All About Harlow

I have been meaning to write a post all about Harlow for awhile now. She is such a ham and is always doing the funniest things and being so silly. She gets so excited so easily. She brings so much joy to our lives everyday. Around 14 months was when she suddenly seemed to turn from a baby, into someone who understood everything over night.

In the 5 months since then, I can't believe how much she has developed and grown. It is unreal! She is so independent now and wants to do everything herself. She exercises her right to make choices on a daily basis. She now will respond with 'no!' Or 'yeah yeah yeah' (while bouncing up and down), when asked a question. 

She wants so much to do all the things that we do. She's began protesting things we do everyday, like cleaning up after meals, washing hands, and getting into her carseat. But if we suggest she does something herself, in other words, 'Harlow do it', she's game for whatever it is that we're asking. 

It is amazing seeing this big personality coming from such a small little girl. She is her own person and its such a joy to watch her evolve into the person she is! 

Loving her extra fun 'bath' in the sink at the hospital after brother was born. (Note the IV in my hand). 

She has an obsession with bracelets. Anything that remotely looks like a bracelet, turns into a bracelet. From hair ties, to shower curtain rings. 

She loves being outside. I asked if she felt the wind, and she threw her arms up in the air to absorb it all in :)

She explores and wants to know the uses for things. Her latest is putting a stethoscope around her neck and being a doctor. 

Right now she loves spiders! Particularly her Itsy Bitsy Spider book. Coincidentally, we've also had a spider whose decided to spin a web right by our bathroom window. Every night we make sure to say goodnight and wave to the spider before bath. 

About a month ago at a fair, she rode 2 rides for the first time by herself! I couldn't believe it. I was so nervous to let her go, despite how small and slow the rides were. I held my breath the whole time but she did great! How did she grow up so fast?? 

She loves Hawkins so much! She will not stop kissing him. She kisses his head, his mouth, his little feet and his hands! If he waves his arms around and it touches her, she laughs and smiles and grabs his hand to rub on her face. It is the cutest thing :)

She is also fascinated with belly buttons. She touches mine as well as hers for comfort as she falls asleep... And loves pointing to Hawkins belly button too!

She's discovered the camera, and what it means to take a picture and be able to see it afterward. One night she kept going back to pose for me to take her picture, and got more and more excited with each photo!

She is so silly and always seems to be laughing, smiling big, or bee-bopping around :) 

She is not shy by any means. But she as begun to occasionally 'act' shy by covering her face with her hands and hiding...  then laughing about it :)

This girl does not nap. I tried for about 45 minutes to get her down for a nap, and she just refused. I finally asked if she was tired. She said 'no' and that she wanted to get up. This was about 20 minutes later on the floor in the living room: 

She also loves playing with friends and isn't scared of anything while socializing. She now explores and has fun with friends without caring where I'm at! This was at her friend Linley's birthday party. 

At the library. 

She loves makeup right now. I have to watch her close when she's by the bathroom because she continuously gets into my makeup... Specifically lipstick! She  knows where it's suppose to go too ;) the other day she had her paci in her mouth when she decided she wanted some lipstick... The lipstick went right on the paci lol. I didn't get a picture of that one :/

Here is this beautiful and smart girl! 

Halloween

Last year, it was Harlow's first Halloween and we didn't dress her up as anything. She wore a festive '1st Halloween' onesie, but never had a costume. This year, she dressed up as a lady bug and was so excited when she saw herself in the mirror. She kept laughing at hersel! 

We went trick or treating for about any hour. Adam was working, but took his break to come out with us! 

We kept Hawkins snuggled in the carseat  for the first half until we moved him into the Moby wrap. 

She caught on quick to walking up to the doors and people and them putting treats into her bag. She got so excited and wanted to walk and check out her bag on her own. 

After we got home, I managed to get a couple pictures of the two of them while filling up the bath :)

Pumpkin Patch

Going to the pumpkin patch this year was so fun because at 18 months, Harlow is starting to understand a lot! I tell this to Adam all the time, but it really feels like she suddenly went from a baby to a little person who all of a sudden understood everything!

It was so hard for me to get pictures of her looking at the camera or smiling because she was so enthraled with looking around at everything around her. She just wanted to explore, watch and examine everything. 

We were finally able to get our first family photo of the 4 of us as well (even though Hawke is snuggled up in the Moby, lol).

We took a tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch and Harlow loved picking up the pumpkins and bringing them to us. She used all of her muscles and grunted away while she felt so strong picking up and moving those pumpkins ;)

In my opinion, newborns primarily need their mama's in the early months. As they get older and can play, interact and get mobile, that's when the special bonding time with dad comes in. Whenever we're out as a family, I usually have Hawkins and that's when Adam and Harlow get some special daddy daughter time together. It's sweet to watch :)

One of Harlow's favorite things right now is swinging! She was in luck at the patch when she saw the swings made out of tires. She had never been in a swing like that, so she thought it was so exciting! 

On our way out we snuck in some time for some family pictures! 

Hawkins at 9 Weeks

Hawkins had another well visit at 9 weeks old and he is doing great so far! He looks more like the average newborn now as he weighs 7 pounds and is 20inches tall! He looks like a newborn but doesn't act like one :) Although still a little floppy, he is holding his head up a lot better and will even scooch his knees underneath him to do an army crawl when doing tummy time ;) Developmentally he seems on track despite looking very small. 

In the past 2 weeks he has become increasingly more aware and has started to smile when you talk to him! He is so adorable and I am so thankful that he is such a strong little boy who is growing away! Prayers he developmentally continues to stay on track!