The First 6 Months

More pics of Harper 6 months (taken by our dear friends and photographers: Nate and Kodi Campbell http://www.nkcphotos.com/. To view the gallery: http://www.nkcphoto.com/Clients/2011/Harper-at-6-months/20399178_pzzmhg#1614236609_WTQ2Drs (password "Collins")

Pics (unedited) of our fall trip to NYC, Budapest, Prague, and DC: http://gallery.me.com/kevinhumphreys#100031

So..... Having a baby keeps you a whole lot busier than we ever dreamed. Hence, the very delayed update to firstsforus. Certainly there have been many firsts to celebrate and laugh about as Harper Ann Humphreys entered our lives. For starters, there was the night where an exhausted Mommy and Daddy returned home and left Emma the dog locked up in her crate all night long. For Emma, this injustice was small compared to the many times we have forgotten to feed or give her water in the midst of taking care of our little human's needs. Thankfully, Emma is one gracious dog and is just looking forward to when Harper starts dropping some serious eats/treats from the high chair. Then, there was the time that Mommy and Daddy made it out to the grocery store with baby, managed to get all the groceries and baby securely in the car and promptly drove away without the diaper bag. This might seem forgiveable except that the diaper bag was on the ground behind the wheel of the car and was run over, by us, twice. Thankfully some kind stranger turned the bag in, we finally traced it's origin 3 days later and the tire marks all came out nicely.

Of course, all the best firsts have been those precious moments where Harper shows us the many sides to her personality and the precociuos little being she will grow to be. Her first smiles, giggles, toots (first of many), the times she "surprises" us while in the midst of a diaper change, all of the first trips, the babbling, the "I'm mad at you" looks. It's been a true blast and we're thoroughly enjoying this journey.

As the year 2012 peeks around the corner, we cannot believe all that was experienced in 2011: marriage, birth, visitors, school, work, travels, and more. Here's to a wonderful and no less exciting 2012!

Enjoying Every Moment

Harper is two weeks old today which means we are officially behind on posting a whole lot of firsts. To be truthful, I don't know where to begin but I do not want to delay further as I hope this blog will someday serve as a fun read for Harper and a glimpse into what was going on in her parent's heads while she was in utero and now out in the world. I suppose I should start with the birth story: Harper sure kept us on a toes for a few weeks as she was set to make an entrance on May 4th and instead introduced herself via C-section a full two weeks later. The reasons for the drama ranged from low platelets in Mama to the predictions for a very large baby to the pesky umbilical cord but the bottom line is that Harper patiently waited for the cervix to open and it just didn't happen. The C-section was a scary moment for me but that mostly had to do with an intense fear of being cut, pricked, etc. There were parts of it that were as bad as I imagined and there were parts that were surprisingly easy and at this point, I am healing up nicely. I was so thankful to have Kevin right by my side through the procedure and then with Harper from the moment she was born. My Mom was our other crutch and she was infinitely helpful with everything from getting Harper to latch on for feedings to getting me clothes to fit my no longer pregnant yet not quite not pregnant body and even staying a night in the hospital with us.

The first few days of parenthood are a blur but they include many of the classics such as being peed and puked on, leaving the house without a diaper bag, taking 40 minutes to leave the house period, forgetting to feed the dog, looking and acting like zombies, etc.

On the other hand, Harper is pure joy to look at, be around, smell, etc. She surprised us by having a full head of dark hair which is growing quickly and slowly turning more brown. She has her Father's thoughtful eyes and carries on a constant little chirp when she sleeps (not great for Mama's shut-eye as every little noise makes me want to check on her). She loves to be swaddled but also loves a good stretch and had her first venture out in a baby carrier today. She's a good sleeper (knock on wood) and ranks even higher in the appetite department. She hit her birth weight again yesterday and has strong little limbs, I sense an athlete in the making ;-)

We have taken enough pictures to last a lifetime already but we look forward to continuing to document and share our adventures. We have a summer full of friends and family along with time to bond as our own little threesome and we are trying to be mindful of the mantra that everyone shares, "Enjoy every moment, they grow up so fast."

