Last night before we went to bed, I went through a list of friends and Taylor had to tell me if he thinks he could beat them up or not. Sadly, even in just his head where he’s allowed to have more of an imagination, he thinks that most of his friends could take him.

Today was BUSY! Sometimes people make little comments about being a stay at home mom and in shielded behind their little comments are other comments like YOU GOT IT SO EASY! And yes, my life is awesome and yes, I love it, but no, it is not the easiest thing in the world. So there is my rant for the day.

Quiet Company was featured on the Real World this evening- complete with their name even showing up on the screen! Although most of our friends don’t partake in Real World viewing on a regular basis, I’m not ashamed to say that I have watched every season since I was in middle school. So to see a show that I already tune in to feature my husband’s band.. AWESOME. Remember the time that MTV called me about being a host of a new show but I didn’t have a video recorder to send them an audition tape? I wonder what my life would have been like if that had panned out. Probably AWESOME.

So, Harper started taking steps 5 days ago and today, she took like 7 steps at one time. Taylor said he wasn’t crying but I swear I saw tears in his eyes.

The weather is warm here.

WHAT ELSE

HELLO

Harper’s 10 months now so I think that means she needs a blog.

Lately, I’ve been hearing of fashion blogs and seeing fashion blogs and liking fashion blogs but I don’t think that I’d ever want to make one that featured me because who am I??! WHO AM I?! Then I started thinking about how cute Harper looks every day, even when I’m still in my pajamas, cute cute cute. And then I started wondering what kind of baby fashion-y blogs were out there.

So I researched. I researched high and low. And by high and low, I mean that I googled a few terms and couldn’t really find too much that was interesting or current.

I know I don’t need another blog by any stretch of the imagination, but I can’t stop thinking about how fun this could end up being. Besides featuring Harper’s daily (or every so often) outfits, I would also feature things that I think rule.. and.. I don’t know, we’ll see what else happens.

Here’s where you come in.

I am awful at naming things (except children and animals). I need a name for the new site! At first, I thought it’d be hilarious to write from Harper’s perspective but after I gave it more than 5 minutes of thought, I realized how gross that would be after a day or two. So, it’ll be a blog from my perspective just showcasing awesome baby stuff and awesome Harper outfits and how to stay awesomely not expensive and awesome, awesome, awesome.

Whoever offers up the name that I end up choosing will get a prize! I don’t know what I have to offer, but I’l think of something. And you’ll love it. And we’ll all live happily ever after.

Let’s all put our thinking caps on. And it doesn’t have to have Harper’s name in it. But it can.

Harper,

You have now been in the outside world as long as you took up space inside my belly and I’ve got to tell you, I much prefer you face to face.

This last month has been a doozy, just like every month has been of your life. I mean, you are growing and changing and moving so fast that it’s hard to keep up with. I can still remember your birth so vividly and I really hope that my memory continues and I’m able to recall every month as freshly because I always want to be able to instantly recall the way that you snuggle up on the couch and put your arms to your sides.

A few weeks ago, we brought a new family member home and I wasn’t sure how you’d react to her. At first, you were very clearly put off by Darcy. Every time she walked by you or tried to sniff you, you would literally cower away from her. If it weren’t so funny looking, it would have been sad. After a few days, though, every time I came in to your room you would peek behind me to make sure that Darcy was following. I absolutely love the thought of you being able to say “Darcy” and having an automatic best friend. Watching you “pet” Darcy is hilarious and if Darcy weren’t so awesome and laid back, you’d probably be in trouble. I look forward to you knowing what the word gently means and watching you chase each other around. For now, I just enjoy you trying to pick her nose.

Recently, I’ve discovered something that actually holds your attention- “Yo Gabba Gabba!” I like that it holds your attention because honestly, I enjoy the show as well. Yesterday morning, I turned on an episode and you leaned back in my lap. Harper, you are not a snuggler and every day, I wish that you were. But yesterday, for 20 glorious minutes, you laid back in my lap and didn’t move. You even let me hold your hands when I wanted to. And it was GLORIOUS. I can’t wait until you want to snuggle me and knowing that one day you will ask me to lay down in your bed with you until you fall asleep makes me want to go crazy with excitement. But for now, I will take what I can get and I got 20 minutes yesterday and it made my entire week.

Last Friday, you started clapping. I’ve been trying to get you to clap for awhile now and just like every other new thing, you do it on your own time. So all of a sudden, you could clap and that was that and not being able to clap was in the past. And when we were watching the Yo Gabba Gabba episode and you were relaxing in my lap, they started doing a clapping dance. And dear god, you clapped along. I know that you’ll probably read these letters and think to yourself, “Big deal! I clapped, crazy lady. Move on.” but HARPER YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND. You saw someone on the TV prompting you to clap and you clapped along and my heart swelled and you were such a big girl and I wanted to cry and maybe I am tearing up just thinking about it but I am always so proud of you no matter how small you might think something is. So, you’re going to have to deal with it because I can’t see this stopping.

I think we have a big next month coming up because two days ago, you took your first step. And then you took your second and third. I think we’re at three steps now before you fall over but I can tell that when you decide that you really want to go for it, you’ll be going and there will be no stopping you. You are already the most active and mobile little thing I’ve ever seen so I can’t imagine what actual walking will do for you. Yesterday, you discovered that you can open up drawers and your dad and I have both caught you trying to actually crawl in to them. This afternoon, I went out and bought baby locks so that you would never be able to crawl inside a drawer again. I hope that you had fun for a day!

