- Harper rides a bikeee! -

Brian has been salivating over this pretty pink Strider since Harper was a wee little one...

...and finally [1.5 years later!] she LOVES IT!!!  Watch out, everybodyyyy: Daddy's [bi]cycle-lovin' BIG GIRL is on the loose!!! :D

- Sick and stay-cating and then sick some more -

Oh, hall-oooo.  

It's been a bit! 

We've been just barely staying afloat ova' here; basically our entire winter season has consisted of groggily going through the motions...punily pushing through day by day...persistently praying that we can just keep our heads above water high enough for our pupils to see the light of the next weekend dawning so we can rest up and recoup a teeny bit before diving in to a new week full speed ahead.  Phew!  Mannnnn. I don't know if Harper goes to daycare and licks the damn floor or WHAT, but the poor child has [more or less] been ailed with some degree of disease since October, and the continual sickness swirling through this house is no joke.  NO. JOKE.  

Anyway!  Sickness aside, January still produced a few archive-worthy things [something! There's always something!] and I would love nothing more than to subject you to a play-by-play that is sure to lull you right into a peaceful post-dinner nap. *zzz emoji* 

Brian has been tirelessly working on Harper's playroom in the basement, and it's really starting to look nice! He has the chalkboard wall finished and the playhouse is 78% of the way done; we just set up the kitchen from Great Aunt Stephanie and Great Uncle Mark, and turns out that Harper is quite the chef! ;)  She really enjoys boiling hot plastic pots of water and also nosing in to help her Dad lay the rubber floor mats.  She is crawling everywhere and into everything and I just can't get enough of how FUN and interactive she is these days!  More posts [many, many more, muahahah] of the finished playroom and all Brian's handicraft to come! 

In much less exciting news, Harper Cecilia is the owner of TWO new big girl car seats...  For like 3.7 seconds, we thought we would just buy one seat and transfer it back and forth between our cars, then HAHAH no.  We had our picks narrowed down to Britax Marathon and Graco 4ever and [thanks to a few friends' genius recommendations] decided it would be best to try Harper in them and see which one was the best fit for her.  And Target baby sale for the win!!!

Dude lovesss to shop! She daintily browsed the clearance clothes rack while Brian and I furiously finished our decision-making process by iPhoning a few last car seat reviews...  Britax Marathon got the blue ribbon! 

Wow this post is horrible.  I'll turn it up a notch, because I'm totally realizing that playroom construction and car seat shopping might've just set a new record for lowest of low posts [my blogging game is soooo rusty]...

...so drifting into a much more exhilarating topic...

...THE BACHELOR!!! Please tell me I'm not the only one who lives vicariously through trashy TV? Oh, good. So... Oh hey, Ben. Can we just talk about how sweet, genuine, charming, sensitive, funny, attractive, caring, and all-around-wonderful Ben is?!? Seriously, he is a legit dude. I've been a VERY loyal member of Bachelor Nation since Jill's season [showing my age, I know], and...not to jump the gun...but we're pretty far into Ben's journey to find love and I'm pretty confidently thinking that this might be the greatest season of all.  And these episodes have me on edge more than ever, because there's this Bachelor Bracket that a bunch of nurses have going at work [and $$$ is on the line!]...and I'm falling behind and I just don't understand because...#bachelorfanatic and I thought I was right inside Ben's brain and had things all figured out... 

My pick for "The One" is Joelle, though I think Lauren B. is also a strong contender and Becca will probs be second runner-up... Caila is like a little vixen that just strikes a weird chord in me [goodbye, you won't be missed] and who else is left??? Oooo yeah, Amanda and Emily...they're the next two goners fo sho.  

[If you think I'm crazy, well, maybe you're right...but let me halfway redeem myself by blabbing that Brian is just as cray. He was eager to fill out his own Bachelor Bracket, and when asked if he wanted to be part of the nurse pool, his response?  "Oh no, this is a husband/wife bracket... There's MUCH MORE at stake than a $5 entry fee."  Whaaaatever that means, I don't even know...but I just hope I pull ahead and don't have to find out! ;) I'm currently winning the husband/wife pool by 3 points so! Pray for me, friends. Pray rull hard.  And speaking of Brian... When I was hopelessly-romantically gushing about Ben's personality and charm during the very first episode, Brian piped right in and [very seriously] said, "I know, he actually reminds me a lot of myself!"  Ok, baby. Ok. :) ;) :-*]

Harper loves Bachelor Ben, too, but sometimes she just can't hang..........until there are like ten minutes left of the Bachelor Live talkshow and she's like, "PSYCHHH, it's 10:30pm and I'm full speed ahead!" ...We're having some bedtime issues up in this place. *sigh*

I think I'm jumping right back into my rambling rut, what do you think?  Feels like I never even took a hiatus. ;) 

Brian and my Dad both took a skiing/snowboarding vacation the last week of January [not together! Brian in Colorado, Dad in Canada], so naturallyyyy the baby and I packed up for a little 4 day stay-cation at Grandma's! Dude wasn't spoiled or anything... Sleeping in til late hours of the morning on flannel sheets and taking luxurious baths with new bath toys in the kitchen sink.... 