Waiting on a Woman

Ah, patience... never my best virtue but one I have been working on for years and one that I was prepared to embrace as I waited upon the unpredictable act of childbirth. This did not stop me from doing a bit of planning in the form of last day of work, grandparent's arrivals from Oregon, last minute baby supplies, etc. Then as Murphy's Law would have it, a week before our due date, we hit the perfect storm of a very large baby girl (per the ultrasound), a very low amount of amniotic fluid, and a low platelet count for Mama. With these things in mind, our doctor scrambled to get us into the hospital for an induction and we complied. As of last Wednesday evening, they had a bed for us and after a lively night in the hospital, on Thursday, May 5th we were told in a most definitive manner, "Your daughter will arrive today."

Here it is Wednesday, a full week later and the house is silent with nary a baby coo or grunt or whine. Super-Grandma (Mom/Grandma Sparrow) managed to do some last minute flight re-arranging and has been here almost a full week and Dad/Grandpa Sparrow arrives today. If Harper was looking for an audience, she's got it now and if my contractions keep up at this rate and pain level and yet do not result in a widened cervix I will truly be surprised.

Because of the improvements in all areas (who would have known that a little relaxation could bring that amniotic fluid right up) we have been in a holding pattern of fetal monitoring and measurements. We have appts tomorrow (Thursday) and next Tuesday but something tells us she will arrive before then. The doctors have indicated that they do not want us to go past the middle of next week but we have heard "definitive" announcements such as this before and we aren't believing anything until it happens.

In the meantime, we are being well fed (thanks Mom/Grandma) and well cared for ("Cranky" aka Dad/Grandpa Humphreys has been putting extra long hours in with Kevin at work to prepare for baby go-time) and look forward to the relaxing and positive presence of Dad/Grandpa Sparrow as he arrives to enjoy the Sunshine. If nothing else, we now have a interesting "birth story" to share with our little unpredictable one and we are truly, truly ready to have her join our lives.

Ready or Not...

Well D day is almost here and with it comes that predictable question, "Are you ready?" I have been asked this a multitude of times over the last few weeks and I am learning that it is a bit of a trick question. People ask with a coy smile and patiently listen to my confident response but what they are really waiting to tell me is that you are never truly ready for something that will fundamentally change your life forever. You're never ready for the lack of sleep, the number of times a diaper will need to be changed (Kev doesn't believe the number I have quoted him), the joy, the heartache, the teenage years, etc. But... I do have to assert that while these things will surely blow our minds, Kevin and I could not be more ready to become parents. We are both aware of and grateful for the fact that we've got a solid parenting partnership that will be difficult for even the most stubborn teenage girl to break through and we have lived and loved enough to know that this is exactly where we want to be at this point in time in our lives. We have supportive friends, families, a house, and jobs that we really, truly love. We have been absolutely spoiled with all the baby supplies that a couple expecting triplets, let alone a single child could use. We've practiced Infant CPR on chubby the cat (just kidding, on a doll), read books from every perspective of child-rearing, and have watched countless YouTube videos on the proper installation of infant car seats (sheesh, who knew it was so complicated). We have had nine and a half of the longest months of our lives to prepare to open our hearts and arms to this little bundle and all we need now is for her to decide that it's time to enter the world and get this party started. Will there be surprises? No doubt. But, we are counting on those things to keep us on our toes and to keep this blog filled with memories. We hope the next post will be the recounting of the most pleasant birth experience ever (haha, I really do live in La La land) and a number of unforgettable firsts for us. Thanks to everyone who has supported us during this time and who continue to graciously allow us to think that this ain't no big thing. I hope we can continue to rely on you when the challenges and learning opportunities hit.

