Happy Birthday Harlow and Maddie!!

Since I may have gone "over the top" for Harlow's 1st birthday and I am 32 weeks pregnant (and feeling every second of it) we decided to go "low key" this year. So Kasey and I decided to do the girls birthday party together and it worked out perfectly. We had it at Love to Swim and Tumble here in Schertz. They provided instructors for the kids, the parents got to hang out...and the best part was NO CLEAN UP!!! Yippeee!!! We had pizza and fruit, a million cakes (Harlow and Maddie had their own personal cakes to blow candles out with, Harlow had a separate small cake with no icing, and then we had the big cake for everyone else) and a candy bar for the kids to fill up their treat bags before they left. Everyone seemed to have a blast and Harlow loved the gymnastics area! Guess we will be signing up for classes soon!!! Happy Birthday Harlow and Maddie!!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Today, two years ago, Waylen and I received the most special gift from God. We couldn't have been blessed more and not a day has been the same since. Harlow Grace, Happy Second Birthday!!!! LOVE, Mommy and Daddy!

And, YES MY FRIENDS........SHE ATE HER CUPCAKE....AS LONG AS THERE WASN'T ANY ICING!! DEFINITELY MY DAUGHTER!

Bye Mom, See you soon!

Today, was Harlow's first day of Kids Day Out. We decided to sign her up at a really great place on my way to work to go twice a week and burn some energy and hopefully learn a thing or two. Last night, I was preparing all her stuff, labeling everything, overpacking extra snacks and food (just in case she was randomly starving, I guess) and I caught my self getting nervous. EEEKKKKK....How was this really happening?....her whole life flashed before me....it's going by WAY too fast. I am trying to soak it all up.
So this morning we got up and ready to go. At first she couldn't wait to put on her backpack....but that did not last long. It was too heavy and she wanted it off NOW!!! After telling daddy bye we went outside and took a couple of pics...which started out all cute.....and then she was over it! She made her usual "I'm MAD" face, sat down, and would not look at me!!!! What a princess. Once we got to school, I realized I was in for a treat carrying all the "first day of school" stuff for her. Somehow I managed, and I remember as we were getting closer to the door Harlow stopped and held out her hand for me to hold as we walked through the door.....my sweet big girl (that was the only time I teared up....I swear!). Once, we got into the class....she took off running, looking at all the toys and new things to play with. Of course, the teachers loved her and thought she was just the cutest!!! After unloading all her stuff and grabbing a couple more pics, I bent down and she gave me a kiss and said "Bye Mom! See ya soon!"......

Yup, that's it! No whining, no clinging to my leg, nothing! As much relief as I felt leaving the school without any tears or tantrums....I felt a little rumble in my tummy letting me know.....there is always #2!!! HAHAHAHAHA.......

Harlow had a great day today. She loved showing me all the toys and everything she did that day. She even took a good nap! So day one is complete and turned out better than I could have expected!

A little story and some pictures!

So I have to tell a story about our little shopping adventure yesterday. My sister and I headed out with Harlow yesterday morning to La Cantera after breakfast. Harlow is starting "preschool" this September two days a week and she is soooo excited. There are a few things that are required, one of them being that she has to wear closed toe shoes. I have never been a huge fan of tennis shoes or play shoes, probably because they always seems to make her trip over her feet when she is wearing them. So, while at Nordstrom we decided to let her look at the shoes. I say "her" because she has gotten extremely picky about what she wears. She loves being given two options to pick from and that is usually what our morning routine consists of. So today, I was going to give her the power (bad idea) to pick out a pair of school shoes. Af first she just started at them all, smiling from ear to ear at the selection she was being given. I never quite thought ahead to what my reaction would be if the only ones she wanted were ones that I didn't approve of. Well, I was going to have to think on my feet because it happened, and my daughter had just picked up a pair of silver sparkly "HIGH-TOP" Converse! Really? Have I taught you nothing!!??? So I did let her try them on (pretending like they were the only pair in stock) and they were too big. Bummer....we will just have to move those out of eyesight and move on!!! After that little fiasco we narrowed it down to two options, two luckily that I liked, so it was time to try them on. After trying each shoe on, the sweet sales girl let Harlow run to the door and back to try them out. We would tell her to run FAST....and she thought it was the coolest. We were able to find both in a size that works, but one just looked so much more comfortable when she was running than the other. So she successfully selected her first pair of school shoes and I got a little taste of what school shopping will be like in a couple of years!!! Gosh, she is picky! HHHHMMMM.....wonder where that comes from!

Hubby Turns 30!!!!