...learning to play the piano like Mommy and Grammy!...

...and hanging out with her favorite person 24/7... [I'm surprised she even came home with me at the end of all this!]  My mom went to a funeral that afternoon and I had to remind her to take Harper's pink bow out of her hair before she left the house... :) 

On the night Dad came home, we invited Grandma and Grandpa over for dinner and had a little fiesta! Love these memories we're making of Harper with her grandparents and great-grandparents!  What a lucky little lady. <3

Andddd before we knew it, Brian's vacation was over, too, and he was back home to play! Harper had a few new tricks to show her daddy when he got home: standing up by the railing (!!) and she alsoooo discovered her closet and the hours of fun that lie inside those sealed doors............... Hey-o, Daddy-o, come see what's inside here!

Alright, fo rizzle, this post is getting out of control even for the heartiest of hearty readers.  If you find it in the kindness of your hearts, please pray for us and our sickly selves!  Harper accompanied me to my first ever Urgent Care visit last week [double ear infections! Amoxicillin horse pills x 10 days, rawr.] 

...and I took her to the pediatrician yesterday [also has double ear infections! Yummy strawberry Amoxicillin liquid x 10 days + more antibiotic eye drops for her green boogery eyes, double rawr.]  But negative RSV swab, praise the sweet Lord for that. And Brian's on the verge of flu slash sinusitis too, but he hasn't been to the doctor in 20 years and also claims he's "never had a prescription in his entire life," so why start now?  Hashtag: men.  With your prayers and a little binge of warm weather, I am trusting we'll be back on the mend soon and also be able to open some doors and windows and air all germs right out of this house.  

Winter 2015-16: 1  .......  Fleming fam: 0

A plethora of green snotty coughs and kisses from us to you! :-* :-* 

Xoxo, bye now.

- Funs and Faves! -

I'm not sure how [only FOUR months in!] I've fallen sooo miserably behind in the competition, but even a creepy window-peeping stranger could glance into this house and definitively conclude that Brian has already...easily...won the title of "FUN PARENT."  I've maybe definitely subconscioulsy tried to un-acknowledge that little piece of not-fun truth for several weeks now, but there will be no more denying from here on out.  Truth hurts. Tonight at dinner, Harper could not remove her eyes from Brian.  Her gaze was fixed, and her head followed his every minuscule move.  She coos and babbles constantly until he throws her a little bone of attention; and when he finally does, she blushes and kicks and drools all while babbling even louder.  Her smile for her dad is ginormous.  Allllll these hours logged with Mom, but I guess all she really needs me for is her beloved milk tap, anyway. ;)  The stereotypical "Daddy's girl" thing is fo' real... 

...and the onesie says it all! This girl has a heart of pure gold silver for her dad!!!

...And if you couldn't tell, the feeling is mutual.

Sooooo while we're on the topic of all things fun and favorite, let me just archive *TEN* of our current funs and favorites!  We currently love: 

BOOKS.  [All family and friends: thanks for stocking Harper's bookshelf! We love opening a new book and reading your notes signed on the pages!] A whole separate post dedicated just to the bookworm! 

THIS DOLL.  [Special thanks to Andy, Angie, Miles, and Lily!]  Never thought an infant would be so attached to a toy.  Thought wrong.  Not sure if it's the super soft fleecy outer-part that she likes OR the silky underside, but she doesn't let this doll get very far out of sight/reach these days.  Poor dolly's right pigtail is currently crusted over with dried drool; and when Harper gets teeth, I imagine those pigtails will just be dangling by a thread...

BATH TIME.  And hair washing.  [I love kickin' back in my awesome jacuzzi, Meghan! Thank you!]

THIS SWING.  [Thanks to Grandma, Rosemary, Katie, Theresa, Joanie, Jenny, and Margy! I think of ALL of you and smile every day!!!...because...] This is our numero uno favorito baby item by FAR far far.  Harper has loved this contraption since day ONE, and we would be lost in helpless-first-time-parenting-world without it.  I juuuuust looked up the weight limit yesterday [which is 25 lbs! Phew! Another two months at least!], because I am already nail-biting in anxiety of the day we have to ween from it.  It's kiiiiind of turning into a love hate relationship at this point, though, because: with it = 3-hour afternoon nap, no problemo! And without it = continual sleep fighting frustration, meltdowns to the max, and noooo nap.  Shoot me in the foot when we tip the scale at 25 lbs.......

