tickle bug

 

  

Examining her daddy's hands

 

Tasting daddy's hands

 

Here comes the....

 

Tickle Monster!!!

  

This photo captures the essence of my husband and daughter. 

  

And this one makes my heart leap. 

Like Father Like Daughter

 

  

  

Harper adores hearing her daddy play the guitar. 

  

She squeals and laughs as he sings to her. 

  

  

  

My husband's voice.

My daughter's laugh.

  

It doesn't get much better than that.

you know you're a momma when...

i like doing this from time to time... so much in our lives has changed since having harper it only makes sense to share!

you know you're a momma when:

- your baby gets bored playing peek-a-boo long before you do.
- when you hold your kitty you start to bounce her.
- or even worse when you are holding a box and realize you are bouncing it...
- you look forward to 10 pm when your little goes down so you can finally have time with your husband.
- some days it just isn't worth it changing out of your clothes that have been spit up on.
- you're still amazed that such a tiny thing can take up so. much. space. in your house
- you reach high new octaves with your voice you never thought existed in trying to make your little one smile.
- your cell phone memory is constantly full from all the picture texts you send to friends and family.
- as much as you love that incredible sweater at forever 21 you know harper needs winter clothes that fit so you wait to see if there is enough money left over for the sweater after shopping for her.
- you wonder how much longer "night night" "eyesies" "twosie" "poo poo" and "toot" will take to become integrated into your normal "grown up" language. 

what a joy it is to be parent!!! i say that with no sarcasm whatsoever.

sweet child o' mine

Harper is playing baby Jesus in the Christmas musical at church.  It's pretty cute.

She usually does really well, but during the performance tonight she started to cry while "Mary" was holding her.  At first it was just a little cry, but then it turned into a wail.

Emily was up there with her, yet it took everything in me not to run up on the stage and hold her.  I could tell she was a little scared, and I wanted to save her.

I kept thinking about how God does the same thing with us.  He hears our cries and His heart aches with us.  He wants to scoop us up and hold us in His arms while He tells us everything is okay because he has got us.

But He can't.  Just like I couldn't with Harper.  Not becaus eof the play, but because sometimes she has to cry.  She has to experience pain.  Or else she becomes a rotten, spoiled person.

But it doesn't mean I don't care.

Just because God doesn't swoop in and save us, does not mean He doesn't care.

He is our Father.  He aches with us and for us.

But He can't always save us...

2,303 Hours in

Being a dad is amazing.

The love, hopes, fears, desires, joy, exhaustion, and wonder are so fun. Every day is something new.

It's astonishing watching Harper.

The way everything is new to her. How quickly she's beginning to learn things. How strong she's becoming. I love it when I get up with her in the morning, and as soon as she sees my face peek over the crib her pacifier falls out of her mouth she smiles so big.

It melts me. Every time.

I can't imagine what it will be like when she's calls out to me. Or says she loves me. Or runs into my arms after I get home from work.

What a precious gift.