So there you have it. Another month, more things, always new things, always exciting. Right now you are sleeping and just like every night after you’ve gone to bed, even though I am honestly sighing a big sigh of tired relief and am glad to be passed out on the couch with no responsibilities for a few hours, I miss you. I know you are on the other side of the wall, probably with your little booty up in the air and your arms by your side, sleeping peacefully. And I bet you look so cute. And if I knew I wouldn’t wake you up, I would totally be in there once a night just staring at you because it’s very rare that you actually hold still during the day. But anyways, this is all to say that I fall more in love with you every day and as always, I can’t wait for tomorrow to wake up and start all over.

Yesterday afternoon, Harper took her first unassisted step. And then you know what she did? She took two just to prove to us that yes, that’s what’s up. THAT IS WHAT IS UP!!! That little monster is pretty baffling. Taylor and I just looked at each other and smiled and both silently realized that we were on to the next big stage of her life and we were going to roll with the punches! The next hour and every hour she’s been awake since the big hoorah has been spent prompting her to walk more. We’re up to three steps, ladies and gentlemen. I’m a proud mama!

Weekend time, here we come! La la la!

Last night, I rented, “The Time Traveler’s Wife”. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (UGHHHHHH) UGHHHHHH!!! Seriously. I read the book several months ago and absolutely loved it. Was engrossed in it. Bawled my eyes out in it. I watched the movie and was bored, found the characters dull, the dialogue was flat, the acting was bad (and I love Banaaaa and McAdamsss) AND it was overall not anything like the book. Now I just want to read the book all over again so I can remember that it’s good and great but maybe that will make me more mad at the movie all over again.

Hello, I love movies. Speaking of movies, “Where the Wild Things Are” came out on DVD last Tuesday and when it drops in price, we will totally own it. Lately when I’m watching a movie, I see still pictures. If you are watching a beautiful movie with me, there’s a very probable chance that I will turn to you and whisper, “Man, that’s a beautiful picture” at some point through out the movie. I guess that’s what I get for being a photographer. Anyways, Where the Wild Things are is SO beautiful and the entire time I wanted to steal their sunflares and woods and monsters and just be inspired forever.

Speaking of movies, I can’t imagine buying a DVD brand new. Really. You get it the Tuesday it comes out for $14.99 at the cheapest but if you just wait a month or two, you can find it on amazon for $4.00. How thrilling!!

I have my first wedding of the season today! Season starts in March and ends in… December? Texas has long wedding seasons. Wish me luck.

LUCK LUCK LUCK

Something that came out of my mouth tonight-

“I feel like if I had salt on my foot, I’d lick it a lot!”

WELCOME TO MY LIFE.

For Harper’s one year birthday, I’m going to take pictures of her in a tutu.

Besides that, what’s a cute theme that I could use for family pictures? You know we have to celebrate the occasion.

And besides that, what sort of birthday party should I throw?

And besides that, HELLO.

Crashing on sugar at 9PM is not awesome. Note to self: cadbury creme eggs + redbull = feeling crazy. DO NOT JUDGE ME. Okay, judge me. Whatever.

Here are a few pictures of Darcy to quench your appetite:

Still answering questions:

Here’s what a typical day looks like, if I have no shoots or weddings:

Wake up at 7:30, Harper gets a bottle at 8
Entertain a dog and a baby, Harper eats again at 9
Entertain a dog and a baby some more, put Harper down for a nap at 10
Do some editing, take a shower, eat something, pet a dog
Harper wakes up and has a bottle at 12
Entertain a dog and a baby, Harper eats again at 1
Usually between 12-2, I will run any errands that I need to run or have lunch with a friend or go for a walk with the dog and the baby.
Harper goes back down for a nap from 2-4
Do some editing, do some more editing, play on the internet, pet a dog
Harper has a bottle at 4, eats again at 5
Half the time, we’ll stay home and play and the other half we’ll go to Robin’s to visit
Taylor gets home around 5:30 and greets all of his girls
We eat dinner
Chase Harper around, play, pet a dog
Harper gets a bath at 7:30 and is in bed by 8
Taylor and I then spend the rest of the evening watching TV or a movie or editing or whatever (but definitely not talking, no, never talking)
Usually in bed around 10-10:30
I talk a lot and Taylor falls asleep quickly

VOILA.

I like days. SO INTERESTING.

Since I spent 3 hours of my evening watching, “The Bachelor”, I figured I at least should blog about it. Come back tomorrow if you don’t care. I don’t even care and I’m the one blogging it. Oh, and spoilers ahead. Warning!

I knew from the very beginning of the season that Jake would pick Vienna, because I am such a nerd that I read Bachelor spoilers. And you know what? I never cared. I still have no idea why every one hated her in the house and why America has decided that she’s awful and why my facebook is full of statuses where girls are hating on her and saying Jake made the worst decision of his life. What am I missing?!

Sure, she was blunt and her hair is a pretty awful color when matched with her skin-tone, but besides that.. I don’t get it. You know who was kind of awful, though? Ali. She was rude and judgmental and pretty vicious but she gets rewarded with being America’s Sweetheart and the title of Bachelorette for next season? I don’t get it. I didn’t like Jake but I watched this year anyway because I am a sucker and I’m sure that’s how it will be for Ali as well. But really.. the girl was downright rude.

Anyways.

I don’t care who Jake picked and for as little as I care (and I promise, it’s little, even though I’m blogging away about it), I totally teared up when Boring Jake proposed to Giggling Vienna.

La la la.

Type type type.