Monthly Stats: All 3 in January

J (4 1/2)

42 lbs

Favorite song: "Once There Was A Snowman" (and he melts the smallest of all!)

Favorite food: Hot chocolate, apples, & quesadilla

Favorite clothes: pajamas (all day long!)

Favorite activities: Jumping, building, drawing, spelling with alphabet cookies, & reading new words!

J continues to be our ball of fire! He has so much energy and spunk, he brightens the room when he walks in. He wakes me up every day around 7:45am and keeps things hoppin'! He is an amazing helper around the house, with his siblings, and for his Daddy when he is working on projects.

He is in CTR 4 now in Primary and a great asset to his class. He helps set the table, leads us in song for FHE, and finds ways to make others happy. He is learning so many things and strengthening his creative talents every day. His drawings, ideas, stories, and pretend-play just blow me away with the attention to detail and awesome specifics. He recently said he is practicing what he will do and say when he is in the circus someday. He is a character and we are so proud of him!

Jackson Scott Harper           January 2013

N ( 2 1/2)

30 lbs

Favorite song: "I love to see the temple"

Favorite food: oatmeal, all things peanut butter, & mangoes

Favorite clothes: firetruck pajamas or firetruck shirt

Favorite activities: following his big brother around, finding ways to make messes experiment, hopping, singing, & working with his tools

N knows how to charm. He wakes up around 8:30 and smiles at every turn. He helps his brother build (and tear down), toss, construct, and is willing to be told what to do by him (half of the time). He is building his sense of self and is taking charge more in their free play time and pretending games. He loves to wrestle with J (a new discovery) and they will laugh and jump on each other until someone starts crying.

N is so sweet with his baby sister--he is gentle with her, brings her snacks/water, and gives her little kisses on her head. He also is sure to let her know when she has something of his--with a quick "no!" His vocabulary continues to expand every day--it is awesome to hear him express himself with new confidence and pronunciation. If the house is quiet, I can be sure that N is somewhere playing in water, munching on a snack, or getting into a drawer he is not supposed to! He is our explorer and we are so proud of him!

Nathanael Spencer Harper           January 2013

Miss N (13 months)

19.9 lbs

Favorite song: whatever is being sung/played on Pandora

Favorite food: avocados, tortillas, graham crackers, & peaches (and still...Mama's milk!)

Favorite clothes: anything with plenty of wiggle room (socks, headbands, shoes optional)

Favorite activity: riding in the car, following her big brothers, cuddling with Mama, playing peek-a-boo, chewing on anything/everything

Miss N is loved by everyone. She gets attention from the moment she wakes up (around 9:30) and throughout the day. She squeals when she wants something she doesn't have but is great about finding replacements (also still thumb sucking). She is fascinated by the whirl of motion and sounds around her every day.

She is showing more independence as she pulls off her adorable headbands, hats, pig tails, flowers, socks, & shoes. She will laugh at almost anything J says or does. She can crawl at the speed of lightening (if you can't find her...look in Mom's bathroom, she will likely be opening drawers and pulling out headbands & such), jumps with excitement, and walks around all of the furniture. She stands when she wants to but is not convinced that walking is in her future. We know, of course...she'll be chasing those boys in no time! She is our baby girl and we are so proud of her!

Noelle Lucia  Harper               January 2013

I have had so much fun with these three during this first month of 2013. We have spent the majority of days at home together (sometimes due to the weather, sometimes due to sickness) and I have been making extra efforts to be a more present parent. As I have given them more of my undivided attention , I have felt my heart filled with love for them, with an intensity stronger than I have felt before and I love it. My days are busy, messy, and exhausting. But these darlings make it all worth it.

Monthly Line up: J, N, & N