BEING OUTSIDE.  This girl can't really be my daughter, considering I'd rather be inside in A/C sans humidity and wildlife and ...bugs...  BUT!  A short session of basking in the sun or a little stroller ride through the subdivision shockingly hasn't killed me. Yet.  Top left photo: coming home from work at 8am and seeing this little face [actually, both of these faces!] on the porch is my favorite greeting to date! *googly eyes*

LITTLE COUSIN KATE.  Harper's best buddy!  We usually see Kate and her parents [Brian's cousin + wife] about once a week, and the four of us have loved watching these two girls grow up together! They were born a month apart, and I am so excited for them to go through school hand-in-hand and always have each others' backs. Nothing like an [unofficial] twin sister, huh? :)

THE BACHELORETTE.  Another Monday night has come and gone, and we can't turn our heads... #willyouacceptthisrose  ...I know I'm not the only one who despises Kaitlyn and her zilch-o morals! But I also can't throw the towel in on the entire Bachelor/ette franchise... So what do you other avid viewers think?! Shawn or Nick?!?!? I am torn 51/49, barely favoring Shawn obvi.  [NO SPOILERS!]

HAND-ME-DOWNS.  [THANK YOU, Kindra!] Oh, happy day.   A little girl can never have too many clothes, right?!  Since we didn't find out gender during the pregnancy, we came home from the hospital to only a handful of unisex onesies and a couple sleep sacks!  I immediately wanted to buy Harper so many things but was shocked at how fast she would outgrow each size! Insanity.  Little booger grows like a weed! Giving her a cute wardrobe while keeping the bank account on the [+] side was a tricky balance......... ;)  Luckily, a sweet girl I work with kept us in mind as she was getting rid of all her little girl's clothes! Three big boxes to sort through + a couple loads of laundry later, and Harper has her closet stocked through 9mos for a suuuuper small amount of dolla dolla bills! Hashtag: stoked!  Nothing like a good stash of hand-me-downs!  Harper is loving all her "new" clothes!!!

FAMILY NAPS........but what's new?  "Sleep when the baby sleeps" miiiight be the best bit of advice anyone ever gave us!!! 

And lastly, but absolutely not leasty...

THIS PLAYMAT.  [Thank you thank youuuu, Anna and Becca!] God bless Skip Hop and their awesome products [we only have a few, but have been nothing short of THRILLED!].  When we first busted this out of the box a couple months ago, we ooh-ed and ahh-ed at the way our little nugget laid so contently and noticed all the dangling animals... Then a few weeks later we couldn't get the video camera out quick enough to capture her [probably accidentally] swinging her arms and swatting at the toys... And NOW, the mat provides hours of daily entertainment as she holds an animal in each hand and a third animal between both feet... I love watching her tiny hands grasping and her fine motor skills developing on this play gym!  [This might be the last day that poor blue elephant has ears or a tail........ Girl ain't gentle!]

More funs and faves coming another day! But you'll have to excuse me for tonight; it's time to go hang out with my little family of three and creep/crawl back into the competition for fun parent...

*humph*

- Spring sprang-ded...and we need some HELP -

Spring is spranging at this house!!  #aprilshowersbringaprilflowers! <--- Which is queer, because I always thought the old motto went like: April showers bring May flowers. But whatev.

I am thrilled that some surprise random flowers are shooting up! ...Minus a little less than thrilled over the fun fact that only a few clumps are left standing because Brian thought they were "weeds" [weeds with blossoms?] and plucked half of them out of the mulch already...SO.

Anyway.

While we're swimming in the pool of spring and flower-ness, I mostlyyyyy am writing this post as a desperate plea for help beCAUSE we need to get in gear with a landscaping plan.  Stat. Rightnow. ASAP. Brian finished the landscaping wall late last fall [beating a dead horse even deader with pictures of that here, here, and here], and at that time we decided it would be best to leave the area covered in mulch for the winter and plant trees/flowers/bushes in the spring..... And now it's spring.  And everyone else's plants are blossoming. And we're the only house in the subdivision who has a landscaping area flourishing with...dirt.  And and and.  

Where do we begin???  Real-life ecology/botany isn't quite my thing and the world wide web's "starting pointers" are overwhelming for my pea-brain, so suggestions from friends like YOU would be suuuuper duper appreciated!  

