Months of the Near

Harper loves to sing the Months of the Year song. He's got them all down, except he says BEEZEMBER instead of December and NEAR instead of year. So cute, though...



Here are some pictures we took around the time we made the video... we just love to be silly.

Fifth Disease

Well, it's been a rough couple of weeks at our house. It started a few weeks ago when Harper came home from school and I found out he'd been exposed to Fifth Disease. I know, it sounds ridiculous and made up... believe me, I wish it was. But it is in fact a real virus with real symptoms.

Symptoms include a rash, headaches, joint pain, muscle aches, fever, abdominal pain, etc. With exception to the rash, and absense of nausea, it kind of looks like the flu.

Harper did develop a tiny rash for a couple of days, but it never really bothered him. I'm hoping it skips him completely. But Monday night, he woke up crying that his knee was hurting. And this morning he said both of his knees were hurting. I gave him some Ibuprofen and I hope that helps.

I, on the other hand, have been fighting this thing since the 16th. Now... I'm prone to headaches and migraines... Normally, I can take some Excedrin or Imitrex and be back on track in a couple of hours. But that weekend, NOTHING made me feel better. Not even sushi and sake (which was a terrible shame). I felt better by Monday, but what a wasted weekend.

Tuesday morning, I woke up with a rash. It covered all of my body, except for my head. It was then that I realized what was happening. I'd contracted Fifth Disease. It was mostly gone by Wednesday morning. I thought this was the all clear.

Then Wednesday afternoon, my left knee was hurting. I couldn't bend it to sit the way I like at work, or the way I sit with Harper to read stories that night. That really aggravated him. I thought I'd just turned it wrong (although it's typically my right knee that hurts, since I injured it in a car wreck several years ago). By Friday, my right knee was hurting, too.

Saturday, we went to Mimi's high school reunion with her and I was starting to feel achiness in my lower back by around 2:30p. It was getting harder for me to chase Harper around, so I figured we'd better head back, since I'd promised H we'd go to Super Target on our way home.

As we were walking around Target, I was seriously contemplating what I was going to do if I ended up in a wheel chair. I could barely push the cart and my whole back, hips, knees, ankles and feet were all severely hurting. By the time we got home, I just wanted to sit down, but I had to fix dinner, pick up the house, play with Harper and get him ready for bed.

Harper was going with Jody to his family reunion on Monday, and by Saturday night I was hurting so bad, I didn't know if I'd be able to rush around and get him ready to go Monday morning. So I called Jody and asked if H could spend the night with him Sunday night. Of course he said yes. Thank goodness.

I managed to get Harper showered and ready for bed. We decided to have a slumber party, so we watched 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' in my bed and I let him sleep with me. He started wallering around so much by 12:30, and by this time my shoulders and arms were hurting, too, that I put him in his own bed.

When he woke up at 7:15 Sunday morning, I could barely get out of bed to get him. I managed to get up, fix him some chocolate milk, take him to go potty, then he crawled in my bed and we watched cartoons. That was all great and easy, until he got ornery and took off running and I couldn't chase him. I couldn't feel my feet, just a little of the ball and some of the heel on each, and what I could feel, felt like pins and needles. I just burst into tears. My entire body felt like that. I told Mimi that I felt like an arthritic 90 year old woman.

Mimi was going to Seminole to spend a couple of days with Uncle Steve and Co. and I wasn't going to be able to give the attention to Harper that he needed. Fortunately, Daddy came to the rescue. I called him and asked if he'd be able to take H for the whole day. He was more than happy and excited to have the extra time with Buddy.

So, Harper went to his Daddy's, Mimi went to Uncle Steve's and I was home alone. Mimi suggested I take a hot bath, which I thought would be a good idea, until I realized I wouldn't be able to get down, or up again, by myself. I laid on the couch for just about the entire day, with the exception of managing a shower around 3p. Around 5:30, a friend of mine came over with ice cream and we watched a movie. By 9:30, I was asleep.

I woke up Monday morning a little sore, but nothing like I had been the last two days. Only my hands and feet were a little swollen. I managed to waddle around the house and get some stuff done. Any relief from the pain of the previous couple of days, felt amazing and I wanted to DO something. Harper came home around 4:30p and it was so great to be able to get on the floor and play with him, or get toys out from under the couch for him. And I could sit the way he likes me to when we read stories!

Now it's Wednesday the 28th, and though I feel great (just a little lingering crampiness), I'm afraid Harper is coming down with it. He's never complained about achiness before. I guess time will tell. Say your prayers that it skips him!

Skoreetos

The skoreeto is a horrific insect that buzzes around and sucks your blood. It tends to get around in mini swarms and is a general pain in the tookus. You get itchy where it bites you and sometimes you get these big red bumps.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, i give you, the skoreeto.

Love that Uncle Steve

The night before Mimi's high school reunion, Uncle Steve and Kenzie stayed with us. Mr. H LOVES his Uncle Steve. At dinner, he scooted a chair next to him, asked for some corn, and every other bite, he fed to his uncle.

Social Bribery

Harper called me at work and said that he wanted to play with me and not Mimi. He said 'I will wet my pants.'

And he did.

Twice.

All because I have to work and couldn't stay home and play.

