Spring has sprung and we have been having a lot of fun!  Spring break was a welcome relaxing week.  Harper and I were able to head to Lodi for a lunch date with Jenny, Caleb, Landon, Julie, Giada and Gino.  It was so cute to see all the little kids together and interacting.  Defnitely a lot of running around with all those active movers, but worth it. 

Lodi play date

We spent Easter at Uncle Roger's and Aunt Lynn's in the foothills.  Harper was definitely overdressed (with most of the cousins in cowboy/girl boots, but I couldn't resist the suit!  This was actually Harper's 2nd Easter, but for the 1st one he was only a week old.  He joined his cousins to hunt Easter eggs and found 2 with a little encouragement and strategic placing by mom and dad.  He loved all the food and gobbled it down. 

Easter

Brendan has been working extra hard over winter and spring to finish the 4 vegetable planters he has built and now seeded.  They are made out of redwood and look amazing.  We have already enjoyed all diff types of lettuce and a few radishes, and are looking foward to basil, squash, tomatoes and lots more. 

Harper and Dad in the garden

Veggie planters

We held Harper's 1st birthday party at our house and it was a success, though definitely a lot of work and a group effort at that.  It was raining all weekend, but turned out to be a beautiful, sunny Sunday.  We had lots of friends and family out to make it, a special thanks to those who came from out of town.  Harper tasted his first cake and from the pictures you can tell how much he enjoyed it.  Since he never had sweets before, it was quite a good shock and he ate it ALL and made a little show out of it for all the guests.  Thank you also to all of the family and friends that helped with food, decorations, party supplies, running errands!  Harper had been a little sick the previous week (with a fever), but his ever-positive and cheery spirit was back in time for the party.  He had his 1 year checkup and is doing great.

 

Second video of cake (the 1st was too long to load)

Right after the party was over Harper received the biggest birthday present ever-8 new puppies!  Gracy gave birth about 645 pm to the first puppy and the 8th came about 4 am the next morning.  Brendan was a trooper and stayed up with her all night to help her.  My nephew wanted to stay for the first birth and was so encouraging to Gracy until the actual puppy came and then he was so grossed out!  I wish I had video since he ran to the bathroom gagging and couldn't stop talking about the gross smell of blood.  Finally he told us "okay I can manage, but I am still nauseous!"  So now we have baby and puppy duty!  Harper is really interested in them and runs over to check on them in their box everyday. 

Belly-up!

We celebrated my niece Kaila's birthday last weekend (since she shares hers with Harper).  We tried to go to the winery we like in Kingsburg (Ramos) before dinner, but it was closed, so we went to dinner in Selma and had some good mediterranean food.  Then Stacie, Kaila and headed out for some wine tasting in Clovis, but alas that room had gone out of business!  So we ended up at the neighborhood bar, Neighbors, for some wine on the patio:)  The 3 of us will finally get some decent wine tasting on May 5th at the Clovis wine walk-looking foward to our girls' night.

Harper updates:
-23 lb, 30 inches
-walking and starting to run everywhere
-getting more teeth in with the lower molars beginning
-transitioning to cow's milk
-repeating words, still using waz dat, for what's that and other chat
-clapping hands when you say yea
-Logan taught him to kick the ball
-dances when music is on
-imitates Kaila when she teachers him songs and dances
-loves fans and lights (taking after Logan)
-no more pacifier (he only had them at naps and overnight, but dr said to try and get rid of them-he was perfect without them)
-loves to scream while in his high chair, think it's his way of saying he is done, although he is not crying or mad it quite irritating on the ear!
-will be starting swim lessons soon