Resilient is the word that keeps coming to my mind. You have spent the entire last year of your life at home during a pandemic and have handled it with such maturity. I know you are looking forward to going back to school in-person, and we hope that will happen this Fall.
You might never understand how much I have cherished our extra time at home together over the last year. The silver lining of the pandemic has been the opportunity to be with you and your sisters all day, everyday! Sure, there are difficult moments as I try to spread my attention among all three of you, but I am so grateful for our time together.
You have been playing piano for one full year and you have come so far already! It’s such a joy for Daddy and me to share our love of music with you.
“The Lego room” is where you spend most of your time. You are constantly looking up Star Wars directions to build sets with pieces that we have. Another new passion this year is Harry Potter, and that has been shared throughout our family. You and I read all the books last summer/fall, and also watched the movies (with Daddy). You love playing with your sisters, and lately you especially enjoy taking care of Harper: comforting her when she cries, bringing her down in the morning or after a nap, etc.
I hope you know what an important member of our family you are. Your kindness, compassion, and exuberance for life are an inspiration to me. You contribute to our family in so many ways, and we love you more than you will ever know! Happy Birthday to the boy who made us a Mommy and a Daddy!
You experienced a rare San Antonio snowstorm in February! School was canceled all week!Daddy captured this sweet photo of you and your sisters (March 27th, 2021)
Germany 2013
Germany 2014
Germany 2015
Virginia Beach 2016
Virginia Beach 2017
Virginia Beach 2018
Virginia Beach 2019
San Antonio 2020
Here’s a look back at all of your birthdays!April 16th, 2012 – Colorado Springs, CO
We are still staying home amid the pandemic. It’s unreal to think this has been the norm for the last ten months. We are hopeful that things will gradually return to some sort of normalcy (whatever that is…) as the vaccines continue to be distributed. In the meantime, I continue to be grateful that the kids have coped so well during this uncertain time. They certainly keep each other – and us – busy and entertained!!
Charlie had been going to work in-person most days up until the holidays, although there weren’t as many performances as usual. He took two weeks off over Christmas break, and after the holidays he has eased back into things by working from home (not by choice).
We have celebrated a few holidays at home since my last post:
We did not trick-or-treat for Halloween. We hid candy in Connor’s and Morgan’s rooms so they could hunt for it, and they thought it was awesome! Such simple pleasures! We cooked mummy dogs and spider deviled eggs for dinner and the kids helped decorate a cake with pretzel/peanut butter cup spiders. Connor wore Harry Potter glasses and a lightning bolt scar for a book character dress up day at school, and Morgan joined in as well.
Thanksgiving was quiet, in a good way. Connor had the whole week off school. It was our first time being on our own for Thanksgiving. I gathered a few favorite recipes from Marilyn and cooked stuffing, sweet potato casserole, lime pear jello, green bean casserole, pumpkin cake, and a spiral ham. We put up a few Christmas decorations, including our tree with a wooden gate to protect it from little people!!
Decorating for Christmas, starting the Christmas LEGO sets, and Thanksgiving Dinner
This was also our first Christmas “alone.” Although we missed being with family for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, it was SO NICE not to travel!!! Charlie took two weeks of leave, which meant he was off work the entire time Connor was off school. The break flew by, but we certainly had lots of time to relax. The kids received several new LEGO sets, Baby Yoda and Ahsoka Tano Build-a-Bears, Harry Potter robes/wands, and a few other gifts. We cooked steaks, stuffing, and corn casserole for Christmas dinner. Before we knew it, 2021 was upon us and then it was back to school and work!
Gingerbread houses and Christmas Eve/Day
Christmas card photos
Connor
It’s hard to believe Connor is already halfway through third grade. Although he certainly looks forward to being back to school in-person with his friends, he is doing well with virtual school. He is learning a lot and enjoys his teacher as well as working with his classmates on Zoom. There are certainly some tenuous moments as I try to help him through an assignment, but overall he is handling his classwork very well. He chose to run for Student Council representative for his class and prepared his speech on his own time. He was thrilled to be voted as an alternate! Connor is also one of five students representing the third grade at the school Spelling Bee!
Connor enjoys working with his piano teacher (on Zoom) and has come a long way since beginning his lessons in March. He still spends most of his free time building LEGOs (usually some type of Star Wars ship). He finished reading all the Harry Potter books and watched all the movies as well.
Morgan
In a way, I think staying at home has been hardest on Morgan. She has always played independently so well, so she tends to be the first child to be ignored when someone else needs help. Her behavior has gone downhill and I feel guilty for not having enough structure in our day to keep her busy and productively occupied. It has been hard to do focused activities with her while Harper is trying to get into absolutely everything! Nevertheless, I am doing preK activities with her and working on handwriting, reading, and number skills. Charlie and I are confident that she will be ready for kindergarten this Fall.
