Attempting to stop the inevitable

We try not to let Harper watch the television for exactly the same reasons I wish I didn't watch television: I get sucked in immediately, I cannot pay attention to the televised show and reality at the same time, and the stupid advertisements. Well, of course whenever the tv screen is on (and we also have a computer plugged into the tv so we can watch netflix watch-instantly, and do email, etc from the couch) Harper cranes her neck and body to look at it. We can have her facing directly away from the tv and she throws her head back so she can see the screen upside-down. So, to counter-act this mesmerising effect we turn on the gas fireplace which is directly opposite the tv. Apparently because I would much rather have a child obsessed with fire than facebook.

On similar note here is the latest statshot from the onion:

Xmas Photos

We're fresh back from Kent, and thought we'd post some photos.  Well, OK, we got back a couple of days ago, but it took us this long to put the photos together, give us a break.  Anyway, we had a great time, and Harper was excellent, with the exception of about 45-60 minutes of pure screaming on the way to Arlington, and with the additional complication that she seems to be in a "parents only holding me" stage.  Hopefully that goes away, cuz she's so cute you just want to share!

Here are the photos:

http://www.s9s.net/photos/xmas2008

Cutest Tongue Ever

So... one of our baby books recommended a game to play with 1 & 2 month olds that Rick and I did often. The game is to stick your tongue out at the baby and then the baby will stick her tongue out back at you. It is a fun game. Well...we may have done it too much. These days, at almost four months, if Harper's paci or thumb isn't in her mouth, then her tongue is out. But it sure is cute.

Baby Time Share

What a fabulous weekend. Saturday Rick went out for a man's afternoon of Rock Band with man-friends. He had two (count that, two) coke-a-cola's and, if you don't know, that means a crazy caffeine afternoon. Similar to the bat's flying from the sky for the late Hunter S. Tompson.  

Harper and I went to a Christmas party at the yoga studio where I previously taught. This was the first time many of the yoga students and fellow yoga teachers had seen me or Harper and she was a big hit.  I was asked to come back and substitute teach. To this request I responded that I needed to actually be doing more than 10 minutes of yoga a day before I felt like teaching.

Sunday we had friends over for breakfast after a morning run (I am still really really slow, but

 starting to feel a little more like my old running self). 

Then Rick did the angelic job of baby-sitting Harper while I went to see Transporter 3. Best of the Transporter series.

 Jason Statham fighting shirtless. He has officially taken over as my martial arts crush. Vinh Diesel bye bye.  If we ever have a baby boy I want to name him "Turkish" after JS's character in Snatch.

Parent Poetry

Maybe this will be funny to people without children, maybe not.  Thank you Karen for sending this mass email from All and Sundry.

My three favorites (can you tell which baby trait I find least endearing?):

I can hardly believe
how much noise can come from
such a small creature.
I must hide you away for the good of mankind
lest the military discover
your powers.

If you stop that screaming
I will pay you
Eleventy jillion dollars.
Really
I promise
Here is a check.

Yelling from the backseat is bad
it makes Mama's head
feel like a balloon that is about to pop
Balloons are pretty to look at, aren't they?
but believe me
Mama's popped head-balloon is something
you would need lots of therapy
to forget you ever saw.
Someone would have to come take you home
and a nice man named Mr. Wolf would have to clean up Mama's car.
So please,
let's be quiet back there.

Our Little Marathon Runner

One of the stories from our Thanksgiving:

Grandma Susu volunteered to care for Harper two of the nights we were in Indiana. Harper's portable crib was positioned in the kitchen just outside Susu's room. Harper had been waking once during the night, and not to eat, but just for a social 5 minutes so my mom thought it was a little weird that she needed attention 3 times during the night. Each time when my mom went out to greet squawking Harper she was smiling and kicking her legs like mad. My mom said it seemed like she was running a marathon in her crib. Then in the morning when my mom went to pick Harper up to feed her she was completely wet from waist to feet. My mom then took a look under Harper's sleep sack and noticed that the diaper was hanging on by one fastener to Harper's toe.

We now always include a onsie in the nighttime outfit, also known as "diaper suspenders".

(In addition to her lowrider diapers you can notice her charming mullet hairdo)

MidWest Photos Uploaded

Take a look at the 60ish best photos from the Midwest Thanksgiving Trip. (Click here)

At Least One Photo

Okay, I managed to get one photo from Thanksgiving ready for the blog:

More To Come

We had a fabulous visit to Evanston and Northern Indiana to visit nearly 20 relatives. Harper was even a pleasure to fly with, and she slept through the night 3 times during our travel. Unfortunately she seems to like her portable crib in my grandmother's hallway better than her real crib in her own room. Go figure.

We would have had all the Thanksgiving travel photos online already, but I came down with a truly horrible intestinal bug. I am still on the BRAT diet, but am much better. Photos coming soon...

Really working for the first day today. Wish me luck.