pics of the week

In the age of digital cameras and everyone and their grandmomma thinking they are ace photographers, it is easy to overload on pictures. I admit that I take a lot of pictures, but at least I try to edit and weed out some of the less desirable. I thought it might be nifty to start posting "pics of the week" of Harper every Friday, perhaps? I will post pics this afternoon to get us caught up thru her second week. Stay tuned!

Wednesday afternoon...

Here are pictures thru the beginning of this week. Sorry for the delay - I was waiting on additional pics to add in that I have yet to receive.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=feae1id.a504p9c5&x=0&y=-f8as1s&localeid=en_US

two, dos, zwei...

Harper is two-weeks old today. How can that be? The past fourteen days with this munchkin have been tiring, fun, tiring, delightful, tiring, awe-inspiring, tiring... you get the picture. Jeff and I love her to pieces, and we sometimes have to pinch ourselves to believe that this love bug is all ours! (Oh, and Wrigley's...I am convinced Wrigley thinks Harper is her baby, too.)

Turning two-weeks old also earned Harper a trip to the pediatrician. Everything checked out great - Harper was given rave reviews by all. Her latest stats are as follows:
7 pounds, 2 ounces (25%)
21 inches long (75%)
In other words, we have a long, slender baby. I have no idea where she got that build...certainly not from her parents! We were repeatedly told that Harper is a very cute and happy baby, so it was nice to have our own thoughts reaffirmed! She passed with flying colors today - good weight, good coloring, no jaundice, etc. Hopefully, this is just the first of many tests she will ace in life!

Following that appointment, our pediatrician sent us to the lab at Providence to have a second PKU test done. The first PKU was done at Hillcrest before we checked out. The test involves pricking the heel of the baby and placing droplets of blood onto a piece of card stock. The test screens for whether a newborn baby has the enzyme needed to use phenylalanine in his or her body. (Phenylalanine is an amino acid that is needed for normal growth and development.) Harper didn't mind the foot prick so much as she protested having her foot restrained for a couple of minutes. She is a feisty little thing! (And unlike her long and slender figure, I do know the source of that personality trait!)

We won't go back to the doctor until Harper is two-months old. She will be ecstatic when she hears the news!
Harper has no idea she is about to be assaulted in the foot! Poor, sweet thing!

blog revamping...

I keep finding myself in situations that I feel are worthy of blogging, but I simply don't have the memory to store them until I can blog nor all the time I need to get blogging. I'm going to have to try to go for more frequent, yet shorter, entries or I will lose these great tidbits of my adventures.

I should be sleeping right now, but I couldn't resist sorting and editing the photos I pulled off my sweet new (borrowed, unfortunately) camera today. Harper had a mini photo shoot after her sponge bath this morning, and I got some adorable shots.

Let me back up about 40 minutes before Harper's photo session. I was in the office/guest room feeding Harper. I could hear Wrigley down the hallway, and I thought it was strange that she hadn't saddled up to my side as I attended to Harper. I heard her give a sharp bark and a low "I will kill you, whatever you are" growl over and over again, and she would not respond to my calls and whistles. It was driving me crazy as I was immobilized and could not see what had caught her attention. Finally, Harper finished eating and we moved on to her bath. My mind was preoccupied, so I only half noticed that Wrigley was still in bark/growl mode and still nowhere to be seen. As I wrapped up snapping shots of Harper, I did finally catch sight of Wrigley out of the corner of my eye. I poked my head into the hallway to see what the commotion was all about.

Turns out Wrigley had it in for Harper's whale tub. I literally had to pick her up and place her inside of it for her to realize it was plastic, and not in fact, made of blubber. I love this pic of her staring down the whale in the eye...just in case!

field trips

Let me just say that Harper Peel is an absolute doll! My opinion is biased, but she has been the most easy-going baby imaginable. She is a good sleeper, a good eater (big surprise - I also LOVE to eat!), a good shopping partner, etc.

We've had a ton o' fun together over the last week, and the list of "firsts" has lengthened. Breyer and I took Harper on her first Target shopping trip yesterday. Jeff was skeptical at the thought of taking her to the store filled with a plethora of germ-laden shoppers, but I assured him that she would be covered in her car seat and would survive the experience unscathed. Besides, the Target shopping "bug" is one she will inevitably catch--it's genetic! Harper slept through the shopping trip, which is probably a good thing because that kid is broke! She gots no mah-nies, but she does have a really cute, empty piggy bank. Hehe... :)

Jeff took her on his own solo field trip today. He stopped home before lunch and asked if he could take Harper somewhere. "Umm, where?" I asked. He needed to pick up a sponsorship form at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and wanted to bring her along to introduce her to some of the guys there. (He is on a couple of committees for the TSHOF, so it was not as random of a request as it sounds.) I would be surprised if he didn't show Harper some Longhorn paraphenalia while they were there...