Well, it finally happened! I always wondered what it would be like to be 30...and here we (I mean, he) is. hahahhaaha...I will live up these last 9 months of my 20's! The hubby on the other hand, celebrated his 30th birthday this weekend! It was a blast. We had our 18 week appointment on his actual birthday, so we got to confirm that we will actually be having a boy this January! We both held our breathe while she looked around......and she found IT!!! Wyatt "can't decided on a middle name" Pape is coming sooner than we know it. I can't believe we are almost halfway done! After that we celebrated with sushi and then this weekend had his big party with friends!!! Oh, and he would be devastated if I didn't mention this....but he did shoot the best round of his life this weekend....a 74! I think he is prepping to teach Wyatt everything he knows! You rock babe!
Fall is almost upon us, which means FOOTBALL season is starting soon! Harlow and I decided to finally give him what he has always wanted...a MAN CAVE!!!! I will have to post pictures soon but it involves dark walls, home theater chairs, GOOGLE TV, and Surround Sound.......am I a nice wife or what? haahhahaahha.....Now, I must say that the "have to still be in a little bit of control" side of me will be helping with the design layout of the room. There is no telling what I would find if I let him do it all. He will be hosting a Fantasy Football league draft in two weeks....So I better get off the computer and help paint! Happy Birthday Babe! Love you to the moon and back!!! - Love, Meredith, Harlow, and Wyatt

Happy 4th of July!!!!

This 4th of July we headed up to Dallas to meet up with family at the Hilton Harbor in Rockwall. It was an amazing weekend of boating, relaxing, eating, and hanging out. We absolutely loved it. Harlow loved the boat and swimming in the lake and pool. We have found out that little floaties are amazing and make her feel so secure. She fell asleep both days on the boat and we didn't get sunburned at all!!! Yeah!!! Friday night after dinner was the fireworks show and Saturday night they had Finding Nemo playing on the side of the hotel right by the pool. H loved it...we stayed up way too late and recovered all day on Monday.

Monday we also moved Harlow into a toddler bed. We found the rails for her bed on EBAY (brand new) for dirt cheap!! Yeah Me!! We tried to not make a big deal of the thing so she wouldn't figure out she was able to get out so easily!!!!! It has been great so far...she just lays there, talks to herself and her animals for about an hour and falls asleep....in the morning, she wakes up, and when I go in there and ask her if she slept well, she answers by saying "I WAKE UP!!!!" Such a silly girl!!

20 Month News

I haven't been a very good mom when it comes to charting all "the happenins" of Miss Harlow....but I am going to try and make up for that with this one post. Harlow is at such a fun age. She is constantly learning and growing into such a mini me (maybe not on the looks end), but I swear if I could picture myself at this age, this is how I would act. PERFECT.....Sometimes!!!! So what fun things is Miss Harlow doing to date.....

Miss Harlow MUST wear her sunglasses if everyone else is. Especially if its sunday morning...she loves wearing them to church!

Miss Harlow is OBSESSED with NICK Jr. It is "preschool for kids" for all you moms rolling your eyes and calling me bad mother names.....if you could see her mind working while she watches these shows...you would let her watch them too. Insert me sticking my tongue out at you!

Miss Harlow is having a bit of trouble pronouncing her consonants in her words. It kinda scared me at first but after just a few practices in the mirror with our "ba's, ta's, ca's, ma's, and pa's" We got it down....she can figure out how to put them in the words later.

Miss Harlow's favorite book: Pinkalicious

Miss Harlow's favorite breakfast: Granola bar and Greek yogurt

Miss Harlow does not do: cupcakes, cake, ice cream (unless it's a milkshake) or brownies. She does: all fruity treats....fruit snacks, sour patch kids, sweet tarts.... (see, my mini me!!)

Miss Harlow has confused which country she lives in because every time we are in a store or restaurant she tells everyone " Ni Hao" which sounds more like "Yee Haaaahhhwww" which is "Hello" is Chinese....She is soooo cultured!!!

She still sleeps like a champ...goes to bed at around 8:15, talks to herself and anyone else who will listen for about an hour, then falls asleep....rinse and repeat in the morning.

When you are in control of food portions and she wants more of something you have.....she leans in all sweet and says in the cutest voice...."Smore...Smore...Smore? We crap up everytime she does this...it never gets old. She's goooooodddd!

Miss Harlow can now wear her hair in a ponytail which I love!!!

Miss Harlow has pottied on the big potty twice now....Number 1 AND 2!!!

Miss Harlow loves family hugs and will grab each of us and pull us towards her.....and AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Never gets old.

Miss Harlow thinks everything is Red......"Harlow, what color is that? Red!

Miss Harlow is NOT a fan of Blue....so much so that she even refuses the name says yellow instead.

Miss Harlow is the best and I cant wait to see what she learns next!!!