All our love, the soon-to-be three of us

Don't Tell Our Daughter!

As I was lying down gazing at my now completely unavoidable belly the other day, I noted how some of the scars that I have obtained over the years have increased greatly. There is the one above my belly button from when my junior year soccer teammates and I thought it would be a brilliant idea to pierce our own belly buttons.... with safety pins. It's a wonder that didn't turn out so well. Then there is the scar on my side that could be mistaken for a birthmark but truth be told it is from a fence that got in the way after a cow-tipping attempt at my friend's family farm (yes, small town children really do go cow-tipping). I feel thankful that those are the only two scars that are emphasized at the moment but if I were to inventory my whole self there are a number of battle wounds from the less impressive moments of my childhood (I can't even count the number of burn scars from "testing" out whether something was indeed too hot) and even scars from adulthood (when was I going to learn that running with two dogs with minds of their own was certainly going to end up with two perfectly good knees now marred with scars?).

As I told Kevin the oh-so-impressive belly button piercing story a rampant thought entered my mind, "Oh no, DO NOT tell our daughter that I did this!" Kev laughed and threw out the classic line that maybe she could learn from our mistakes but I was struck with the horrifying thought that yes, maybe she could learn from my mistakes but do I really want her to? Do I really want her to her to know all of the tricks and tips of being a less than perfect child? Should I actually share the classic lessons: How to Sneak out of your Bedroom Window 101 or Best Ways to Catch Air While Driving Your Father's Truck? The harsh reality is that there are probably going to be much more serious lessons that our child will be faced with over the years. I don't like the look of the teenagers that trounce through our neighborhood on the way to school one bit and if I could count the number of times I have accidentally ended up on an inappropriate website while innocently looking for something else.... well let's just say there is some sick people out there.

I guess that this is an early reminder that there is a lot that we will face in terms of the great learning curve of life. I just hope for all of our sakes that we survive it intact and I think we will just cross the "to tell or not to tell" bridge as it comes. As least she will be born innocent just like the rest of us and we anxiously await that moment!

The Art of the Waddle and "What would Harper do?"

I've seen it before; the legs slightly bowed, back arched, shoulders back. I wondered if this was some universal way of signaling, "I am uncomfortable" or possibly even an exaggeration meant to bring on the sympathy of those who took the only available seat or the last cookie. Wonder no longer, this is apparently the posture that all of us pregnant ladies are inflicted with at a certain point in time. This new look is not something I have taken lightly. Afterall, I am the girl that critiques every jogger's running form as if I am somehow superior or don't look just as nutty when I am out doing my own version of running (which was really always more of a shuffle than a run). Yet, here I am today, humbled, and with a waddle that matches the best of them. I tell myself that anyone would do the same with 4 pounds of human hanging off the front of them not including all of the other baby-making body parts that have expanded of late. Still, I feel wholly self-conscious as I make my way past the texting and skate-boarding young college students on my way to meetings. It doesn't help that I am also noting the looks of sympathy on my morning walks, at the grocery store, etc and I am not sure that I like that gaze that says "poor you, look what you've done to yourself." Yet once again I must remind myself that this is all for the very best of causes and if waddling is what I have to do, waddle I will!

As the day of Harper's arrival grows ever more near, not only is my body changing but my mind as well. Although she's yet to make an impact on this world, I have somehow awarded my daughter with an air of authority (maybe even superiority) normally reserved for world leaders, and other movers and shakers. I quite often find myself in situations where I literally think, "What would Harper do?" A long wait at the DMV?, a disappointment at work?, the rising cost of our health insurance? In all of these instances, I think of her and I think, you know what, Harper would just shrug this off and move on.

Is this strange, aren't I supposed to be the mentor in this relationship? My only explanation is that I have already bequeathed Harper with the absolute best features of her Father and I. This means she will have infinite patience (that one comes from Kevin if you can't guess), be insanely driven (me), and have an overall sunny outlook that outshines both of her parents. With these features, she will surely be the example and me the student. I know it's a lot to ask of a little zero year-old but somehow I think she can handle it and somehow it makes me feel a whole lot better about life's frustrations.