Oh, and added into the night shift/daytime sleeping habits + a tiny bit of overall laziness, I am guessing I won't have the greenest of green thumbz so would maybe prefer plants that don't require multiple/daily doses of water/fertilizing treatments?! 

Thoughts? 

Ideas? 

Or is it already too late to plant?

Are we doomed?! :/

Help!

- "Say cheese!" x 429 -

I GOT A BRAND NEW SUUUUPER AWESOME DSLR CAMERA FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

[Yeah, that same one I was supposed to get for Christmas. And when it didn't show up under the tree on Christmas morning, Brian said it must've a) fallen out of Santa's sleigh or b) maybe it was just such an intricate piece of technology that the elves didn't know how to craft it -- which were the only two rational explanations I could ever finally settle for considering I had been SUCH A GOOD GIRL all year long. But anyway. That episode occurred over three months ago and it's not like I'm still bitter or anything. Pouty pout pouting no more.] 

So...

"Say cheese!" 
[First picture ever.]

It takes a lot of pics in a really little amount of time which is just GREAT!! A four-second glimpse into the multiple-personalitied life of Brian Dean Fleming:

After the fun of this paparazzi photoshoot in the kitchen [quickly] wore off I easily and enchantingly conned Brian into taking me to the park because...I mean, he would obviously still be posing for a plethora of photos but at least there would be better backgrounds. And light. Mostly more light. ;)

Skipping off to Starbucks then the park then...

"Do I really have to get out of the car?" 

Yep, so buck it up, buttercup. Jay kay, those words would never come out of my saint-of-a-husband's mouth because his numero uno hobby es pampering/pleasing the princess.

[And finally, the more than three month awaited]

PHOTOSHOOT COMMENCES:

We're working on our modeling poses, but we realized for now our back sides are our best sides...

Zomggg, taking pics is SO FUNNN. Wish the world was more green and less brown, but.....we'll get there soonish.

"Double-yew tee eff, babe?" Stop stalking me.

70 degree weather and being with my hubby all day and Starbucks and spring on the horizon and a new camera and playing at the park and ALL THE THINGS I LOVE. And and and and. Me like my bertday.

At the end of the park date, we had two whole settings mastered: auto and.........AUTO. We plan on getting some lessons from Brian's friend who teaches camera physics and maybe also hitting up some of the Creve Coeur Camera classes downtown! Or if you have some pretty children/any other form of live moving subject victims that I could practice on, I would be ever so grateful. ;) 

I know you're not sad that this pointless post plastered with 429 pointless photos is coming to a close, but be assured that MORE [like multiple more - but actually maybe only one more now that I think about it] boisterous birthday brag posts will be coming soon to a computer near you! I'm sure I will soon be nostalgic to revel in my come-and-gone birthday wonderfulness because.....today I woke up to Brian trying to flick a booger at my face SO.....back to reality. 

- Christmas Shopping Commences -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

The Christmas shopping has officially commenced, and I now have purchased/wrapped/stuffed under the tree the PERFECT gift for my dad and Brian...

...[drumroll]...

*ta-duuuuh!*

This gift-o be perfect-o for Brian because a) GO CARDS!, and b) he is skinny and always cold and hates the winter and has to wear like three pairs of long underwear and pajama pants to stay warm.  And Dad?  Well, he'll probably be sweating his balls off but it's mostly just payback returning the favor of the gift he sent to my bachelorette party...

Yes, no need to adjust your glasses: that IS in fact a pink footy zip-up with a padlock on the zipper! [Sorry to say that those did not make the honeymoon suitcase!!! And did not he know that I much prefer something of this fashion? ...But let us not regress or focus on my ridiculously awesome fun carefree tan blonde and SKINNY bachelorette days...........]

ANYWAY, back to Christmas and shopping and the original intent of this post. I debated on writing this because I didn't want to spoil a most secret Christmas surprise; but being that neither of the two most important men in my life are avid blog readers, I decided to spill the beans.  Maybe I should let them open early so they can be twinzzz on our family vacation to Arizona in December?! ;)

Yeah. Most definitely.

Other week highlights: 

-- We took some one year anniversary pictures with Paigey, and I can't wait to get them back and order some Christmas cards!

-- Friday night dinner at Jonny's...nom nom nom. And we finally met Baby Dominic! Love him and his chubby little cheeks! 

-- Annnnd Saturday night dinner at PW Pizza with our favorite Mercy friends! The pizza was delish and the sangria was to die for and the laughs were, well, constant and continuous. We always have a great time with these crazies!!!

-- Can anyone tell I've been drinking coffee today?!

-- Ok that's enough.

-- Bye now.