Morgan loves playing with her stuffed animals, dolls, and LEGOs, and loves to play outside. She is as sweet and loving as she is sneaky and mischievous. Morgan enjoys playing with Harper more and more as her little sister grows, and she still loves playing with Connor. It’s definitely not always smooth sailing when they are playing together, but we are grateful that they want to spend so much time together!
Harper
Our little ray of sunshine is almost 18 months old and surprises us with something new each day! Here are some recent highlights:
-Signs many words (40 and counting), and “says” several words that we can understand! “No” is definitely her clearest word 😉
-Starts a “conversation,” usually involving signing “outside,” “car,” and “dog”
-Loves to play with ice! She asks for it several times each day, and we are constantly wiping up mini puddles.
-Starts her “ho-haa” breathing anytime she sees Darth Vader (mask, Legos, etc.) or hears the Imperial March!
-Makes an “Awww!” sound when she hugs a stuffed animal or snuggles up to something
-Wrinkles her nose and makes a “nyah” sound for “yucky” things
-Says “Ooh-wee!” when I start changing her diaper, anticipating what I’m going to say if it’s a dirty one!
-Says “Ma-mow” alllll the time for “Morgan,” and “na-now” for “not now” and/or “right now”
-Loves to climb onto the kitchen chairs, which makes life difficult for us. We try to keep them behind the gate or laid down under the table so she can’t get on them.
-Tucks her (wrapped up) dirty or wet diaper under her arm like a football and carries it to the diaper genie
-Helps empty the dishwasher
-Takes a half-hour snooze around 10:00am, and another nap at 2:00. Sometimes she stays asleep for her entire afternoon nap on her own, but usually she wakes up and can go back to sleep if I help her. She sleeps well [enough] at night, usually waking twice and going back to sleep easily when I rock her.
-Eats almost anything that we give her! Favorites are cheese, watermelon, strawberries, and raspberries. Says “Na! Na!” for “snack” and “moh” for “more.”
-All her teeth have come in until it’s time for her 2-year molars! Phew! We definitely had a few rough patches with sleep, which I blamed on teething.
It has been two months since my last post, and we are still “stuck” at home due to the pandemic. Charlie continues to go to work and do our grocery shopping. The kids and I have been out a few times for appointments, but that’s it! They sometimes talk about wanting to see their friends or go to school, but they have really kept a positive outlook and don’t complain about staying at home.
Here is the latest:
Connor
Connor’s first day of 3rd grade (Mrs. Miles’s class)
School started virtually on August 17th. Connor logs into Zoom with his class and teacher at 8:00am, and he’s basically “in school” until 3:00. He has a morning recess, plus the usual lunch/recess break. His teacher gives whole-group instruction at the beginning of each subject, then he has time in a virtual “breakout room” to complete the assignment, and the teacher pops in to check on his progress. Art, Music, and PE are not live; instead, he has one assignment for each of those classes to complete each week. He has 50” allotted for those Specials each day, and he usually completes those assignments early in the week, so he has extra time off later in the week. On Tuesdays he has GT (Gifted and Talented). The small class meets on Zoom with the teacher, she leads them through a few discussions/activities, and then they have time on their own to work on GT assignments. He misses regular class time during GT and is excused from the work he misses.
Morgan loves to join Connor for his recorded Art lessons!
Connor has really come a long way in his time management skills. He has finally figured out that it’s better to go ahead and get something done when he has the opportunity, and then he will be “free” later on! He still has his usual chores: dishwasher/vacuuming (alternating days with Morgan), practicing piano, and trying to maintain some semblance of order in the LEGO room. Connor enjoys his piano lessons and is learning a lot! He loves working on Star Wars music. Of course, he still spends most of his free time building LEGOs. He is also VERY into Harry Potter at the moment. Actually, the whole family is! Connor and I are on book 6, Charlie is on book 3, and Morgan stays in the loop by listening to us discuss characters and plot points daily! (Connor’s teacher happens to be a huge Harry Potter fan, and he has enjoyed having that connection with her.)
Morgan
Morgan’s last two months have (unfortunately) been quite eventful for her. On August 5th, she fell off a big bouncy ball (the kind with a handle that you sit on) and hit her chin on the rug. She was bleeding badly, so Charlie took her to the ER where she got a few stitches. We also learned that her two 1-year bottom molars were basically cracked in half all the way down to the gums. She was a real trooper, and wanted to get back on that ball as soon as she got home. (I hid it!!) Eating was difficult because her teeth were uncomfortable and slightly painful, but otherwise her chin started healing nicely and she got the stitches out five days later.