You Know You're in Your Third Trimester When

Tick-Tock, tick-tock: How can time move so slowly yet so quickly at the same time?

Here we are in the 3rd trimester and I find myself oscillating between this being the slowest journey of my life and the idea that there will be a real live little baby here in 3 months or less!!! Things are certainly changing (starting with my waist line) and I now feel like a genuine, bonafide pregnant person complete with all the nuances. Here are a few reasons that I know I have arrived in trimester 3:

• We need to buy stock in a dairy to support my out-of-this world milk habit. Truly, I feel as though this much milk cannot be healthy and certainly is not normal yet I cannot help myself


• The "advice" from strangers has dramatically increased. Unfortunately, this advice is of the variety of "get your rest now, you will never sleep again" and "oh, better prepare yourself for a BIG baby" all of which I could really do without


• Sitting or lying down comfortably have become a thing of the past and I have a feeling walking and breathing will be close behind


• I now know what heart burn is and I believe that the name is an appropriate descriptor


• Everything is always on the "tip of my tongue" which is really my professional excuse for "I can't remember a darn thing."


• Staying awake past 8:30pm is a major feat.


• I am starting to dream about labor and it is not pretty

Of course all of these tell-tale signs are easy to handle given what the outcome will be. Harper now uses the womb as her own personal kick-boxing gym so I am constantly reminded that she is in there and she is growing and she is a strong little bugger already. Here's to the final stretch!

Labor of Love

Harper's room is almost done! We realize it is a little early but we wanted to tackle it before my spring coursework got too heavy. Who knew how much effort could go into the room of an unborn child. Also, who knew that I would suddenly become obsessed with everything pink (literally, it calls to me like a gravitational beacon - it's frightening!). It's funny too because when we weren't going to find out the baby's sex, we also weren't going to do the "nursery thing" i.e. we figured we would put up the necessities and call it a day. And then, I become OBSESSED. Thank goodness for IKEA where we picked up most of the furniture and for my other current obsession Amazon.com. We still have to do some blackout curtains (it's a bright, hot room when the 120 degree season comes to LV) and we want to put Harper's name in wooden blocks over the window (perhaps a precursor to her name in lights?). Poor, poor kid, I already have so many aspirations for her and she is just reaching towards 6 1/2 months in the womb. I have a feeling her current kicking/punching frenzy is Morse code for "Take it Easy Mom!"

There are few pics here and about a zillion others on FB.

Sweets Because She's Sweet?

I am heading into the 25th week of this pregnancy journey and I have to say "the times, they are a changin!" When did I start sporting an extra large bowling ball off the front of my body?? How did I go from "this pregnancy thing ain't so bad" to grunting and moaning like an 80 year old any time I have to turn, bend over, or get in and out-of-something (the worst was sitting down to test a chair in IKEA last weekend and literally not being able to get back out of it of my own accord, I definitely heard some snickers from the other shoppers). Basically, when did all the stuff they warn you about in the pregnancy books (which I was convinced I was immune to) start to happen?
I guess I should have known that it couldn't be smooth sailing all the way through. I also should have known that given that there are over three months left till Harper's arrival, some things had to change but I have to admit, I am little bit SCARED about the pending weeks/months and my ability to keep a sane and positive attitude while growing at an unheard of rate. I suddenly want to put this all into reverse and go back to the days where I worried whether people would ponder whether I was pregnant or had just had too good of a time at the buffet. I definitely look and feel pregnant now!!
To be fair, this next stage isn't all a pity party. Overnight, I have gone from being fairly indifferent about food to having a full blown love affair with anything edible. Overnight, I have gone from little to no interest in sweet foods to visions of "sugar plums dancing in my head." Just yesterday, I had a Colleague send me an IM that there were donuts in her office in the next building over and I practically hurtled my desk and was already standing in front of her panting by the time she finished typing. This newfound love of sweets is actually okay with me. Ever since my Boss (who does a great job helping me to realize that all this pregnancy stuff is normal) shared the story of how he and his Wife spent her final trimester; picture both of them using their respective bellies as pseudo tv trays to hold their glasses of milk which they proceeded to dunk Entenmman's donuts into while watching 5 hour marathons of Law & Order, I have been obsessed with the idea that this too could be me! I have secretly hoped Kevin would put on some sympathy weight and grow a belly right along with me just so we could partake in such a beautiful bonding experience. I would love to be losing donut crumbs into the various new folds my body has produced.
Unfortunately, we long ago turned off our cable/tv access and our nights are more likely to be spent working on our respective laptops but, a girl can certainly dream. In the meantime, I an convinced that my newfound overzealous affinity for sweets simply means that Harper will be full of sugar and very little spice.