Divine Intervention

Our friends, Phil and Darci, had their second daughter today. Zeta, their first, is a couple of months younger than Harper and they play a lot. Jody took H up to the hospital Wednesday to take Phil some tacos and see the new baby, Zody, and Phil said, 'This is Zeta's baby sister, Harper' And Harper said, 'But *I* want one, too!' Uh, yeah... We made one cute kiddo and we're good parents, together or apart, but I don't see us having any more kids together. Not unless there's some form of divine intervention... or a lot of alcohol involved. lol

Intro pic to the lovely new Miss Zody Maryann:


Big sis, Zeta, with Zody:

So Hard

This is Harper's weekend to spend with his daddy, so it was extra hard leaving for work this morning. H was begging to come to work with me. Then he was begging me to stay home. Then he was hugging and kissing me saying 'I want to see you again, Momma!'

Excruciating.

The Semi-Constant Gardner

Here's Buddy helping Mimi plant some flowers. He has his own gloves and tools and everything!

Hush Little Baby

At night, when it's time for bed, Harper and I settle into the rocking chair in his room. We read a two or three books, he drinks chocolate milk, then we sing some lullibies. Standard songs include 'Rock-a-Bye Baby', 'Silent Night' and 'Hush Little Baby'. The upside to these songs is that no matter how wound up he is, as soon as I start singing, he lays his head on my shoulder and immediately relaxes. The downside is that by singing the same songs over and over again, he's learning the words and now he wants to sing along. Kind of defeats the purpose of me singing so he'll relax. However, it's awfully cute to listen to.

His version of 'Silent Night' is precious. He doesn't have all the words down, but he knows Silent night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright.... Mother and Child, Holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in .... Sleep in .... He just makes up the words he hasn't figured out yet. And let me tell you, this childs falsetto is SO cute! One of these days I'll record him singing it.

He mostly has 'Hush Little Baby' down. There are just a few words he has wrong.

Harper's version:

Hush little baby, don't say a word
Momma's gonna buy you a rocking bird
If that rocking bird don't sing
Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring
If that diamond ring turns brass
Momma's gonna buy you a looking grass
If that looking grass gets bloke
Momma's gonna buy you a billy goat....
etc

Where DO you find a rocking bird? That could be kind of fun!

For Moms About To Rock. We Salute You.

My brother, Steven, and his daughter, Mackenzie (Kenzie), came so we could celebrate Mother's Day with Mimi. The kids played hard at the house and after their naps, H decided he wanted to go to the 'points'. (That's what he and his Daddy call it.) So we loaded up and went to the Tulsa Rose Garden. They had a lot of fun checking out all the fountains and ponds and smelling the flowers.

Oh Pooh

Harper is really into Winnie the Pooh right now. We have a few books and one movie, and he wants to read them or watch them all the time. He thinks that Rabbit is the funniest. Here he is reading one of his books:

Rare Form

This morning Harper and I went for donuts.


As we were leaving, I saw this cute shirt in the window of the boutique next to the bakery, so after it opened we went back so I could try it on. Harper was SO good while we were there and he was in rare form. He picked up a bag and said 'Momma, is this red?' I said 'No, it's orange.' He said 'No, it's red.' Back and forth, back and forth. Finally he said, 'You. Are. Making. Me. Crazy.'

Then he walked up to a boot and said 'Shoo! That's a stinky boot!' I asked the owner if she had leather boots in the window... sure enough... i got to the display window and harper has his whole face shoved inside this boot. He brings his head up and says it again, 'Shoo!'

When we were leaving and he ran to the door, turned and waved to the owner and said 'I'll see ya later!' Then ran up and gave her a high five.

Pictures of H & Jack

Happy Birthday to Jack! As a tribute to my little man's best buddy... here are some pictures of them from Monday...


Here are the boys watching 'The Jungle Book'.


Harper taking Jack to play with blocks in his room.


Harper is pretending to be Jack's baby.


Eating a well rounded lunch.

Wishes

This has been such a great week for me and Harper. Granted, I've missed a lot of work, but it's been worth it to get to spend more time with him. I wish every week could be like this... with financial compensation like I'm working full time, of course. ;)

My brother breeds Great Danes and Mastiffs. His Great Dane had puppies Sunday night, so Mimi went to help out. We had originally thought it would just be three days, but it has ended up being all week.

I took off Monday and got to be home with Harper and Jack. Those two are so adorable. I took some great pictures of them together. I'll post them this weekend. Tuesday and today (Thursday) are short days, because Harper has school from 9:30-2:30. I love getting off early and getting to spend the afternoon with him. Normally, he cries when you take him to school because he'd just rather be home playing with his trains. But today I told him that if he'd go in and play with his friends, and NOT cry, we'd go to Target after school and get a birthday card for Jack. I asked, "What are you going to do?" He said, "PLAY WITH MY FRIENDS!" I asked, "What are you NOT going to do?" He replied, "CRY!" "And what are we going to do after school?!" "GO TO TARGET! HOOTY HOO!" It felt kind of like a protest chant. He cracks me up.

Tomorrow he gets to go to Jack's house to play. Harper has been looking forward to it all week. They are going to have SO much fun! And Saturday is Jack's birthday party. H has been singing the Happy Birthday song every day in preparation. I think I'll have him help me wrap the present. So, Angela, if you're reading this... it's not going to be pretty. lol

Chief

Last night Harper asked me if I had to go work tomorrow. I said, "Yeah, bud. I sure do." He sighed and said, "Yeah. Me, too." I said, "Oh? Where do you work?" He said, "The hospital." "What do you do at the hospital? Are you a doctor? A nurse?" "No. I'm the Chief."

Ha!

Some mornings when he's laying in my bed he'll do a biiiig stretch and say "I don't want to go to work today." Gee... I wonder where he gets that? It's not that I don't like my job. I do. I love it. I would just rather be home playing with him.