I have to share this......yesterday I got an e-mail from two cute college girls in NC, Kristy and Halie Sue, and they had been to Forever 21 yesterday and they took a picture of themselves because they thought I might like to know what Harper might look like in 20 years.......
I had a little bunny onesie for Harper to wear today but she wasn't too happy when I was taking her picture so I didn't end up with a good one to put on here. But I thought I would share this picture so I can let you know how Paci Boot Camp is going. It isn't. She has been ALL OVER her hand and her softy/blanky/silky this week. So that's the end of that. I tried a ton of kinds of pacis, tried holding her like I was nursing her, tried putting stuff on the pacis........she just is not interested. She is determined to be just like her mother. Looks like her daddy, acts like her momma. I'm sure my parents could tell you I was pretty strong willed and high maitenance. I guess the good news is that if we decide to have a second child and have a boy - maybe he will end up extra easy like my brother was. :-)
Today - Jesus is my HOPE!
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4
This David Crowder song is just one of my favorites and I think during Easter week the best thing you can do is "Come and listen to what He's done for you"
This sweet little baby, Bentley, has to have open heart surgery in 6 weeks. Go here and see how you could help the family by buying one of these cute bracelets!!!
The blog world gets smaller every day! Recently this sweet girl, Ashley, e-mailed me and said her grandfather (H.D. McCarty) had been a pastor in my area and chaplain to the Razorbacks for over 40 years and wondered if I might know him. Well, I had to let her know he was MY pastor for almost 10 years and I adored him. I also remember her family visiting many times over those years! She has started painting scripture paintings and her proceeds are going to support her grandfather's ministry - God just put it on her heart. Check out her blog here and her grandfather's ministry here.
I'm going to be updating the prayer requests on the left today so make sure and check all the links when you have time and help pray!
91 comments:
I laughed out loud at the college girls...sooo funny! And so sweet too.
My son is 3 months old and takes the pacifier but has also started to suck on his hands. I just think it is so much cuter when he is sucking on his hands than sucking on a pacifier!
Hi! Don't stress out about a paci. Emily wouldn't even take a bottle (gave me an excuse to quit work too!) I think if she's sucking her hand she might just do that and not go for the fingers. Jac did that- sucked his fist and never was a thumb sucker like Emily (and you.) Max sucked his pointer finger for a little bit but not long enough to do damage. Now, as to Emily I am making a call to the orthodontist this week! :)
Love you guys!
Shell
I was almost first!
Neither of my boys took/will take a pacifier! My four month old constantly chews on his hand, like Harper in that last pic.
That pic of 'Harper in the Future' is hilarious!
Have a wonderful day!
My son does the same thing. We could not get him to suck a paci for anything. He loves his hands and he blanket. Harper is such a cutie.
I was in a store last week and was tempted to take the same picture :)
You sound exactly like me when my daughter was born - I tried EVERYTHING to get her to use a paci - but she had her mind set - she wanted her thumb and nothing but that thumb. I gave in - that thumb got us through those first few difficult months - it was the only thing that would consistently soothe her. Now at 17 months - she only sucks her thumb when she's tired - so its not too bad. I too had (and still have) the fear of her sucking her thumb way too long - I was 10 before I gave it up too :)
By the way - Harper is just too precious!
Oh my!!!! How precious and those college girls are too funny!!!!!!! Thank you for reminding me that we always have hope in him!!!! Love ya, Kel!
Neither of my kids would ever take a paci. They didn't want to suck on anything that didn't provide food! My daughter was just an easy baby...she didn't need anything (pretty much still that way at 5!). My son just wanted his blankie, still does at 18 months!
That first pic is hilarious!! What is funny is that I have bought Claire MANY headbands from F21!!
Neither of my kids too a paci. There are days still that I wish Owen would and he is 2 =)!! Claire has always sucked on her fingers, her middle 2 and is just now learning that the kids at preschool make fun of her. She tells us when she gets in the car after school, "I have been waiting alllllll day to suck on my fingers" =).
Love the Harper pics!!!
Too funny!!
i'm commenting today bc there's only 11 on here so maybe mine wont get lost & you'll actually get to read it! ha
but i love your blog & look forward to new posts & pics of harper everyday.
thanks for being so uplifting & giving the best advice!
ps i bought a beverage dispenser at palais royal for $30! cant wait to use it at a baby shower this summer!
That picture of the girls is too cute!! That is soooo going to be Harper someday!! However, I'm not so sure that she would ever consider wearing something quite so "flashy" on her precious head when she gets to be that age!!!! ;)
Who knows, though...I guess she could surprise us all! But for now...keep her wearing those adorable bows!! She is just beautiful!