8/5: Popsicle at the ER; 8/7: 2 days after the stitches; 8/15: 5 days after the stitches were removed
I took Morgan to her regular dentist, who tried to take X-rays, but was unsuccessful because Morgan had trouble holding the bitewing in place. After the examination, she said she would attempt to repair the teeth with crowns, but extract them if the repair was not possible. According to the front desk, the next appointment for the procedure was several weeks away. At that point, I had to fight back the tears. After bringing all three kids to the appointment (which involved FaceTiming Charlie before leaving so he would walk me through jumping the car battery), then being told Morgan would have to wait several weeks with two completely cracked molars and not be able to eat normally… I couldn’t hold in my emotions. The receptionist had mercy on me, consulted with the dentist again, then said they could squeeze Morgan in four days later. I was so grateful!
Unfortunately, the much-anticipated procedure was a debacle. While Morgan was lightly sedated, the dentist discovered she couldn’t repair the teeth, so she attempted to extract the first one, and it broke into pieces. The pieces above the gums were removed, but she could not remove the rest of the tooth that was below the gumline. At that point she decided not to attempt anything with the second tooth, and referred Morgan to an oral surgeon.
X-ray showing the molar that was partially extracted, and the root still remaining
Morgan had her examination with the oral surgeon about 10 days later, and after jumping through some insurance hoops, she had the two molars surgically removed on September 4th. I was nervous about the general anesthesia and breathing tube, but everything went smoothly and the surgeon was able to extract all pieces of the teeth. Charlie was with her while I stayed home with the others. Morgan relaxed a little bit on the first day, but was mostly back to her usual self right away! Obviously she ate soft foods for several days, but she gradually returned to eating all normal foods. She chews a lot in the front and it takes her a little longer to eat now. The poor girl has to wait many years before those adult teeth finally grow in. She has to return to the dentist one final time to have spacers put in so that the surrounding teeth don’t shift in the meantime.
As soon as Morgan came home from her surgery, she wanted to build the duplo set we had promised her. Finally, she was ready to relax!
Aside from all that, I am attempting preK activities at home with Morgan. The school we originally registered her for is actually starting in-person school in October, but we don’t feel comfortable sending her anywhere while Connor is still at home. She is an eager learner, and I love watching her make connections!
Creating and reading sentences
Harper
14 months is such a fun age!! Harper is starting to communicate with signs, which is so amazing to witness (and frustrating when we can’t figure out which sign she is using…). Harper has 4 top teeth and 4 bottom teeth, and is currently working on cutting her 1-year molars. She sleeps well at night, usually waking once. Morning nap is very short (20-30”), but she takes a good afternoon nap, which she prefers to do while snuggled up with me. (The big two certainly don’t complain about watching shows while Harper naps in the recliner with me!)
I never get tired of these naptime snuggles!
Here are some of her recent highlights:
-Likes to grab a nearby diaper cloth to play peekaboo while we rock in the glider before bedtime, or when we snuggle in the morning.
-Gone are the crawling days…We officially have a toddler!
-Loves to put lids on containers!
-Mimics so many voice sounds, including all the shrieks and squeals from the big two. Also says, “Uh oh!” (“Ah ohhhh!”), and “zhhhh!” for “cheese.”
-Makes the cutest “I don’t know!” gesture with her arms up if you ask, “Where’s your…?”
-Whispers “ah!” if you slurp a drink.
-Harper LOVES to play upstairs! She points out all the lights (and uses the sign), and loves to carry books up and down the hall while the big two race back and forth.
-Grooves to music, and loves to “play” the piano! She signs “music” anytime we go near it.
-10 days after turning 13 months old, she finally figured out how to climb up onto the kitchen stool. Morgan was climbing on everything at 10 months, so I was grateful that Harper took her time!
-September 12th: Harper enjoyed her first time wearing real shoes and playing outside (instead of being in the stroller or carried). Now she is obsessed with going outside, and signs “outside” all day long! She enjoys picking up leaves, rocks, etc. and carrying them around. When we play in the front, she waves to any people or cars who go by!
Signs: bath, more, all done, milk, light, help, music, ball, where is…, water, cheese, up, poop, outside, pouch (for a fruit pouch), Daddy (and says “dada” with it), hat
(She doesn’t use all of these consistently yet, but we have seen them all!)
And finally, a few more pictures from the last two months:
First day wearing shoes and playing outside!
Outdoor playtime
These two love spending time together…most of the time!!
Aunt Buttons and Uncle Terry sent gifts to the kids
And just like that, Morgan is four years old! Last year, we celebrated her birthday just a few weeks after moving to Texas, Grandma Penny was still in town helping us, Harper was born five days earlier, and we had just received our household goods two days before that. Phew! This year, we are a fully-settled family of five. We have been “stuck” at home for 4.5 months due to COVID-19, or in other words, almost half of the year since her last birthday.