Harper and I went on another shopping trip again today, too. It was just the two of us off to the Richland Mall. A mecca of shopping - by no means - but we needed to stop by Baby GAP and Dillards. We have a few other preggo friends, and we were on the search for cute gifts. I was hoping Harper would offer suggestions on color choices, but she decided to press the snooze button through the entire escapade. The love of shopping might have to be transferred to Harper by osmosis at this rate!

She has taken a couple other car trips, as well. We went to the pediatrician last Thursday and stopped by Jeff's office on Friday. She seems to really enjoy the car rides - trying to get her prepped up for a trip to Austin one of these days!

The pedi appointment went well (pediatrician, not pedicure!). Harper checked out in great condition. When we left the hospital on the 16th she weighed 6 lbs, 2 oz, but by Thursday she was back up to 6 lbs, 10 oz. She is definitely on track to regain her birth weight in the standard two week time frame. We will go back for a routine appointment on the 29th.

It is hard to believe she will already be two weeks old on Monday! She'll be driving in no time! I would say "dating," but Jeff has imposed a minimum age of 25 before she is allowed to talk to boys. Funny, because my dad said I wasn't allowed to date until I reached 30, yet he gave his blessing for Jeff to propose when I was 25. Harper - there is hope for you yet!

I will blog later about some of the other neat "firsts" for Harper. I have to make the most of every minute in between her feedings, and I've only got another hour or so left before she rouses again!

What you've all been waiting for...

...pictures are finally ready for viewing. :) Sorry it took so long, but I am still learning how to get a million things done in between feedings and visits from family and friends.

You can view pictures from the last week in this Shutterfly album. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbtWbRm1auGLyY

I know Uncle Kevin has some great shots, too, but I don't have those in my possession yet. Here is a sample to whet your curiosity....

cruel and unusual punishment...

I apologize for the cruel and unusual punishment bestowed upon the faithful readers of this blog. If it makes you feel any better, it has been driving me crazy all week to not update my friends and family with this wonderful experience that is Harper Elle Peel. I just hadn't found a second to take a breath, let alone blog or gather pictures until now.

So let's go back to Monday, September 15, 2008.
Jeff and I arrived at Hillcrest at 5:30 a.m. I was quickly settled into my labor and delivery room just in time to answer a thousand and one questions. Time was passing quickly even at that point. Dr. Koeritz arrived shortly after 8 a.m. and the pitocin drip was turned on. By 9, I was signed up for my epidural! Those epidurals are just wonderful - why anyone wouldn't want one is beyond me! Dr. K checked on me at 11:30 and dilation was at a 4. He returned after lunch at 1 p.m. and dilation had zoomed to 9.5 cm. (I think somewhere in there the pitocin "drip" turned into a turbo faucet!) Our awesome nurse, Amy, called it a 10 a few minutes later, and we were ready to get the show on the road. I can't even describe how quickly everything progressed from there... I pushed a few times with the help of Jeff and Amy, then Dr. Koeritz returned and I pushed a few times for him, and then Harper made her grand entrance! I am still struggling to explain how something seemingly so uneventful is also the single most defining event of my life.

Harper weighed 6 pounds, 14 oz, and measured 20.5 inches long. She has blonde hair and blue eyes (for now, at least). Her fingers and toes are soooo long, and her feet remind me of those of a puppy.... I'm just hoping she grows into them! She is just a sweet, happy and healthy baby girl. She makes the absolute greatest faces, well, except for that one grumpy old man wrinkled face. :) I realize she doesn't know what a smile is or what it conveys, but her smile will melt anyone!

We came home on Tuesday evening, and it was nice to get back here. Harper seems to like her new house, and we enjoy having her here with us. Wrigley is intrigued by our new roommate. She already has a sweet spot for Harper. I caught her guarding Harper's bedroom door while Harper napped yesterday... she alerted me when she heard a knock at the door, but she refused to leave her post!

I am getting drowsy, so I will call it quits on that note. I will continue my report WITH pictures in the morning, I promise. Guten nacht!

Sunday, fun day?

It is Sunday morning...less than 24 hours to go until the induction process is scheduled to begin. I have been awake for two hours, and I could not possibly count the number of times I have already looked at the clock today. Can we say impatient? :)

I wanted to take a picture this morning to mark the end of this pregnancy. 39 weeks and 5 days later, and this is what we've got!

fire in the hole!

Breyer and I were talking yesterday about the alleged tricks one can use to encourage a baby to evacuate the uterus. "They" say eating spicy foods is one possibility. Well, I eat the spiciest of the spiciest foods possible on a daily basis, and Harper has managed to survive in there for over 39 weeks without protest. Breyer suggested that maybe, just maybe, Harper refuses to budge because she is thinking of her diet for the next year upon exiting...bland milk, pureed veggies without any seasonings, cereal, etc. Maybe she is enjoying the spicy selections a little too much!