Welcome to SappyHood (er, I mean Parenthood)

We saw her again today! And, as would make sense, each time the pictures get a little more clear, the features more defined, and her birth more imminent. I won't lie and say that I am not a sappy person but... I do have some very defined things that I am emotional about i.e. sweet, furry animals in need of a home (okay all animals), really good epic sports movies where the underdog comes out ahead (just bawled my way through The Fighter), and big stuff like the fact that war and anger and senseless killing exist. For the most part I can keep myself in check when it comes to the little moments. How then do I explain lying in a doctor's office, staring at a computer screen with involuntary tears streaming down the side of my face in plain view of the OB tech. Is this what happens? Is this what parenthood is all about? Am I really supposed to be this in awe of a muddled picture of a 1 pound, 4 ounce little angel. Are her little bones and her not-so-little button nose really the most perfect features I have ever seen in my entire life or is this just because I am her Mother? Is this what it is going to be like, is my heart going to ache and my eyes swell just looking at her? Is this the beginnings of that almost painful sense of wanting to protect her and give her the best life and will this feeling persist until my dying days? A quick conferral with my dear Husband and Daddy-to-be and his statement that he was "mesmorized by the images" and I think that yes, this is it, this is Parenthood.

So Much Going On, So Little Blogging

I knew it! I knew I would end up being the world's most inconsistent blogger. But, when you've got so many firsts going on, it can be pretty tough to keep up with it all. In the last few months, Kevin, I, and the Gummy Bear have been on both coasts (literally both oceans), 4 countries, a cruise ship, in our car for 2500 miles oh and we got engaged, married, and found out the gender of our little one-to-be.

Let's focus on the gender since this site is all about the journey towards parenthood. I know it's annoying when people say that they don't care which gender of child they have and I realize it's usually false but I truly believe that is how both Kevin and I felt going into the ultrasound. That said, I was pretty convinced that I was packing a big ole boy around simply because I did not think God was going to grant me ownership of a sweet, precious, gentle little girl. I thought I had been pre-tagged for a rough and rugged little man. But, lo and behold our little one flashed us with a big empty space between her two little legs and I looked at Kevin's face and the love affair with Harper Ann Humphreys began! We are over the moon (ha, to use a very old school expression) and have since starting going nuts on ideas for the nursery (yes, there will be pink in there) as well as plans for keeping her from dating until she is 25 and what a huge success she will be at everything. We spent two days going through and categorizing the over 350 outfits given to us by dear friends (thankfully they had a girl too!) and are now talking cribs. It's all very exciting and I am glad we did not hold out on finding out what gender we would be blessed with (what was I thinking). Next week we will have another ultrasound with a better idea of when Harper Ann will be gracing us with her presence. In the meantime, I am experiencing firsts in the way of first kicks, hiccups, and majorly sleepless nights courtesy of her highness.

It is all wonderful!