July 23, 2020
Despite all the time at home, Morgan has learned, grown, and developed so much over the last year! Our Queen of Mischief pushes boundaries and tests limits all day long. (As I told my mom while writing this post, “Where there’s a Morgan, there’s a way.”) She can be incredibly (and often dangerously) independent. Morgan loves to attempt to tell jokes, laughs with Connor all day about anything relating to farts or butts, has the most beautiful curls, finds adventure everywhere, and gets her feelings hurt easily. Morgan spends plenty of days in nothing but underwear like her brother, but other days, she comes up with unique outfit combinations.
Morgan has an incredible imagination and escapes into her own little world each day. She loves to color, do crafts, play with her animals and dolls (her “kids”), and play with Legos. (She is getting pretty good at following the instructions to build a set!) Morgan also loves to SING ALL THE TIME. She sings Disney songs (current favorites are Show Yourself from Frozen II and How Far I’ll Go from Moana), Star Wars and Jurassic Park themes, and also makes up lots of her own songs. (You’re right, there are no words to Jurassic Park or Star Wars themes, but that doesn’t stop her from belting out the melodies!)
She drew Batman! (June 13, 2020 )
Being the middle child is not always fair. I will admit that Morgan is the first to be ignored when the going gets tough. It has been a new balancing act trying divide my attention among three kids who are home with me all day, but I am so grateful that I was chosen to be Mommy to these three. I certainly don’t get as much quality one-on-one time with anyone as I would like, but we take it one day at a time and do the best that we can.
July 26, 2020
Morgan enjoyed a simple birthday at home: gifts, lots of playtime, balloons from Daddy, Star Wars plates and cups, corn casserole and homemade chicken strips for dinner, and “dirt cups” with gummy worms for dessert.
Morgan, you were meant for us, and we are so blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy! We love you to the moon and back!
Where has this year gone?? I honestly feel like each year of my life has slipped away faster and faster. I wish time would slow down! It feels like just yesterday that we moved to Texas, Grandma Penny was here to help us get settled, and Harper was born!
Click here if you are interested in reading Harper’s birth story.
Here are pictures from her birthday:
Daddy helped Harper open her gift
She loves her new doors and latches
Turning one and teething are hard work
Connor and Morgan blew out her candle
Harper completed our family one year ago, and we couldn’t be more in love with this little sweetie. She smiles all the time and lights up our days (and my nights!). Connor and Morgan can’t get enough of her. Although I am in NO HURRY for time to move along, I do look forward to seeing the relationship grow among these three.
July 2019
July 2019
October 2019
January 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July developments:
-Harper sleeps in her crib at night and usually wakes up twice, going back to sleep quickly and easily with a little rocking and/or nursing. Naps “alone” have been rough for the last couple months, and she only lasts about thirty minutes on her own (I blame teething and hope it magically resolves soon!), but she will happily take longer naps in the glider with me or in the Ergo.
-She eats anything we offer, although she still fusses on and off during mealtimes. We have been using lots of signs and are excited for her to start signing back to us so that we can figure out what she wants! A couple times, she seemed to sign “more” back to us when prompted. We also had a similar occurrence with “all done” a few days later.
-Harper showed her first attempt at lifting up a leg to climb (on her toy oven door).
-On July 12th, Harper took her first set of real steps! (All 3 kids walked before turning one.)
-If you ask for a kiss, she leans in with an open and wet mouth!
-Harper moves everything! She pushes/walks behind anything that slides, including the toy kitchen, laundry basket, kitchen chairs, stool, end table, Paw Patroller, etc!
– I have finally heard the syllables “mama,” but I’m pretty sure she didn’t really mean “Mama.”
-She can open the gate (between the living room and LEGO room) if we don’t latch it all the way!
-Harper plays peekaboo! It’s adorable!
-At her 1-year checkup, she was in the 25th percentile for weight.
Lastly, here is a roundup of photos, one for each month of Harper’s first year!
July 2019
August 2019
September 2019
October 2019
November 2019
December 2019
January 2020
February 2020
March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
Harper, we love you to the moon and back! We are so lucky to be your Mommy and Daddy!
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March, the kids have not left the house except to play outside, and I have only been out twice for dentist appointments. I never would have thought we could be so content at home, but here we are! We are more than blessed to be healthy, financially stable, and able to conquer whatever learning situation the new school year will bring next month.
Charlie continues to have a weekly 6-hour shift where he does a COVID screen for anyone entering the Headquarters building on base. Aside from those shifts, he has (socially-distanced!) rehearsals with his woodwind group along with occasional performances at Army ceremonies. He also does a lot of work for the band’s supply office, sometimes from home and other times at the band building. Some days he is at work “all day,” but we are so lucky that his schedule has been so much lighter these last few months.
