The world according to Harper ...

Jen does most of the posting on this blog (okay, all of the posting and she does a great job if you ask me!) but I (Andy, for those not following along at home) had a fantastic exchange with Harper tonight that I wanted to share.  Harper has lately been a bit curious about money and how you get some, so we have occasional conversations about how Mommy and Daddy work to get money and how she can do chores to earn some money.  We also will play fun games where she and I will sell toys back and forth to each other for quarters and we talk about how many quarters each toy costs.  Anyway, with that back drop we had the following conversation about her time at the zoo today.

Daddy: "Did you feed any animals at the zoo today?"
Harper: "No, we didn't have any money to buy food.  I wanted to get a toy in the gift shop but Mom said we didn't have any money.  We're going to bring lots of money next time so we can get lots of toys."
Daddy: "Do you want to do some chores around the house to earn some money?"
Harper: "I am going to get a computer in the mail, then I can do some work and earn some money.  The whole family will have computers and can earn some money."


If it were only that simple!

Morton Arboretum

I love this picture! Harper is chasing Reid around the tree walk at the Morton Arboretum after we spent the morning at the Arbor Reading Adventure class- it's a class for young children where we read a story, make a craft, take a hike and then drink some hot chocolate. (Even when it's an inexplicable 80 degrees, in Chicago, in March.) Harper is holding the rainmaker she made in class. 

From the same day, Harper told me that she was drawing a picture of a tree with birds and flowers in it. I was so impressed, she's such an awesome kid. 

Getting bigger!

Reid's hair has almost grown enough to put in a little bow. She is turning into such a toddler these days and is very verbal, just like her big sister was when she was a baby. She has recently started to say "no" all the time, which is driving me crazy.  It's mostly to deflect her sister from stealing whatever toy she might be playing with. I didn't know that I would already be breaking up sibling battles at age 1 & 3, I really thought that would come later! Clearly, I was mistaken. 

And yes, she's standing on the kitchen counter!

Naperville Riverwalk

We had a great afternoon yesterday, enjoying the sunshine and 60 degree temperatures.  The only thing missing was Andy, who is in Philly for a few days at a School of Rock event. There is an awesome riverwalk along the DuPage River and it's also adjacent to a huge playground and an area that people refer to as a "beach"- it looked like a hybrid of a public pool and pond- it was definitely man-made in some way but seemed to have a natural water source and slides, plenty of picnic areas, a sandy section (the "beach" I guess.). It looked like summer paradise for a kid. Naperville is such a great town! It won't be our town for much longer since we move into our new house in La Grange in 3 weeks but it will still be very close and I'm sure we will visit often. We are very grateful for our time here and especially to Andy's uncle and aunt, who let us stay in their house while we went through our house-hunt and home-buying process.

The littlest percussionist

"Princess Harper"

She rejected the outfit I had picked out for her for school this morning and insisted that she had to wear a dress to school "like a princess." This is what she came up with and then spent some time dancing around the house.

What are these crazy things you put on my hands, mom?

Harper helps with the dusting

Road Trip!

We took a road trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin last weekend. It was a great time, we visited the Milwaukee Art Museum and stayed at a hotel downtown that had an indoor waterpark.  Our fearless fish, Harper, had a great time splashing around in the water. We also had an amazing brunch at a restaurant called Roots http://rootsmilwaukee.com/ before going to church and leaving town. For some reason, Harper insisted that I take her picture drinking chocolate milk. Okay...

Coloring

Reid loves to color.  I can just sit her in her seat and she'll get to work. It's so cute, she makes the same "focusing face" that Harper always does.

Reid's new friend

We've been kind of friend-starved since Colorado, I'll admit it.  Ohio was a bust in many ways, including our social lives (other than Andy's friends from high school and their families, I have to acknowledge them because they were such a great part of our time there!). However, things are changing, we are meeting people and making friends. Reid has a new friend, her name is Katherine and the two of them were absolutely adorable together at a recent play date at our house. Reid is crazy about other kids, especially ones her size.