Harlow's 4 month Photo Shoot

On our last evening in Nor*Cal my old cheerleading advisor, Jenete, came over to take some pictures of Harlow. It had been a long day, like everyday on our trip so far, and she had  barely napped all day. When we got home, we put her down for a nap which only lasted an hour, and she, being an over-tired baby, woke up cranky just as I told Jenete it was time to come over. Although she was fussy for the majority of the shoot, Jenete, being the awesome photographer that she is, was able to capture quite a few great ones :)
Here are some pictures from Harlow's 4 month photo shoot!

CA Trip- Covalt Ranch

Sunday was spent out at our old house... the Covalt Ranch. We walked around our almost empty house and felt a million feelings at once. Happiness thinking of all the wonderful times we had in this house. The feeling of being 'home' and feeling close to my dad.
And sadness. Overwhelming sadness. I walked around the house my dad built, knowing we would never be gathering as a family again in this home that my dad dreamed, and turned into a reality. Sadness, that my dad was gone and no longer with us. An ever present reminder that our home was broken. Sadness as memories came flooding back of the first time my parents moved into this house after it was completed and I got to come home to the house my dad built with his own two hands. Holiday parties- where the house was filled with the loud and boisterous voices of all the Covalt's as well as my Aunt Judy and cousin Heather whose voices and stories fit right in with us Covalt's :)
I remember my dad's friends always stopping by on their way out or back into town. I remember how many times Peter and JJ came over to shoot guns or their bows and talk hunting.
I remember the look on my dad's face as he stared out the picture window in their bedroom and the sun would rise as he soaked in the beauty and thanked God every morning that he got to wake up to such a sight. This house was my dad's dream... he chased it and made it happen .My eyes well with tears just remembering the look  in his eyes as he looked through not just this bedroom window, but the window from his spot at the breakfast nook... the one in his office and trophy room where he would sit for hours 'billing' or 'getting work done', but the outdoors would always steal his attention; making work that could be done in an hour, take all day. It's heartbreaking to leave this house. To think of another family moving into this home and calling it theirs. It will never be theirs. It is ours. It is his. Forever.

While out at the property we also took advantage of all of us being together and we scattered some of my dad's ashes. We each took a turn scattering some of his ashes. It was hard thinking of my dad physically being there with us, and now, suddenly we were scattering some of his ashes. We chose to do it in the area the deer usually gathered. We spent many evenings waiting and watching for the deer. It seemed fitting to do it there.
Children have such an innocence about their approach to life and the way they perceive it. Somewhere along the way of life and growing up I feel like we lose our pure and simple way of  looking at life and life's struggles. Sometimes things don't need to be analyzed or figured out. They don't need to be thought of or mulled over. They don't need to be repressed or ignored. Sometimes the most honest answer is right there in front of you and with just a few words... it can say it all. While we were scattering the ashes, Harlow, who had been such a quiet, patient baby while we were there, broke the silence and started to fuss and cry. No one was talking or making noise but Harlow. A few moments later my 5 year old nephew Jacob said something so raw and profoundly true. He said, "Harlow's crying because Grandpa Rocco was suppose to be her Grandpa." He was. He should be here. He was suppose to be here to be her grandpa. Those words state the honest truth.

 By the fireplace in my dad's trophy room

 Me and My sister in my dad's spot in the trophy room

 By my dad's breifcase... his code was my birthday

 Jacob at the top of the stairs

 Me and my sister in the breakfast nook

 One of my dad's favorite views... from his spot at the kitchen table

 Papi Rocco's granddaughter "Harrrloowww Adriannnnnna" - insert Italian voice :)

 My dad's trophy room

 Our sinks in our bathroom

 My room that my dad made the painters paint pink

 Mommy and Harlow in my room

 Hanging out with cousin Taylor in my room

 One of the shelves in the Library

 My dad's briefcase

 View from his trophy room

 View from his trophy room

 Trophy Room

 Coming in from the garage. Living room into Kitchen

 Foyer

 Remembering how it felt to look in the mirrors

 With one of my dad's Covalt Construction signs

 Eagle Ranch property plans

 Covalt 2007- The dream my dad breathed life into

 Mommy&Harlow, Grandma, Auntie Michelle and cousins Emily, Jacob&Taylor

California Trip- Nor*Cal

At the end of July we took a trip home to California for almost 2 weeks to see friends and family and let everyone see Harlow. I was so excited to be back on the West Coast... especially during summertime where the weather there is perfect, and the weather here is almost unbearable. It took us 3 flights before we finally landed on California soil. Birmingham---->Dallas----> Albuquerque---->Oakland. Harlow did amazing which did not surprise me considering she has a jet setter mommy :) I took 8 flights between Alabama and California while I was pregnant with her, so I can't help but wonder if that got her used to some of the flying and changes of cabin pressure.

We landed in Oakland on a Wednesday evening and were in the Bay Area for a week, which did not even seem like enough time given all the things to do and all the people I wanted to see. Because my mom just has her Camero, which is small and beyond uncomfortable for any adult in the back, there was no way Harlow's infant car-seat and base was going to fit back there safely. We rented a car which caused a huge issue in the beginning. Needless to say, around 10pm that night and being at the rental car place for 3 hours, we had to call my cousin Ryan and his wife Marcie to come and pick us up. Harlow didn't get to bed our first night there until close to midnight! Thursday, our first day home, which I had planned to spend hanging out by the pool was spent at the rental car place actually getting our rental car, which had another issue happen, which finally was resolved when we went back there Friday! So our trip didn't seem to start until Saturday, when we had our Covalt Family party.

 Mommy&Harlow with cousin Jessica&Xavier

 Harlow with her Auntie Michelle

 The cousins! Well... probably 1/4th of them :)

 Marcie & Harlow

 Harlow or little Bee!

My sister Michelle and her girls Taylor&Emily

 Cousin Ryan & his youngest Kassidy

 My nephew Jacob

Pool day with mommy&daddy

The remainder of our trip in Nor*Cal was spent visiting with whoever we could. We got to visit with my cousin Ryan and Marcie some more which was awesome. I miss them so much so it was nice being able to get together again with my Jordanian brother :)

 Harlow with her cousin Kennedy

 Harlow with cousin's Ryan & Kassidy

Harlow with cousin's Marcie & Mason

We swung by Lauren's condo on our way from Ryan's and got greeted to some adorable Raiders clothes from her Aunt Lauren! Harlow's going to be wearing them a lot this football season!

 Harlow with Aunt Lauren

Mommy, Harlow and Lauren

One of my best friend's Christina was able to fit us in her crazy work schedule and came by to see us one morning!!

 Checking out her Aunt Christina :)

Finally getting to meet the Aunt that got her so many things before she was even born!

My Best Friend Casey did some major traveling this summer. Flying from New York to LAX, up to Alaska for her brother's wedding, back to Long Beach, then up to Nor*Cal to order her wedding dress, back down to OC and then finally back to New York with her fiance Bobby. Luckily our trips overlapped by one day in Nor*Cal and we were able to hangout for the day. We went to Broadway Plaza to walk around and get some lunch. The day just went by too fast :(

Auntie Casey loving her little H

 Harlow with Casey

 Harlow & mommy with her bestie

One day we'll be back together :)