The kids are keeping busy at home! It helps having a separate Lego room in addition to the loft and living room so that they can have a “change of scenery” even though we aren’t going anywhere. It has also been miserably hot lately (high 90s with heat indexes in the low 100s), so we really haven’t been playing outside much, either. Our days flow with the rhythms of chores, playtime, meals, and Harper’s naps.
What’s new with the kiddos?
Connor has been taking piano lessons since March. He has moved into his second lesson book, and currently loves playing the Star Wars Main Theme and attempting the Imperial March. He is quick with the nuts and bolts of basic music theory, and we are interested to see how his musicality and musicianship develop.
Connor’s second grade school year ended virtually on May 28th. Connor earned a few special awards from his teacher, including “All A’s All Year,” “Mathematician,” and “Fantastic Friend.” We got into a routine with his online learning to finish the school year, but the content was fairly simple since there wasn’t much new material at that point. The new school year begins virtually next month and it might be an entirely different experience.
Favorite activities of Connor’s include building and playing with Legos (SO MANY LEGOS), reading Harry Potter, gradually working his way through the Star Wars movies, playing hide and seek, cooking breakfast sausage, playing with his sisters, and creating forts/starships/etc. with pillows and blankets.
Homemade mask for a school assignment
Lego Haunted House
Last day of second grade
School awards
Morgan has been giving us a run for our money lately! She has a mind of her own, and don’t bother trying to change it! I am confident that her independent, stubborn, and strong-willed spirit will serve her well in the future, but it certainly has given Charlie and me a few gray hairs lately.
Morgan loves playing with dolls and stuffed animals. She lives in her own little world of make-believe, and I adore her imagination! She is on the waitlist for a preschool this Fall, but everything is uncertain due to the pandemic. More about Morgan to follow in her upcoming birthday post!
Always making her own fashion statement
Daddy is making a vacuum-ponytail
She loves to color!
Building with Duplos
Connor’s last day of school
A scientist and her assistant!
Harper is almost ONE! This year has absolutely flown by. I will jot down a few highlights and developments since my last post, but I will include more in her upcoming birthday post.
May
-Her first front tooth cut through in early May, followed by the other front tooth two weeks later (for a total of 6 teeth)
-She is so fast with her belly crawl! She pulls up to stand everywhere and is working on squatting/sitting back down gracefully.
-Sleep has been rough lately, presumably from teething. I used to lay her down with no problems after nursing her to sleep, but now she wakes up right away. We have spent lots of time sleeping together in the glider.
June
-She has been gaining her balance to stand with less support.
-Lately, naps are usually in the glider or the Ergo.
-Harper is finally trying the “traditional” crawl on all fours. It’s not as quick or smooth as her belly/Army crawl, or her new method: a “sled push” crawl on her forearms with her tushy in the air.
-She napped in the Ergo with Daddy while I went to the dentist (my first time out of the house in 3 months)
-She has started to put toys into containers (not cleaning up, just playing)
-Harper was standing so strongly by the end of the month!
And here are a few more pictures from May-June:
Talking to Daddy
Reading before bed
A rare shot with all 3!
Connor’s last day of school
Being creative with a box
Bed head!
We found a tree to climb in our neighborhood
Charlie was recognized as the Senior NCO of the Year for the Army Band field!Modeling their new clothes from our sweet German landlord, IngeHappy Father’s Day!
We have spent the last six weeks at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is a recap of the past few months since my last update:
January
Harper kicked off the new year by rolling from back to tummy. (She had already been rolling the other way.) After coming home from our Christmas trip to Abilene (during which Harper was still mostly napping in the wrap or snuggling with me in bed), I was suddenly able to lay her in the crib for two solid naps each day! Her pre-dinner catnap continued, and she just cuddled with me for that one, either in the wrap, recliner, or glider. This month, Harper started “jumping” in her doorway jumper every night while the big kids take a bath, she discovered her feet, and also discovered that she could stick out her tongue. She had a rough week of sleep and lots of congestion, which all suddenly resolved when I noticed she had cut her first tooth on January 22nd! Her second bottom tooth cut through about a week later.
Connor joined the San Antonio Soccer Club Jr. Academy and has practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7:30. We eat an early dinner and Charlie takes him to practice. I usually have the girls asleep by the time the boys get home, and then I can spend time with Connor while getting him to bed.
February
I was finally ready to let our sweet 6-month-old try some solid foods. Over the next few weeks, Harper enjoyed tasting and exploring banana, avocado, pumpkin, kiwi, pineapple, sweet potato, carrot, cantaloupe, and more. She really loves noshing on fresh fruits in her mesh pouch.
