Winter in SoCal

As we anxiously awaited the arrival of the new baby, we filled our days with lots of activities.  

Harper can be super girly one minute and super rugged the next.  This was a girly moment of nail painting.   

We visited the Santa Ana Zoo several times this winter.  It was the perfect size for a 2-year-old with a cool playground, a choo-choo, and a carousel.  Harper loved our visits an I loved the naps that followed.

Harper also reached the age (2+) where the aquarium is finally interesting.  She squealed with excitement at every new display.

We attended story-time at our library and the one in Seal Beach.  She has more friends in Seal Beach so that is the one we frequent.

This is one of the many cool shadow paintings all over Belmont Shores (our neighborhood).

Mother's Beach park is way cool and provides hours of fun.  Harper has become quite the climber there.

One Saturday morning we decided to drive to Venice Beach and bike to Santa Monica along the beach.  We played at the Santa Monica Pier and went for Harper's first ride on a ferris wheel.  She tripped and fell as we were walking back to our bikes and still recalls this every time we see a ferris wheel.  (Remember, I'm writing this, like 5 months late, so the fact that she still recalls it is hysterical to us.)

Grammy came for a visit to help out while Patrick traveled to London for business.  We visited the Santa Ana zoo, went to ballet and played at several parks.  We wore poor Grammy out.  But we think she had fun!

It actually got cold enough for Harper and daddy to wear hats and gloves on their morning run.  Harper loves "running" with daddy and requests it during the day by saying, "Daddy home go running.  Go beach park.  Cookies."  Daddy does bribe her with cookies and dark chocolate salted almonds.  ()H's hat was mine when I was a little girl.

Harper's art wall before chalkboard paint...

Harper's art wall after chalkboard paint.

Ready for ballet.  Thursday's are our favorite days.  Harper loves ballet class and playing at the park afterwards.  I love the mom's in the class and laughs we share while the kids play.

Harper got a big girl bed so we could use the crib for the new baby.  We moved her in well before the baby arrived so it felt like an exciting new step that had nothing to do with the baby.  It worked, she loves her bed and going through the drawers below it.  :)

Harper loves to make popcorn with daddy.  She also likes to eat it like daddy...can you say crumbs?!

Harper painting one of her masterpieces.  She requests "my paint" most days as we're lying down for a nap.

Daddy and Harper having a "party" in the living room.

We have made some great friends down here in Southern California, but we feel especially lucky to have met and connected with Angela & Jason Gregory and their 2 girls.  The 3 girls love each other and Patrick & I love the whole family.  We often get together for dinner and on this night, the girls were bathing together so we could put them to bed and play cards.  Hysterical fun was had by all the entire night.

Harper in a very rare state...sick and watching TV for more than 10 minutes.

We also ventured to the L.A. Zoo.  It was large and hilly, but once again, the carousel was a big hit with Harper.

Harper "doing work"sending an email to "Leah and Grace".

Still not pedaling but Harper loves walking her tricycle on our sidewalk.

Hee's H having a "party" outside on our front lawn.

December fun, the Holidays & Happy Birthdays!

December and the months that have followed have been busy here in SoCal (hence the delay in my posts? :) )  It never really felt much like the holidays were coming, as it was still the same ol' fabulous weather here, so they snuck up on us.  We decided to do our first Holiday card featuring the Queen herself, Harper G.  We chose Huntington Beach, with it's surfers and beautiful surf as our back drop.  H cooperated for the most part and we got some great shots of her.  

Before we traveled east (& south) to visit our families in Texas, we made sure to celebrate with our friends here.  We made and decorated sugar cookies with Landon and Ansley Fitzgerald (some fellow Texas friends that have landed themselves in SoCal also).  The sugar overload was so much fun (until that night of restless sleep).  

Harper enjoying the sunshine at our favorite beach-side park.

Harper and I cooking together.  Our new favorite thing to do where H's proclaims, "Watch!" whenever I start cooking.

One of Harper's other favorite things to do paint and we finally got a picture of it.  This finger painting adventure ended in a body painted Harper that Patrick and I loved watching (all the while giggling with Harper).

We tried to have some of Harper's gifts shipped before the holidays to avoid traveling with too much.  Here she is opening some Weeble-Wobble fun from Nene and Papa over Skype.

Once we arrived in Texas for our short 6 day holiday visit, we tried to see everyone we could possibly fit in.  We started with a dinner with my dad, step-mom Pat, Uncle John, Aunt Monica, and Aunt Andrea.  Harper took to Uncle John and Aunt Andrea immediately.  It was so nice to see her feel so comfortable with family.  Here are some of our adventures in the Lone Star state.                          

We stayed with Nene & Papa and had lots of time to play.  The basket of balls you see here was by far H's favorite!

Christmas morning was so much fun this year.  Harper was so excited to open gifts and truly enjoyed playing with it all.  

Doing one of her ballet moves for the camera.

Harper and her cousin, Hunter.

She still loves this pink vest!

We also got to celebrate Harper's 2nd birthday with all her grandparents.  

Harper loves pretending to be girlie; i.e. doing hair, putting on make-up, primping in general.  But she refuses to let us do her hair or put a stinkin' bow in it.  Of course.  Here she is helping her Aunt Andrea do her hair.  She loved watching Andrea and followed her around the house the whole time.

Harper and Grammy on Main St. in Grapevine for their Christmas celebration.

My old friend Crystal from high school and I got to see each other for the first time since we both became mommies.  It was so much fun to catch up and watch the kiddos play.

We also got a chance to see my dear friends from NY Bonnee and Charlotte.  Bonnee is scheduled to have her baby boy just 2 short weeks before I deliver Baby Wille #2.

Once we arrived home, we celebrated Harper's birthday on the actual day by filling her room with balloons and streamers so she could awake to her own special celebration.  She was stunned and squealing with joy when we found her on the morning of Dec. 29.  Happy 2nd birthday, sweet girl.

We tried to go somewhere special for her birthday but all she wanted was to go to the park.  Ahh, to be 2 again.

Our good friends Angela& Jason and their 2 daughters, Grace and Leah brought Harper a  yummy cupcake to celebrate her big day.  We heart our SoCal friends!

Harper spent most of the day playing with both me and Daddy and pretendingt o go to work with her new birthday backpack (courtesy of Grammy).