Meeting Santa

Harper was an angel at her first visit with Santa. I wonder if she'll be just as accommodating when I take her to get her picture with Santa for the next 17 years or so!


We waited in a loooong line at Tysons Corner. Well, I suppose I should clarify that Daddy waited in line for us while Harper and I shopped. :)


At first she was a little uncertain about Santa....


...but she took a moment to check him out. The beard fascinated her (which was real, by the way. He was an awesome Santa!)


And then she was all smiles!

Thankful!

We spent a wonderful week in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. And not just because I have a Thankgiving-ish birthday (although I'm sure that's part of it). I love how it's really all just about family and food... what could be better than those things combined into one day?! But mainly, it's an opportunity to reflect on God's many blessings. Joel and I have SO much to be thankful for this year: our precious baby girl who we love more than we could have ever imagined, our wonderful families who are such a blessing to us, and most importantly, the truly incredible way that the Lord has provided for us over the past year and met our every need.

One of the highlights of our time in OKC was getting to introduce Harper to her Great-Grandma. Joel's Grandma is such a neat godly woman and we were so grateful that she was able to travel down from Wisconsin to be with us. What an amazing thing to have 4 generations of Petersons together!





Here are some of our highlights from our week with Joel's family:

One thing we love about going back to OKC is hanging out with our friends there. It was so fun to see everybody and spend time with their darling kiddos!


With Sarah and baby Katherine Ringwald. The babies finally got to meet-- they are only about 2 weeks apart and their Grandmas are best buddies! :)


One of my very oldest friends, Jenny Ferguson, and her DARLING little guy Gray. Could he be any more precious?! Harper sure seems to agree. Maybe when they're at OU together someday, she can take him to a date party (a Theta one, of course). :)


A partial Diggity reunion (minus Libby and Whit). Harper was lovin' on little Elle Boatman and wouldn't keep her hands off her head!



Hangin' with Cash Porter... Mr. Cool.

Harper's First Halloween

Harper had a great first Halloween. Since she is our real life Sweet Pea, we thought it was only fitting to her to dress up as Sweet Pea! Even big brother Norman had a costume (and yes it was the same costume he wore last year... poor Norman will probably be a sheriff for the next 10 years). Although it was a little rainy and drizzly here, we managed to hang out with some of her favorite baby friends and do some trick-or-treating. Harper scored some good candy for her Daddy!

Our happy little pea pod.

Aren't they precious?!

Hanging out at our friends' Doug and Rachel's house getting ready to trick-or-treat.

Harper with two of her best baby buddies Katherine Kelly (ladybug) and Sutton Brooks (Raggedy Ann).

... and two of my best buddies, their mommies!

A drizzly trick-or-treat. Mammy gave Harper a little glow wand that she was obsessed with all night.

We met up with the Cates and trick-or-treated with David (pumpkin) and little Elizabeth Grace (Tinkerbell). After about a dozen houses, we were ready to go back inside... and Harper was ready to go to bed!

Fun Fall visit by Mammy and Pops

We got to spend a fun few days with Mammy and Pops in late October while my dad was in town for a business trip and brought my mom along with him. Harper just loves spending time with them playing, laughing, and showing them what a big girl she has become. Who knows what new things she'll be doing by the time we see them again at Christmas. Thanks for coming to visit Mammy and Pops... it was way too short! :(

.... and Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a much-needed date night while Mammy babysat. Oh, how we wish this was a frequent occurrence! :)

Remember Me?

Have y'all forgotten about me? Has it really been August since Mommy and I last posted? WOW! We've been busy playing, traveling, and GROWING around here. Sorry its been so long since we've blogged. I'm blaming it on my Mommy.... after all, I can't type yet.

Scroll down to see what we've been up to lately and how big I've gotten!

Hey, remember me, too?

Cutest punkin' in the patch

It sure doesn't feel like fall until you've got pumpkins on the porch. Harper loved her first visit to the pumpkin patch and helped me pick out just the right ones.

Our little vegetarian

Miss Harper is a fruit and veggie gal! So far, so good-- she seems to be enjoying everything and we haven't stumbled upon anything she won't eat. Yet. :) If I had to pick her favorite, I'd say zucchini and peaches. Harper is enjoying that full belly and we are loving all those funny faces she makes when she tries a new flavor.

Sweet Potato face.

Peas (and note her sippy cup of water... such a big girl!)

Mmmmm, pears. Yummy!

....

And I'm having lots of fun making all the food. Super easy and way cheaper... what's not to love? I'm a huge fan of any of Annabel Karmel's cookbooks and recipes. Not that you really need a recipe to puree a fruit or veggie, but she had some VERY tasty combinations once you've introduced all the flavors.

The other thing I'm a big fan of is the Baby Fresh trays. They are a tiny bit larger than a standard ice cube tray, so the serving size is better suited to a baby's appetite. Plus, they have a lid to prevent freezer burn and they flex just enough so that the food pops right out. I have 4 of them, and wish I even had a few more on hand for those days when I'm pureeing up a storm.

Super easy acorn squash.

And a freezer full of baby food!

Theta 100 and Marmie and Grandad visit

After our week in Missouri with the Brawners, Harper and I made our way down to the great state of Oklahoma for a wonderful visit! We packed alot into our long weekend there.

En route from MO to OKC, I stopped in Tulsa to hang out with the Weatherholt clan. Oh, how I LOVE catching up with Libby. I miss my pal like crazy. Harper is already trying to get her hands on her little boyfriend David (5 months). Just wait until she invites him to her first date party at OU!

Harper had a fabulous time getting showered with attention by her grandparents. She tagged along to an OU watch party and really liked meeting all of Marmie and Grandad's friends. They took such great of her!

I was able to attend the 100th anniversary celebration of my sorority chapter. It was a wonderful weekend, and I loved hanging out with my pals in Norman for the weekend and honoring the Alpha Omicron chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Perhaps most importantly, I survived a major milestone of leaving Harper for the first time! While I've left for a few hours at a time and the occasional night out, this was my first "overnighter". It was definitely harder on Mommy than Harper. :) Thank the Lord for Harper's incredible grandparents who were so willing to watch her while I attended the festivities. Such a blessing!

Pledge class night out in OKC.

Reconnecting with my awesome long-lost Big Sis Kari. Now a mom of 3, including twins!

The Centennial Luncheon at a Norman hotel. Just an intimate gathering... of 700 AO Thetas!

Our table.

845 Chataqua... my home sweet home for 3 fabulous years. If only I could ever live in a house this gorgeous again (with the maid service and cook included).

Our fabulous Housemom, Jeanne. She is the sweetest!

We got to tour the house and see the beatiful redecorating. (For all you OU Theta alums who haven't already seen.... please note the missing pink couch. Travesty!)

My first room in the house-- first semester sophmore year with Jenny P!

The super fun 3-girl that Taryn, Olivia and I lived in junior year.

My fabulous room with Sarah Mac for both semesters of our senior year.

After a yummy dinner at Victoria's, we topped off our eveing in Norman with a visit to the Mont for a Sooner Swirl.

And while we didn't attend the Centennial Gala that evening at the hotel, we popped in to see it and were very impressed. Check out this ice sculpture of the Theta house... no wonder the tickets were $100 bucks a pop!