Already getting a Bentley bracelet and I'll be sure to check out the updated Prayer Requests, later today!
Love you
The glimpse ahead of what Harper might look like during her college years is HYSTERICAL! Loved the pics. LOL!!!
Thanks for another beautiful post. I love how your blogging has brought people back into your life...that has happened quite a bit since Harper was born. Makes my heart smile.
xo
That is so funny about the college girls! About the paci, both of my kids never took a paci and would barely take a bottle, so I was right there too. They find others ways to comfort themselves and if it includes sticking their whole hand in their mouths, then so be it. Anyways, always love reading your posts!! (You were early on this post this morning...yah!)
Thanks to your friends, I think I have finally found my easter bonnet. :) My son, who is 18, never took a paci either. He had his pillow which went with us everywhere. Harper will find what works for her. :)
Don't stress about the paci. I have 3 kids none of which would take a paci much to my dismay, but when all my friends started having to break the paci habit in their older shild I was so glad. All children have some sort of tensional outlet. Thumb sucking, my oldest would pull his hair out so that he had a bald spot. I was so worried that my children were going to be thumb suckers like me, (I had buck teeth and head gear too.), but not one of them really took to the thumb. They just dabbled in thumb sucking and grew out of it. So definitely don't start worrying yet. Even if she does start wait for the dentist to say it is a bad thing. It may not even effect her bite, and if it helps her sleep, well... praise God. He did give her that thumb for something.
I think it's awesome you have college girls reading your blog! Cute! I think girls are just generally a little high maintentance..... :)
Ha!!!!!!!!!! I was cracking up at the college girls!!! That is so funny!!
That is sooo funny. Very cute of them to send you the picture. I loved when my girls where little enough to be "bow heads." They are still cute as teenagers - just no more bows.
Love all of it! Harper is a doll and the college girls! Too funny!
We have 6 children and only the last takes a pacifier. He also quit nursing and now takes a bottle. I never believed the two (nursing and pacifiers) went together. Bottles neither for that matter, but that's a different discussion...
Hope whatever works for Harper works for you and vice-versa!
Take care of that sweet girl!
Yea! I can leave a comment before there are 44,000!!!
I love the flower pic of the girls! Too funny!!!!
My daughter NEVER took a pacifier much to my dismay; however, she would suck on my pinky finger like it was a pacifier. Not the most ideal situation but it made taking her out in public easier and it kept her from ever sucking on her fingers...just a thought...
On another note, Harper remains one of the most beautiful babies I've ever seen and your blog always makes me smile. Thank you for sharing your life with us!
Ha! Ha! Love the pictures! And don't let anybody make fun of Harper's bows and flowers. I think they're adorable, as is she. Good luck with the paci thing. My advice--go back in time and give it to her on day one in the hospital. That seemed to work with mine. Until now. He's mad. Gotta go.
Neither of my kids would take a pacifier, but both LOVED their soft lovies. In fact, they both still sleep with them now (ages 3.5 and almost 2). I realized that they both chewed/sucked on their lovies that provided them with the sucking comfort babies need.
If Harper loves her little silky...buy some extras!! We have had moments of sheer panic when we realized that a lovey was misplaced.
What a blessing you are to me...Kelly. I look forward to your new post all day. Thank you!
That picture of the girls is HILARIOUS! I think Harper looks so cute in her flower headband! That's one of my favorites!
Small world about Ashley! My mom works at UBC in the office and Brody goes to MDO there, but that's not where we go to chuch, but that's still really neat!
Bentley is too cute! I will be praying for her!
College girls are great!! I will be praying for this little girl. What a cute painting!
Haha that was too cute and Harper is gorgeous as always with her cute little flower!!
The whole pacifier thing was a battle with us too. I never was able to get either of mine to take one. Now that they're almost 4 and 15 months, I'm glad because I don't have that habit to break. My little girl has a "lovie" that she takes EVERYWHERE with her & she sucks on the tag. She's done this since being a few months old. Just try to encourage something to be her "security;" it doesn't have to be a pacifier. My little boy doesn't have anything & never did...still wants his momma, but thankfully doesn't try to suck on my still :-)!
My daughter, Mabry, didn't like to take a paci either. She really likes to suck on two of her fingers. The dentist and dr. both agreed that it would be fine as long as we don't let it keep going on and on. I have found she loves her stuffed sheep and so as often as I can I will give her the sheep when I see her with her fingers in her mouth and it distracts her (and comforts her) so she stops.
