G-Daddy's Surgery

Everyone please send positive thoughts and say a prayer that my father's upcoming surgery will go smoothly and successfully with a very quick recovery and that he will be relieved of his miserable symptoms. He previously had surgery in August and it was unsuccessful so we are hoping the Houston doctors are able to achieve what the Lubbock doctors could not. The surgery scheduled for Wednesday, will be to correct Zenker's diverticulum. I had never heard of it either so here is a link if you are interested in the details http://www.mayoclinic.org/swallowing-problems/zenkerdiverticulum.html

Dad has been through many difficult surgeries over the years and I hope that he will breeze through this bump in the road.

We love you G-Daddy! Just a few pics to keep your spirits high!
More news after Wednesday.

Daddy's Hunting

I have been a hunting widow for many many years now. In our early days of dating and marriage, I often accompanied Chris on his hunting trips as I had with my father for many years. I truly love being out in the wilderness and enjoy getting away from schedules and traffic. But over the last few years, with graduate school, pregnancy and a baby, I have chosen to stay home where it is warm and I only have to get up at the crack of dawn for a toddler instead of a deer.

So, weekends in November and December, Chris is often off to the deer lease and it will probably be at least 2 more years until Miss A and I join to the fun. She will not be going with him as he does not have a luxurious cabin for which she can stay and well... she can only whisper in the deer blind for about 1 minute before bursting out into song or dance. The whole staying quiet aspect just escapes her. But, when the time comes, I know she will be ready as you can see in the picture!

Nicole and the no good horrible very bad day~

So the one afternoon that I actually get off early and schedule a fun playdate for Miss A... I get in a wreck. Yes, we are fine. We are totally ok but I will tell you that there is nothing like rear ending a car and praying that your baby is alright. If it was just me... no big deal but I was terrified that Ash was hurt - which she was not just a little scared. I love Britax car seats!

Austin weekend traffic is terrible and it starts on Thursday afternoon and doesn't end until well~ it never ends. So at 3pm on a Friday ~ I should have just stayed in my little town of Dripping. But no, I branched out to meet Cortney and Kate and Mopac (Loop 1) did us in. We ran into the back of a silver minivan and thank GOD, everyone was ok.

Eight years ago this month, I had my roll-over wreck on I-35 in the rain and I think about it all the time now that I work on a daily basis with individuals that have had a brain injury. 85% of our residents at CORE are victims of a motor vehicle accident. Thank you lord today that Ashton and I were not harmed and the 2 women in the car I hit were ok. I love my sweet baby so much and it truly scared me to death! It wasn't a bad enough wreck that my life flashed before me but because of the work I do, I see catastrophic injuries on a daily basis and I don't take my health lightly. Cancer, Child Abuse, Kidney Disease and now Brain Injuries ~ I haven't exactly ever had a light hearted career.

I also want to thank Cortney so very much for coming to get Ashton and calming me as my second biggest fear is to be hit on the side of the road when pulled over on the shoulder. Miss A was sooo happy to see Kate and they greatly enjoyed talking to the motorcycle cops and watching the flashing lights.

Sooo much for Christmas presents for anyone, I will be paying for car repairs ~ ugh.

Everyone please drive safe this holiday season and otherwise ~ its a jungle out there!

Christmas in November

Hey Thanksgiving is great and all but I am ready for Christmas because Ashton makes it so much fun! So... the blog has now been updated for Christmas. The colors are red and green and black because they didnt have a Texas Tech background but I am feeling very spirited for the game this weekend and the holiday season!

Happy Holidays from the Harmons!

(gotta love the alliteration)

Food & Sleep

As most of you know, Ashton is a horrible sleeper, always has been not matter what I try and I complain about it all the time but have mostly resigned myself to the world of the sleep deprived.

After Ash threw up on Monday night (from the stomach bug), I haven't let her have milk the last 2 days - she slept through the night for the last 2 nights for the 1st time in a very very long time. Previously she drinks a ton of milk right before bed and sometimes still in the middle of the night because she begs for it.

I am starting to be convinced that Ashton's sleep problems are related to a milk or other food allergy that doesn't affect her during the day but does at night. She had to be on the Nutramigen expensive formula due to colic but appeared to "grow out of it" and switched to whole milk just fine but now I am not so sure.

Here are a few articles I was reading:

http://www.bellybelly.com.au/articles/baby/child-diet-awake

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factsleep.htm

AHHHH! this is so frustrating that I have been to 4 pediatricians and this last one is the 1st one that even mentioned possible Milk protein allergy when I begged and begged for a sleep study. All the others said nothing more than "she will grow out of it" regarding her night waking and night terrors

Any thoughts are appreciated if you have been down this road!

2 1/2 year old pics

Where did my baby go? She looks soooo grown up! I can't believe that she is 2 1/2.

