Getting to know Harper

(Harper is about 3 weeks old in all of these pictures)

Funny thing about our second child: she makes us feel like clueless, first-time parents sometimes! Seriously, Harper is SUCH a different baby than Gabriella was. Having a second child, in general, makes you realize just how easy it was to only have one. After that initial adjustment, and once you realize they aren't quite as fragile as you feared, your sole focus is devoted to that baby. Not quite as easy to come running when you also have a 20 month old hanging on you!

Harper has the most hilarious temperament! We joke that she is THE happiest baby when she's happy, but THE maddest baby when she's mad! There's some nursery rhyme to that affect, but I can't remember it...
Harper started smiling all the time when she was barely five weeks old. She isn't laughing out loud quite yet, but she's close:) When she smiles, her entire face smiles! It's the cutest, most heart-warming thing!

When she's mad, though, watch out! She absolutely melts down when her diaper is the least bit wet, as soon as it's wet. She doesn't have much patience. When she's ready to eat, you (me, actually) better be ready quick. I have made the mistake of trying to preoccupy her for a few minutes until I can get things in order. By that point, she usually is so mad, she won't nurse at all. She basically just goes on strike! It's hilarious (and frustrating!) that a baby can have such a will at such a young age. Stephen says that Harper determined how many children we will end up having. We've talked about three or four. Now, we know it's four because we just can not have Harper as our middle child;)

There are lots of other, small differences between the girls. Ella LOVED (still does...) a pacifier. Harper isn't interested. She'd much rather suck her thumb. I don't think Ella even knew she had a thumb until she was months old! Ella was a comfort nurser. She'd get so relaxed and cuddly every time she ate and always dosed off. Harper gets crazy and fights me the whole time. Like I said from day 1: she's just feisty. I wouldn't have it any other way, though. I love that Harper is already keeping us guessing. She keeps us on our toes. I can't wait to see how our family dynamic continues to change as she gets older.




The next few pictures are of Harper's first actual tub bath. She didn't get to do that until she was more than 5 weeks old. She had an umbilical granuloma so we had to wait a lot longer for it to heal. She still isn't real keen on bath time. (another difference between the girls!)



Just look at that belly!