I feel your pain on the paci! I tried very hard to get my oldest, Hannah, hooked on the paci, but she wouldn't take it at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure she hated it. At 12 weeks, she started sucking her thumb and then I tried and tried to keep her from doing that. No such luck there either.
She taught me that you have to just go with what your baby will or will not take. It was really easy to get her to stop sucking her thumb, but I think it will be a different story with Moriah! She LOVES her thumb...
The "older" versions of Harper are hysterical!!! I'm so glad you shared that!!!
Harper is just too cute- love her bows! My 10 month old wasn't a huge paci fan and did end up "finding her thumb" which wasn't half bad- she slept like a rock star ever since. As far as your headgear and braces go... I'm embarrassed to say that I sucked my thumb until almost middle school! Shameful BUT I never needed braces or a retainer or anything. My sister on the other hand NEVER put anything in her mouth and ended up needing teeth pulled, the crank thing, headgear- the whole 9 yards! Maybe some of it is just hereditary!
Come and Listen is the best- I walked down the aisle to it at my wedding :)
Awwwl, that's what Emma does...she sucks on all her fingers, she'll suck her thumb...sometimes she'll even gag herself by trying to stick her whole hand in there. Silly girl. Hey at least you won't have to wean her off a paci. Your friends are a riot:)
Kelly - Thanks for your fun blog and your focus on Christ throughout everything. I am expecting our 7th child in about five days (not that I'm counting every minute or anything!). Our oldest was born with multiple birth defects and we've gone through many Children's Hospital visits and many surgeries the past 11 years. But what a blessing that son is to us. And what an opportunity that has given us to share our faith with many people we would never have met otherwise! I pray that the Lord blesses you with many more children! An only child misses out on SOOOOOOOOOO much that they never are aware of - plus it builds character like nothing else can. Continue to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ... Serving Him, Gwen
Did you tell H.D.'s granddaughter that the highlight of your year used to be waiting for him to call you on your birthday? I so remember how happy that made you!
Just a suggestion...
When I was working in daycare we had a little boy who would not take anything but a baby wash cloth, he held on to it and sucked on it... If he had his cloth he was good to go, if not then he cried. This might work as Harper likes her softy.
My second child sucks his two middle fingers. Did all I could and finally decided to just prepare myself for the orthodontic bills. He sleeps well and at 3.5, still takes naps (all praise to the LORD!). And I've read that the need for a pacifier is really done by 6 months or so- perhaps Harper will lose the need and not suck anything.
You will be thankful that she didn't take a paci when you try to break her from it. My son didn't take one but my daughter did and it was harder to break her from the paci than it was to potty train. I have a friend whose daughter is almost 6 and still takes hers, but only when someone can't see her. Harper is beautiful and growing by the second.
How sweet (& hilarious!) of these girls to think of Harper. She's become a little internet celebrity. :) She's precious. I love love LOVE the bows!
Are you really going to try for another baby? Praise God, you two seem like amazing parents!
Just thought I'd let you know you aren't alone. My son was very high maintenance when he was a baby. He hated the pacifier, wouldn't take a bottle, and only wanted me. He screamed most of the time. He hardly ever took a nap, I was lucky if he slept for 45mins during the day. He went to bed really late at night, and woke up really early. Riding in the car would usually calm him down, unless it was dark, then he would scream bloody murder. He wouldn't go to anyone for his first year and a half. All that being said, he turned out to be the best toddler and child. He is now 16, almost 17, and the best kid. Just wanted to let you know that just because they are high maintenance when they are little doesn't mean they will stay that way.
Grown up Harper is too cute! Haha...clever ladies.
xoxo KB
Even though you want her to take the paci, if she wants her hand then that may be what comforts her. Just let her have it and then you can figure out later what you can to break her of it!
This post was great - I just LOVE the picture of the girls because that will DEFINITELY be Harper in a few years!!! Just love those bows!
Don't sweat the paci but don't give up either. One of my daughter's did not take it ever. The other loves it but it took awhile for it to grow on her. OF course now that she is almost 9 months I wonder when I will need to start taking it away.
My son is a few weeks younger than Harper, & has just started noticing his hand. It drives me crazy, but he WILL NOT take a paci either! I was so excited to see your post & read each comment that was left with suggestions. Tried almost all of them, with no luck. Guess our babies will be thumb suckers together! At least they're happy & healthy! & I LOVE the photos of Harper today, & Harper in 20 years. Too funny!
Thanks so much for mentioning me and my business! My grandparents send their love :o) Talk to you soon!