She amazes me daily. Every night when we read to go to sleep she has certain books memorized and I will start reading the 1st two sentences on the page and she will recite the last 2 sentences on the page.
Her current favorites:
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Little Critter's Just Go to Bed
Curious George at the Train Station
Sesame Street Search for Big Bird
Big Bird's New Puppy
Clifford's Puppy Days
Count on Clifford
Hippos Go Berserk
Little Monster's House
Little Drummer Boy
The Christmas Story
Dick & Jane
among many many others

Right now she is very obsessed with telling me that Halloween is over and that we can't trick or treat anymore because it is time for Christmas ( we just decorated for Christmas - pics to come) and she is learning all the important Christmas songs and sings them to her baby dolls. It is so fun to watch her brain in motion!

I love you my little 30 month old creative queen!

Baby Tylee

Such a beautiful little girl

Sharing her GG

Helping to feed Tylee

"Ooh momma she's sooo sweet"

"Franma" Francine with her 3rd grandbaby!

"Daddy look at herrrrr"

Miss A met her newest cousin Tylee last weekend. She was only 4 days old and Little A thought she was fabulous. She sat and watched her sleep and every time she moved or blinked Ash would look at all of us and say "Awww she's so cute". She helped feed her a bottle and was so patient and good as everyone passed her around. They tell me all the time that Ash always wants to help with the babies at school and that she is sooo sweet to them.

Tylee is sooo very pretty especially for a newborn (no smashed nose and bruised eye like Queen A). I was really proud of how quiet and gentle she was with the baby but it did not give me the least bit of "baby fever". We are just so obsessed with little miss and are marveling everyday in her independence of dressing herself and how she is becoming more helpful around the house. She is so creative with her world of pretend and we are just absorbing every word that comes out of her mouth. I love how she asks me to say our prayers every night and is starting to come up with her own and how she asks what all of her friends parents names are and memorizes them and asks how they are doing.

After leaving baby Tylee, I watched Miss A sleep and I gazed at how much she has grown ~ how is she is 16 inches longer than when I had her and almost 5 times heavier. Time just flies and I count our blessings everyday to have every minute of her 2 1/2 years and the joy of many more.

Welcome to the world baby Tylee. I know your Momma and Daddy will love you as much as we love our little bug.

GG's Birthday Visit

Let's look at your face Daddy

Silly Nana

Laughing after Little A said "Cheese" very half heartedly at her mother with the camera

Hugs for her birthday present

GG came to town to celebrate Nana & her own b-day. We enjoyed eating and shopping for new Christmas goodies for Miss A and playing together! Thanks for the new coat! We can't wait to stay with her for a week at Christmas! We love you and miss you already!

Uncle Ryan & Aunt Tiffany come for a visit

As you can see, Ryan & Tiffany came to town and brought Miss A a special pink unicorn. Little A loves her new "horsey" and feeds it and puts band aids on it and talks to it like one of her baby dolls. Thank you for the truck stop purchase! It was well worth the $$. We all enjoyed watching the TTU vs OSU game together and enjoyed hanging with GG (pics to come) and Ken loved having all 3 of his boys together even though they all know that Miss A is his favorite. Ash enjoyed all of Tiffany's undivided attention and was talking about her well into the next day. We can't wait to see you guys again at Thanksgiving!

Pointless Pics but Fun Nonetheless

Ashton's new Aunt Francine drives this fun Zebra striped car for her job as a home health nurse. Ashton was wearing fabulously matched pants, shirt and bows and therefore we had to take a pic or 3. She found it amusing as well!

Ashton's 1st Haircut

Little Miss A had her 1st haircut on Friday evening in Marble Falls. (Please note the camo coverup that I am sporting~ this was the fabulous country salon that I love that I knew would not overwhelm my drama queen.) The places that are designed for children are way too overstimulating and crowded for our current fearful Ash. We have been so nervous to cut her hair for fear that all the curls will go away (we being Chris). However, we could wait no longer as she was sporting a mullet rat tail fro that needed shaped and given love. So... we all loaded up, Mimi, Nana, Daddy, Mommy & GG was in town too. Daddy was absolutely no help in easing Miss A's fears as he was whispering in her ear that she didn't have to do this if she didn't want to. So... we kicked him out the minute she got in the chair. As much as I am making him sound horrible, I have to say that I really couldn't love him more because he genuinely had tears in his eyes with the thought of cutting her hair. See, sweet Daddy wants absolutely no part of Ash growing up. It horrifies him. She is his princess and she has him so wrapped and haircuts and potty training and big girl beds equal a world that he is not ready for her to experience. But... it had to be done.

And, after Miss A realized that there were mirrors and a sucker and everyone focused on her then she sat up big and tall and away Linda chopped. Truthfully you can barely tell that it was cut because Linda felt fearful of the wrath of Daddy but we have the milestone documented either way! Quite an exciting Friday night in November in the Hill Country!

Congratulations Bart & Francine

Bart & Francine were married a few weeks ago in Hamilton. We are excited to welcome Francine to the family.
And... this makes Ken & Tille great grandparents! love it!