Charlie left on February 25th for a month-long spring concert tour with The Army Field Band. Grandma and Granddad arrived on the 28th to stay with us for a week and help out. We enjoyed their company and they were such a huge help, especially with taking Connor to soccer practice. We all went to his soccer game together on Saturday, and it was a beautiful day.
March
We loved having Grandma and Granddad with us for the first week of March. It certainly made it easier to pass the first week without Charlie. Connor’s spring break was the second week of March, and once I knew Charlie would be away on tour, I decided the kids and I would fly to Georgia to spend time with my family. Harper sat on her own for the first time the day before we left for Georgia! Thankfully, the traveling went smoothly and we made it to my parents’ house without any problems.
The girls enjoyed lots of time with Granddad!
Uncle Charlie, Claire, and Lily made a trip to come see us while we were in Georgia. Uncle Jason, Aunt Kelly, and Ceci also came over on Sunday when we all arrived. The kids love playing together, and they all get along so well! On Tuesday, my kids and I drove to Grandma Penny’s house to spend half the day with her. We played games, read books, played with toys, and had lunch together before we headed back to Gram and Grandpa’s.
On the plane heading to Atlanta; Racing down Gram and Grandpa’s driveway with cousins
Connor seemed extra tired that morning, and by the time we got back to Gram and Grandpa’s he was running a low fever. Unfortunately, the rest of our week was spent passing around germs that put all four of us through low fevers at some point. Connor and I also had sore throats, and Morgan had a lot of congestion. Harper was also working on cutting her third tooth, so the four of us went through a lot of Tylenol and ibuprofen that week.
While we were in Georgia, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) was spreading around the world and becoming a problem in the US. Charlie’s concert tour began on March 4th, and by the 12th, the rest of his concerts had been canceled and he was set to fly home on the 14th. The kids and I weren’t flying home until the 15th, and Charlie hadn’t brought any house keys with him since he originally wasn’t going to be home until the 25th. As it turns out, he had a connecting flight in Atlanta, so Gram and Neely met him at the airport to give him my keys so that he could drive my car home from the airport and get into the house! He enjoyed one quiet day at home alone, then picked us up at the airport on Sunday the 15th when we flew home.
Some of my relatives attended Charlie’s concerts in Pittsburgh and Cleveland!
By the time we flew home, we already knew that Connor’s school district was remaining closed for another week. Everyone was advised to stay home as much as possible to avoid further spreading of the coronavirus. As it turned out, the Army decided that we should be officially quarantined for 14 days after having been through the Atlanta airport. Thankfully, Charlie had already stocked up on groceries for us, and we relaxed and enjoyed what felt like a “staycation” together after having been apart from Charlie for the previous two weeks.
Connor’s school closure was extended, and online learning began on March 23rd. Charlie’s normal rehearsals and missions were all canceled, but the band was tasked by US Army North to conduct health screenings of personnel at a few access points throughout the base. Charlie was busy coordinating from home to order supplies (gloves, thermometers, paper towels, etc), and he has to work a 6-hour shift at an access point once or twice each week. When he doesn’t have to go in for a shift, he is busy at home arranging music for his woodwind group.
Meanwhile, Harper started rotating herself on her belly and scooting by pushing off with a foot, and by the end of March she was “Army crawling” on her belly using her legs and forearms. She also babbles “dadadada,” mamamama,” “nananana,” and a breathy “papapapa.” Harper has also started rolling over to her tummy in bed and likes to sleep that way.
Sitting like a champ!
Connor started virtual piano lessons on March 26th! We bought a digital piano for Christmas and I have been wanting to get him started, either myself or with a teacher, but for some reason I just hadn’t done it yet. Because of Covid-19, my former flute teacher, Jeanne Carere, was trying to setup virtual lessons through her music store for anyone across the country. I realized there was no better time: we obviously have the schedule flexibility right now, and we wanted to support musicians who are losing much of their income due to the pandemic. She matched Connor with a young man in Atlanta, and he has been taking lessons through Zoom. It has worked out well, and Connor is learning a lot! I love that he has his own private teacher, but I can work with him throughout the week on his lesson assignments.
Speaking of which…that is also one of the things I am enjoying about the current online learning situation. Connor’s teachers post assignments for the week every Monday and I’m grateful that I don’t have to “plan” what he should do, but I love being able to work with him on assignments. It’s also difficult, though, because he often just WANTS someone to sit next to him while he works, but I obviously have to pay attention to Morgan and Harper as well. It has been beneficial (though not always successful) to involve Connor in choosing how to pace his assignments for the week. He negotiated a couple times to finish something later, and then he got to experience firsthand that it is NOT FUN for ANYONE in the household when he’s working on a school assignment at 3:00 in the afternoon.
