Cabeza Gigante

Harper had his last appointment with his Seattle pediatrician today. Fortunately, she did her residency at University of Utah, so she's going to get us a list of doctors she recommends in Utah. Finding quality, caring doctors is one of the most difficult parts of uprooting your life and household.

The poor little guy didn't like getting his shots. He let out the absolute saddest cry I have ever heard. Over these past few months, I've toughened up on my sensitivity to his crying. However, after this round of shots, I began to tear up myself. All I wanted to do was hold him close to me, wishing that I could cure his pain with love and closeness. I've never heard him cry like this - it was so sad, and he honestly sounded like he was in genuine pain. It was a unique cry - different from his cries of hunger, discomfort, or the I-need-cuddle-time-cry. I know it was just a couple of little (and necessary) shots, but I can't help but think that we can't protect him from all discomforts in life, and that is difficult to accept.

On a lighter note, Harper's head measures large for his age. Heehee - it just means that he needs a large container for all of those brains. :) When I see newborns in the waiting room, I think, "Harper was NEVER that small". However, I think it was just that his cabeza gigante was never that small. :)

So, the doctor wished us well, gave us hugs, and told us that we are, and will be, great parents. I am coming to realize that sincerely telling someone "you're a great parent" is by far one of the best compliments one can receive in their lifetime.

Dos Meses

Today is Harper's two-month birthday. Happy Birthday, Bubba... we're so fortunate to have you in our lives, and part of our family.

The picture above is one of his favorite things to do. He loves to suspend his outstretched arms in the air during and after he eats. It is so cute - even looking at the picture makes me want to hold and cuddle with my precious baby boy.

His two-month well baby appointment is on Friday. He'll get a round of shots along with weight, length, and head measurements. I'm really glad that I don't have to go back to work until January. I cherish every moment with him, and it will be SO difficult to leave him every day for work. Fortunately, I don't have to think about that for a little while longer.

Discerning Taste

Though you can't really tell in this picture, Harper's new soft hat is adorable. However - it seems that he would absolutely disagree. I didn't want to post this picture at first, but Jeff pointed out that his crying face was not only cute, but also hilarious! :)

So the hat is white, blue, and yellow (the colors don't come out in the image), and he was crying and squirming it off of his head so you can't see the true shape of it, either. Maybe he's just embarrassed that his mama knitted it. We'll see how he feels about his next hat that I started, which will be a thinner, finer yarn in more blue than white. I'll post a picture when I finish it, but it may take awhile since I rarely find myself with the two free hands required to knit. We'll see if his distaste for my knitting is a clash of taste in fashion... or just fussy-time gas.

S

Good Day Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine warrants a second post today! Harper and I were playing a bit after he ate his lunch, which led to some incredible smiles. He is such a happy baby!

The Best Distraction

The other day, I was completely sucked into reading a book...so sucked in, that I read the book in a single day. At one point, I had Harper wrapped up against me since he was a bit fussy. He swiftly fell asleep, and became the best distraction. Though I was really into my book, I couldn't stop looking at is sweet, peaceful face. I kept looking down at him and probably re-read the same paragraph about six or seven times. Will I ever get over how beautiful and incredible he is? I doubt it. I took the picture to the right to capture the moment. Can you blame me for not being able to take my eyes off of him? Doesn't he look so angelic in this picture? I love the open mouth. He reminds me of an old man catching some zzz's. I wish you could all hear the little noises he makes while he sleeps. His little sighs of contentment and light snoring are music to my ears.

Here are some more pictures of him wrapped up against me.

S

Lovely Rainy Day

There probably aren't too many Seattle residents who love the rainy weather as much as Jeff and I. We needed to run some errands yesterday, and it was raining pretty hard (Seattle is usually only covered with a light misty drizzle). The picture to the left is one that we took while running errands. He was sleeping peacefully for about five minutes into our first stop when he became upset. I wore him during the rest of the errands. It is our mutual preferred method, and I am starting to love the Moby Wrap even more than the Baby Bjorn. I just feel so close to him in the wrap - as if I'm holding him vs. carrying him in a backpack.

Because of the hard rain, I decided to do something I haven't done in a LONG time... I wore real shoes! This may not seem exciting to you, but it was great for me. My hands and feet started to swell pretty badly as early as week 20 of pregnancy. I took my wedding rings off around week 24 and started to exclusively wear flip flops around the time that I went out on bedrest (not that I went much of anywhere except the doctor's office) at the end of July. My shoes had been tight and uncomfortable for quite some time before that. It has been over 2 months of being sans shoes, so putting them on for the first time in awhile was an odd experience. However, I'm seriously looking forward to the day that I can wear my rings again. I'm almost there, but my doc said that it isn't uncommon for it to take extra time because of breastfeeding. So, it was a nice rainy day, and Harper was such a patient baby.

Below is a picture of Harper during some tummy time yesterday. It's one of our new favorites.
S

A Gulp of Bittersweet

I adore Seattle. Jeff and I coincidentally (and individually) have wanted to move up here for the longest time. It was a dream come true when we finally did. We love the striking greenery of the Emerald City, and the friendliness of the entire area. We love the lakes, the rain, and the people we've met. It has been a great year and a half. It's hard to believe it's only been that long, since Seattle rapidly became the home of our hearts.

We made a tough decision during this past week or so. We've decided to move to Utah. The decision was entirely made with our family in mind. We would love to stay, but it makes sense to move from a financial standpoint, as well as the advantage of having so much family in Utah. Work has presented Jeff with an opportunity to transfer his job (since they're closing his department in Bellevue), and my job location is quite flexible, so I can transfer as well. Though my heart is somewhat heavy to leave this place, I know that it will mean better care for Harper, and more time with him. Thus, the big gulp of bittersweet... We were even sad to say goodbye to my OB and her nurse yesterday during my 6-week post-op/postpartum appointment. They were disappointed that we're moving, as we've developed a special bond over the last year.

I know the riskiness of promising that any home is or isn't permanent. At age 18, I thought I'd only live in Arizona for a few years, then move up to Washington - but I was there for eight (long, hot) years. Jeff and I thought we'd be here in Seattle for a very very long time, but it looks like we'll be leaving just shy of two years. I'd like to say that we'll be back after about five years or so, but only time will tell. They say everything changes when you have a baby... and that includes the degree of sacrifices and compromises you're willing to make. Honestly, it is all worth it.

S