Contest Time!

Every morning, I drive past a billboard that tells me how high the Powerball lottery jackpot is and every morning, I dream about how I would spend the money that I just know I am going to win someday. Never mind the fact that I probably only buy two lottery tickets a year. I am going to win the big one some day. And when I do, I know how I'm going to spend every penny of it. Here are a few of my purchases. 

• In the practical category, I would put a big hunk of the money in a trust fund for Harper.
  
• In the gift category, I would take my family and friends on a cruise.
• In the splurge on myself category, I would buy a black thunderbird with custom red leather interior. 

Here's where the contest part comes in. I want to know how you would spend the money if you won the lottery. Leave a comment and tell me. I will randomly pick one lucky comment leaver to receive a jackpot of their own - a Starbucks gift card (if you don't like Starbucks, we can work something out). The contest will end on Saturday at 8pm central time. So, get your comment in by then. Yeah a contest! I'm excited already!

The Vaccine Book

Lately, I've had several people ask me what we are doing about Harper's childhood vaccinations. With all of the headlines warning about potential links between vaccines and diseases like autism and arthritis, it's no wonder that people have questions. And really, I don't have any good answers. But, I can suggest a good resource. The Vaccine Book is a fantastic source of information regarding all of the recommended childhood vaccinations. It's written in plain English, not scientific jargon and it covers everything from basic information about each specific disease to the individual ingredients in each vaccine. The book also includes an alternate schedule of when your child can receive each vaccine. We have chosen to follow this alternate schedule instead of the one the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends. Basically, Harper will get every shot that the AAP recommends, but they will be spaced out over more visits so less shots are given at a time. The main reason that we have decided to follow this alternate schedule is that it makes sense to me that giving less shots at a time will allow a baby's developing immune system to more efficiently recognize and process each vaccine. I don't have any data for that assumption. It just seems to me that it is not a good idea to overwhelm a little baby's developing immune system with too many shots at once. That being said, I am a firm believer that parents have to do what they think is best for their child and their family. And as a scientist, I don't know that there is enough evidence either way to say that one schedule is better than another. The bottom line is that you have to do what you think is best. And wether you decide to stick with the regular schedule or go with the alternate schedule, The Vaccine Book is worth getting. 

Monday Morning Laugh

I was going to post something else this morning. Then I saw this video and almost did a spit take all over my computer. 

New Tricks

Harper has been working on a couple new tricks as of late. Here are two of her favorites. I'll apologize for the annoying quality of my voice upfront. 

The latter may be a result of the ridiculous amount of bananas that have been consumed in our house in the last two weeks. 

Chuck Norris Rules

I love Chuck Norris facts. 

• Chuck Norris doesn't sleep. He waits.
  
• Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. 
  
• If you have $5 and Chuck Norris has $5, Chuck Norris has more money than you. 
  
• Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table because he only recognizes the element of surprise. 
  
• Chuck Norris counted to infinity, twice. 
  
• Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants. 

And my personal favorite...

• Chuck Norris rhymes with orange. 

What's your favorite Chuck Norris fact?

Party Like A Rock Star - Part 3

Hillary Clinton was right. It does take a village to throw a child's birthday party. This truly was a group effort. We are so thankful for all of our friends who helped make Harper's first birthday special. Here are some pictures taken by our other official family photographer, Steve. 

Steve hand made Harper a guitar shaped cookie cutter! Can you believe it? So awesome!

Emily, Steve's wife, put it to good use. She was also responsible for most of the other great food that day. 

Check out Harper's tattoo. A pink skull and crossbones - very tough!

Two of Harper's friends, Joseph and Ben, recently started a band called the Hurricanes. Their first official gig was at the party. They actually composed an original song for her and performed it!

Half way through the song, Ben got a little bored! Being a rock star is tough.

Here's the birthday cake.

She didn't quite know what to make of everyone singing Happy Birthday to her. Check out the leg warmers!

Present time!

Harper loves her "Pretty Learning Purse"! Not exactly something I would have picked out (haha), but she adores it. Thanks Aunti Em!

Yeah books - our favorite!

Thanks again to everyone. You all went way overboard on the presents as well as helping me put this party together. We are so happy that you shared this special day with us. And, we are even more happy that Harper is growing up in such a loving an nurturing environment. You guys rock!

Mixed Feelings

Yesterday, Harper started daycare. All things considered, her first day went pretty well. I stayed with her for about 45 mins in the morning and helped her get settled in. She liked exploring her new environment and was excited to see the other little kids. When I left, she cried. So did I. The rest of her day went better - she ate, played, napped. This morning was day 2. She was more cautious today when we went into her room. She held onto my pant leg while I hung up her coat and put her food away. I only stayed for about 15 mins. When I left, she cried. So did I. 

I know that this whole daycare thing is just going to take a little time to get used to. I know that Harper is in a good place with people who will take good care of her. I know that she has friends who care about her and check up on her throughout the day. I know that once she gets over this first hurdle, she is going to love it and thrive on all of the new interactions and experiences. I know, I know, I know. But I'm still her mom and it still hurts my heart to see that she is unhappy - even if it is only momentary.