April
School closures were extended until April 24th, then into May, then finally closed for the remainder of the school year. Online learning will continue through the end of the school year. Connor has a weekly Zoom with his GT class, and another one with his second grade class. I have been (pleasantly) surprised at how well we are all doing AT HOME ALL THE TIME. Charlie goes to work once or twice a week and also does our grocery shopping, but the kids and I have literally not gotten in the car since March 15th. (Well, Harper and I went to get her flu booster on March 18th, but that’s it!) Everything non-essential has been closed or canceled. No soccer, no gymnastics, no MOPS, no playgrounds…it’s crazy. We are doing schoolwork, playing in our backyard, going on bike rides, and building lots of Legos. I think having a baby who naps twice a day helps break up our day into different sections and helps the days at home not seem so long and daunting. It is also helpful that Charlie is at home a lot more! Connor and Morgan really enjoy all their extra time to play together. Yes, there are definitely some tough times as they get into each other’s things, but overall I am happy that they can be together so much.
Morgan loves to join Connor when he has a Zoom meeting with his class or watches a video for an assignment.
At the beginning of April, Harper suddenly seemed to shift from exploring foods to actually eating! She has been “eating” at the table with us at dinnertime ever since she tried her first foods, but since she still nurses, I felt like I could delay sitting her down for solids at every meal. By early April, she was ready to eat more often! She often sounds frustrated at mealtime, and we are trying to teach her signs so that she can communicate her wants and needs, but it will be a while before she’s able to sign back to us. (Connor and Morgan both started signing around 12 months old.) So for now it’s a guessing game of trying to figure out if she wants more to eat, or if she just wants to hold her cup to play with it, etc.
Other April developments for Harper include settling into a 2-nap schedule, pulling up to stand, and getting herself into a sitting position from laying down. Her current favorite activity is playing with Morgan’s box full of veterinarian “tools.” She also loves to chew on a rubber Mike Wazowski toy, sit at the refrigerator and play with (chew…) the magnets, and basically chew on anything she can get her hands on! Harper likes to study objects and is working on her fine motor skills by exploring them with one finger. Speaking of fingers…she still loves to suck on her middle two fingers of her right hand!
Connor and Morgan
Connor turned 8 on April 16th! You can read a separate post about his birthday here. He still loves to build Legos more than anything. If he’s not building Legos, he’s busy roughhousing with Morgan or playing with Harper. He has matured so much over the last few months, but he certainly still has his wild and crazy side!
Morgan has been keeping us on our toes. She truly has a mind of her own. She has a wild imagination, tells bizarre stories that she seems to think are true, and makes up her own songs. Morgan climbs on everything, jumps off everything, and has no concept of the danger that could actually occur. Anytime I try to explain what could happen when she performs one of her daredevil moves, she responds with something like, “But I’m fine!” On the other hand, Morgan is also super sensitive. She gets her feelings hurt easily, and she also gets really upset if she sees me crying. Morgan loves to take care of and play with all her dolls and “amimals.”
And of course…more pictures from the last few months!
January
My 36th birthday
February
Connor’s second grade performance
March
A sweet “snuggle snooze”
These two always make their own fun in our backyard!
Happy Birthday to the not-so-little boy who made us a Mommy and Daddy!
It has been quite an eventful year for you. I am amazed at your resilience through all of the changes you have experienced in your 8 years of life. Since your last birthday, we moved from Virginia to Texas, added a new baby to the family, and you started second grade at a new school. That’s more change than I ever had while growing up! On top of that, we have been “sheltering in place” for the last month due to the COVID19 pandemic. Unfortunately, that means you can’t have a birthday party at the bounce house like you had hoped, but we celebrated at home as a family! You chose homemade Beef Wellington and corn casserole for dinner, and we made a chocolate cake for dessert.
You are such an amazing big brother to your two lucky sisters. This year you have really matured and stepped up to help the family in many ways: more chores, helping your sisters, preparing some of your own meals or snacks, and more. We are so proud of the boy that you are and the young man that you are becoming.
Harper turned 5 months on Christmas Day! Here are her latest developments:
-Rolled over back to tummy on January 1st
-Harper scoots a little on the floor (but not as much as Morgan did at this age, probably because she doesn’t get as much floor time because it’s too dangerous with the other two running around!). Between the rolling and scooting, she doesn’t stay in one place very long!
-Falls asleep in the crib by herself sometimes
-Starting January 5th (the day after we got home from Abilene), she suddenly started taking two solid naps in her crib each day! Sometimes she still takes a third snooze in the wrap while I’m making dinner.