Those girls are cute, so I am guessing Harper will be cute as them when she's around 20 (judging by the 2 girls with the bows).
Lovet he picture of Harper in 20 years! Funny! She is getting more beautiful by the day.
The pic of the college girls is hilarious. I love it. And I love Harper's bows and flower headbands!
I've ordered my Bentley bracelets!
Too funny! Is it sick that I kind of want a huge flower for my HEAD? It's so cute!
I love all Harper's Easter outfits! What a doll!
HAHAHa... those girls are too funny!
I think Harper just started a new trend!
How FUN! Now i want to be apart of it! :)
I have 3 boys and only one of the 3(my youngest)took a soother. In the end, this was a good thing,because it was hard to break him of the habit.(we did go cold turkey and that one day was pure madness!!!!)
Wishing you a wonderful Easter celebration.
May God bless you all abundantly....
:)
I'm sure you have already tried this but out son too refused to take a pacifier until.... I bought a MAM with the largest nipple on it. He loved it, I don't see how it didn't gag him. Good Luck with the paci/thumb situation. You baby girl is a doll.
Oh my gosh ~ that is too funny with those college girls! They are so cute! And so is that little Harper...I just want to hug and kiss her to pieces! Sorry about the paci...guess it's her fist for awhile!
Hugz,
Michele
The college girls cracked me up!!! Watch out Harper.. you have some competition!!
Those girls at the top are hilarious!! Hahaha! I love it! And look, Kelly, they have on pearls...yup, that could be little Southern Belle Harper one day! ;o)
One day down the road when another Mother is trying to get their child to stop using the pacifier- you'll be thankful :)
Julie D. (FL)
jewels0330@gmail.com
Ha! That cracked me up. You know that NC girls are fun!
We too are in a paci fight. My girl is addicted to her paci, and as great as it has been the last 2 years, it has been hard getting her to give it up.
Oh, and if that it Harpers backup Easter dress in the last post, I can NOT wait to see what she will be wearing!
That email and picture is too funny! I am really enjoying your Easter blogs!
Kelly you and your family have a very happy Easter. I keep your little girl in my prayer often. Those college gals were cute, and yes, you may have a vision of little Harper in the future. ;) Thanks for the blog links, I'll check them out. Always thinking of others ;) Again, have a very Happy Easter
That is so funny - I laughed out loud...I think Harper pulls the flower off better to be honest ;)
As for the paci - my kids never would take one for that long. I wished they would though! Sorry!
Harper may take a paci later. She's just lovin' her mama now.
Great pics!!
KELLY, lOVE ALL OF THE ADORABLE OUTFITS ON HARPER. I SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM EACH DAY. SHE SHOULD BE A MODEL FOR A CLOTHING AD..I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL RECIPE FOR SPINACH DIP WITH THE ROTEL..I AM GOING TO MAKE IT FOR EASTER AND TAKE TO MY NIECES....
MY BLOG IS : http://serenity-jackie.blogspot MY SHINING STAR...drop in if you would like..thanks again and have a Blessed Easter..Jackie
haha love the girls with the flowers - obviously Harper is stylin since that's what they have at forever 21! :-)
anyways, just wanted to share that I had the SAME paci probs going on with my little one (she's 6 months old now and has been taking the paci like a champ for about a month now) . . . It's the ONLY way we could get her to sleep -- I had to literally force it into her mouth a few times before she realized how much it calmed her down and now she loves it :-)
I know you've probably gotten a lot of advice on the paci, but thought I'd share my two cents. My first little guy refused any type of paci or bottle (fun for Mommy who sometimes just wanted a break, lol). My second little guy only wanted his thumb, so I didn't push the paci. My third (and final) little guy is almost 4 months old. He has been sucking his thumb and not interested at all in the paci, but I have kept trying it from time to time (I don't really mind him sucking his thumb, but think it would easier to wean him from a paci than his thumb...especially since his 22 month old brother is still going strong with his thumb, lol)...but he never really took to it until today. He's taking the longest nap so far this afternoon...he went down with a paci and is now sucking his thumb since the paci fell out, lol.
So all that to say, if you really want to, keep at it occasionally and maybe she'll surprise you! I totally understand wanting something to soothe her (something besides nursing!). It seemed like I nursed my firstborn constantly for the first 6 months or so...and it would have been so nice for him to soothe himself sometimes! Anyway, good luck :)
Kelly--my little girls never took a paci, but my youngest (2 yrs. old takes a blanket(a small one)when we go to town. It soothes her very well. Maybe this would work for Harper. She is absolutely precious, by the way!!