So, I could try toning things down these next couple of days. Try to bore her taste buds in hopes that she will come out reaching for a bottle of sambal olek or siracha sauce! Nah, I don't think I can do it. I think I will have dinner at Bangkok Royal tonight and order the "crazy salmon." Now, they don't call it crazy for nothin.' It can be H-O-T hot!

Harper - the gloves are on, baby! Fire in the hole!

are we there yet??

This morning's appointment was our last one at Dr. Koeritz's office. It has been kind of fun to meet Jeff there every four weeks, two weeks and then weekly. We usually scheduled the appointment right before lunch, so we could hang out and grab a bite afterwards. Usually our discussions included talk of what in the heck we have gotten ourselves into...a mix of feelings ranging from excitement to nervousness, back to excitement, and then to "this is the best ever jalapeno cheeseburger." (Ok, off topic on that last bit, but I couldn't help but recall how fantastic of a burger I had for lunch today! Go to Britt's Burger Barn in Waco immediately and I promise you won't regret it!)

We are now at week 39 and counting down until Monday, September 15th, otherwise known as D-Day. We received our marching orders from Dr. K. Report to Hillcrest by 5:30 a.m. on Monday (Jeff, that includes you, pal!) to check in and prepare for the induction. Dr. K will arrive around 8 a.m., and we'll get the ball rolling! There is no telling when Harper will make her grand debut, but I hope she will come easily and without excess coercion. We'll just have to wait and see! I know some people would feel gypped at not going through the labor experience completely naturally, but I am not one of them. The planning and scheduling suit my personality just fine! However, I would be 100% happy if Harper decides to come at any time between now and Monday!

I asked Dr. K to estimate Harper's size today. He thinks she might be in the range of 7.5-7.75 lbs. I hear those estimations are never accurate (hence, the estimation aspect of it all), but it was nice to hear that he didn't think she would be a nine-pounder. Speaking of weight, mine went down a pound (19). I don't really get how that works, but it hasn't caused any concern with my doctor and Harper appears to continue growing regardless. The fundus height has held steady at 36 weeks, well, since 36 weeks. Dilation is not quite at 2cm. These details are interesting to some, while utterly boring and irrelevant to others... my opinion is this: I am ready to not be pregnant any longer. Number me this, riddle me that - let's just get on with the show!

And I repeat: ARE WE THERE YET?? :)

the heat is on...

I decided to throw off the pattern this morning and take my weekly pregnancy progression pic facing the opposite direction. Crazy, I know. ;) I thought it was time to shake things up a bit -- I'm getting antsy! (Kinda like in Super Troopers..."those boys get that syrup in 'em, they get all antsy in their pant-sies!") So, here it is in all the 39 weeks of glory...

I threw in a little modern art just for the heck of it today, too. I'm just glad I can still see feet!

Completely unrelated, but hilarious to me at least... Wrigley scored a new Halloween costume today from Target. I think she might need a smaller size. The head wouldn't quite stay put. As "Pig" has almost replaced her given name, it was only fitting that she dress the part. :)

Well, I hope to have some news to report tomorrow following our appointment with Dr. K. Continuing the count down...

can you hear me now?

Ha, well, maybe.... Uncle Kevin gave us quite possibly the best baby gift ever: two pairs of ear plugs! He also included the advice that we should not both wear our plugs at the same time. Apparently, one of us should be able to hear Harper cry at any given time, while the other person gets a break from all sounds in general! Thanks, KP!

The Peel family at the Pinnacle office shower...

And Kevin's other gift. I think I will leave this one to Jeff!

(Wow - check out the side view! Hehe...)

still truckin'...

Labor Day weekend came and went, and Harper is still safely tucked in the wooooomb. Though I am all for her arriving early, I am very happy that she did not make a move during the Peel family trip to Abilene. Jeff seemed to have had an absolute blast during the trip, and his reports definitely have me looking forward to joining him next year. Apparently, Abilene really knows how to celebrate Labor Day right!

We saw Dr. Koeritz again this afternoon. I really like being able to see our doctor every week - it is nice to have such frequent updates! Today, at 38 weeks, my weight and BP remained the same, as did the fundus height measurement (36 cm). Surprisingly (to me), I hadn't dilated much more than last week. A little more than one, but not enough to call it 2. However, I did receive some news that was music to my ears. Dr. K scheduled an induction for the morning of Monday, September 15th - that is if Harper doesn't decide to show up on her own beforehand. So, at the very most, we will meet Miss Harper Elle Peel in 13 days!! I can't hardly believe it... The 15th also happens to be my mother's birthday, which should please her to no end. I am still trying to convince Harper to get on with things and get this party started. When is it considered too early to start bribing your children?? :)

We'll be back to see Dr. K next Tuesday morning for another update. He'll tell us more about the induction process and everything we'll have in store on the 15th. Exciting!! Car seat is installed and the hospital bags are packed...now we just need to work on getting Jeff ready! You'll love his delivery outift...UT scrubs, no diggity, no doubt!