went out to Thai lunch with Uncle Lee. A long walk around the pond and watched Coco scare off the evil geesemonsterz. Lots of pre-bed manic naked crawling. Chicken pot pie. Now the brothers are on ice-cream-pick-up duty as I sit on my green couch. And tomorrow is Thursday! Which is basically the weekend, non?

Oh AND. This superlovey baby at the libe today was wearing these awesome shoe/sock things. So I asked where they were from, scampered home and ordered Harps a red pair and a gray pair. 

BEHOLD:

Hanna Andersson, I love thee. 

Look! Sno-capped mountings

This lurvely picture of our daily walk is to distract both you and me from all those things I'm behind on:

Emailz
Knitting
Laundry
Library books
Bathing
Using up produce
Sleep

Pretty, i'nt it?