Kheli
Those girl's are too funny!! About the paci issue, at least you won't have to wean her off!!
Great song and beautiful sign!!
I love what you are doing this week with your blog! I look forward to your new song each day and I had not heard that David Crowder song so I'm glad I have one more to add to my collection.
Have a wonderful Easter!
In about 12 months, when your pediatrician would tell you to get rid of the paci, you will be glad she never took one. Taking the paci away from my 18 month old was the hardest week of my life ... so much so that my second child (now almost 1) never got a paci. He is a pro at self-soothing.
That is hilarious! Those big bow pictures....I hope that is not coming into style for adults! Harper looks precious in her's though!
Those girls are too cute! I am laughing so hard that they send you that picture! I can only imagine how hard you laughed when you got it! Too cute!
This has probably been mentioned a dozen times, but my son used a "Taggie" as a soother. I started giving it to him when he was about Harper's age and he's 5 now and still loves on that raggedy old thing!
P.S. Be glad the pacifier didn't work. Two years from now you would be trying like the devil to get it away from her and be worried sick about her teeth and speech. ;-)
Ok...I could look at the Harper pix all day long. She is truly adorable! :)
Babys 1st Easter!!! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Hugs,
Fran
My little boy wouldn't take a paci either....until I stopped nursing him at around 8 months. after that he would, and still does to go to sleep.
I can SO feel your 'paci pain!' ha! My oldest son would never take one and I bought every shape, color, and size known to man! It was hard the first few months but the upside is we never had to wean him off of it--which we had to do when baby #2 came along and that was NOT fun!
I just had to comment because I thought of you today when I was buying cocktail rings at Forever 21! LOVE Them! I must not have looked hard enough because I didn't see those lovely hair flowers the college girls had! Too funny!
Those are the cutest photos. Are you using the screen Scott made. Just adorable.
Pam
Those girls are so funny. We were this weekend and my 5 yr old was walking around with one of those on. Sorry paci boot camp is not working...it is better in the loooooong run:)
Those College Girls- LOL!!! SO funny!!
I LOVE your post this week- you are such an inspiration to so many. And I know you will have many jewels in your crown awaiting you in heaven...you are using a such a modern thing to reach so many people who may never go to church but, go to the computer everyday.
I am so GLAD that you have choosen to focus on the REAL meaning of Easter!! May God Continue to Richly Bless You!!
The reader photo was too cute! I bet you got a big smile when you opened that attachment. :)
I never commented on your other paci post, but don't worry, she may not be a thumb sucker either! I never wanted a paci and I wasn't a thumb sucker either. Maybe she'll just be neither! (And you won't have to try and "take away" her paci when she gets too old for it but still loves it!)
Don't give up on the paci! My little girl who is now 2 and 9 months old wouldn't take a paci either. She was "colicky" and cried for the first 4 months of her life (not exaggerating she cried most of the day and by 10 pm she would be worn out and sleep most of the night so I didn't go totally insane). I tried every single day for those four months and tried several (if not every kind) pacies. Needless to say she took to the paci around 4 months, but it was awesome once she did. Then before I knew it, I was attached to her having it and didn't want to wean her off of it! But being a speech pathologist I finally knew I had to get rid of it and did around age 2. Hope all goes well and I hope she takes the paci soon. Don't give up!
I LOVE the college girls! How FUNNY! Sweet little Harper is just gorgeous! I love checking in on this sweet little miracle! I can't wait to see God's plan for her life unfold!
Imagine my surprise when I opened your blog and saw Halie on your blog post. I just about fell out of my chair!! She and my daughter, Adelaide, have been friends forever!!! They are both such sweet Christian girls!! They were both on homecoming court together in high school and in Young Life together, etc. In fact, Halie spent last weekend with my daughter at college. Halie loves pearls and wears them everyday. She is so precious!!
That just blows my mind that she reads your blog too. God is so amazing, isn't he? If Harper grows up to be like my daughter or her friend Halie, you would certainly be one proud Mom. These girls are amazing young women who truly love the Lord and reflect it to others around them!!! Love & blessings from NC! PS I don't know the other young lady who was with Halie. It must be a friend from her college.
Praying!
Psalms 28:6-7 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Prayer Bears
My email address
How sweet! Love the picture from those college girls!
Cxx
Those little college girls are too cute and sweet! I had to laugh!!
Lori
so pretty! as always!!!
OMW KELLY! LOL
I was just in Forever21 Saturday and saw that and I HAD to try it on too, but I didn't even think of that looking like Harper in 20 years! Too funny!
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