-Still loves to suck on the third and fourth fingers of her right hand
On the move!
December flew by in a blur. Here are a few highlights:
Left: Recovering from Thanksgiving vacation was serious business
Right: fairy wings, swim floaties, unicorn slippers, and a few shirts…
Best buddies…most of the time!
MOPS Christmas party
I can never get enough baby snuggles! This is how naps looked until January.
Christmas and New Year in Abilene
Charlie went to Chicago from December 17th-22nd for the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic. He flew home on a Sunday, and on Monday morning we loaded up the car and drove to Abilene to spend the next two weeks. We have spent every Christmas in Abilene (except for 2017 when we went to Michelle’s in Virginia), but this was the first time we lived close enough to drive instead of fly. It’s so much easier NOT to fly for Christmas!! Connor and Morgan woke up way too early the day that we left, so they joined Harper for a nice snooze in the car, which meant a peaceful trip for everyone.
Three sleeping kids…isn’t there an award for that??
Our time in Abilene is always relaxing. The kids love spending time with their cousins, even though they are much older than they are. We had nice weather to go outside and play in the backyard, and of course we kept busy inside with new Legos, play doh, crafts, and toys.
Puzzles with Granddad
Puzzles and weaving with Granddad
Helping Grandma make cranberry relish
We all went to church on Christmas Eve. Despite a fussy baby and fidgety kids, we made it all the way to the end of the service and enjoyed singing Christmas carols by candlelight. Connor managed his own candle, and Morgan was too tired to complain about not holding her own.
On Christmas morning, the kids opened their stockings with Charlie and me. Once Grandma and Granddad were awake, we opened gifts together. Later that morning we all went to Jeff and Laura’s to have brunch and open gifts, and then everyone came over to Grandma and Granddad’s for Christmas dinner.
This was how Harper spent Christmas morning
Connor and Morgan loved their new play doh sets
Christmas morning with Kari and Andrew
Harper was baptized on December 29th. It was a privilege for her to be baptized by the same pastors who baptized Connor! Connor and Morgan had a tough time making it through the church service, and Harper decided to take a nap by the end.
We drove home on Saturday, January 4th and spent the next day unpacking and getting settled. Connor started school on Monday, but Charlie still had one more week off! It was so nice having him home. The girls and I enjoyed the extra company while Connor was at school, and Charlie was able to accomplish lots of things around the house as well.
Here are more photos from our time in Abilene:
Spending time with Grandma
Building Legos with Andrew, Aaron, and Kari
My girls love spending time with Kari!
Library day
Out to dinner with Kari and Andrew (and everyone else!)
Spending time with Granddad and Uncle Jeff
Having fun in the children’s area of the Grace Museum
Harper turned 4 months on November 25th, and she is developing her sweet little personality! She is easygoing and full of smiles. The whole family adores her, and she loves the attention!
November 17th
Quality time with big brother and sister!
Developments:
-Stats from 4 month checkup on December 2nd: 13 lb 5 oz (25th percentile); 23.8 inches (16th percentile)
-Grabbing toys and holding on
-Rolling over from tummy to back
-Sleeps well in the co-sleeper at night (usually waking twice each night). She even slept all the way through the night on November 13th!
-Usually naps wrapped up on me. I’ve started trying to lay her down for naps, but she almost always wakes up after only 20 minutes or so.
-“Talks” and coos
-Studies her hands and feet
San Antonio Zoo (November 3rd)
Thanksgiving in Georgia
Charlie couldn’t come with us because he was marching in a parade in Houston on Thanksgiving Day. Connor was off school all week, so the kids and I flew to Georgia early Monday morning. Thankfully we had smooth travels both ways.
The kids had so much fun with their cousins. It’s usually only once a year when we all get together, but the cousins play as if they are together all the time. The weather was great and we enjoyed lots of outside time.
The kids and I spent all day Tuesday with Grandma Penny. We played and read books at her house, went to the playground, then played outside at her house. For dinner, we met Oma, Uncle Mark, and [my brother] Charlie and his family for dinner at a German restaurant.
We always read books with Grandma Penny!
The rest of the week was a blur of time with family, good food, opening Christmas gifts, and helping with Christmas decorations. Gram and Oma found time one afternoon to take the cousins to see Frozen 2.
Game time with Grandpa and Uncle Mark
Fun with cousins
Aunt Kelly and Uncle Charlie with Harper; Aunt Kelly with Morgan
Chip and Aunt Kelly with Harper
Thanksgiving Day
Ceci, Claire, and Morgan playing hair salon
The girls enjoyed lots of time with Oma
Harper and Grandma Penny
Decorating day! Morgan is checking on the reindeer, and taking a break with Uncle Mark and Uncle Steve
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