april 28th

I spent months and months counting down to April 28th. I even had an app on my ipod that wouldn't let me forget how many days there were to go. Today is my due date. I never would have guessed that I would have a nearly four-week-old baby today. I was very sure that I would still be hugely pregnant. Today is also my nephew Paul's birthday. And, Brady discovered last night, it is Harper Lee's birthday. Can you believe it? I had no idea that our little Harper was set to arrive on the same day her namesake was born.

While we were dating, Brady was reading To Kill A Mockingbird. When he mentioned it in one late night phone conversation, I decided I really ought to read it too. Somehow, I had gone through school never having read this Pulitzer Prize winning classic. I went out and bought my own copy and fell in love with sweet little Scout and her compassionate father, Atticus. I remember thinking then, 'Harper. I like that name.'

Three and a half years after reading this and a month before Harper was born, I mentioned to Brady that I felt like our short list of names may not include the right name. We started looking in more places for additional names and that's when I asked him "What do you think of the name Harper?" He liked it right away and although I told him he couldn't settle on just one name before we met our baby girl, I'm pretty sure he did just that.

Harper Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007,
just as I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time.

I hope that our little Harper will be a precocious reader like Harper Lee. I want her to have a lively spirit like little Scout. Each day I spend with Harper, I get more acquainted with this tiny one and am so excited for everything she will teach me and who she will become. Perhaps she will go on to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I love you sweet Harper. I love that I got four extra weeks being your mom. I love your forehead wrinkles, your tiny hands and the way you sigh after you eat. You are my everything.

three weeks

The past three weeks have been incredible. Brady and I still look at each other regularly and say "Can you believe we are parents?...Can you believe we have a daughter?" Each day with Harper is a gift. She is a calm, peaceful baby and she makes our home feel so wonderful. She is such a dear!

Harper is nursing well, for which I am so grateful. She hadn't gotten back to her birth weight at her two-week appointment. We went in today for a weight check. I was nervous about the appointment, but we did it! She gained six ounces in a week! We are officially in the clear. I am one proud mama.

I am so grateful for her and for the dad that Brady has become. He is so tender with her and loves to watch her wiggle and move her arms and legs. I love watching them interact.

our baby girl

I stole a few minutes today while Harper was awake for a little photo shoot. If only the camera could capture how tiny she is or how delicately she moves her little hands. She is such a sweet baby and I want to somehow bottle up everything she is right now and keep it forever. Brady's Mom got here today and we are so glad to have her here. Brady had a much lighter day today and was able to spend most of the day at home with us.



It was hard to say good bye to my Mom on Monday. It was really great to have her here. She was such a huge help--from midnight feedings, cooking, cleaning, and going to the pediatrician with Harper and me. Harper will miss being held by her Grammy, but we are excited to know that we will be in Utah soon. Thank you, Grammy, for all your help. We love you and are so grateful you could come.

Harper and her Grammy

My mom got some great pictures while she was here and helped document Harper's first few days at home.

Daddy's Girl

Perfect nursing position

Harper got to meet her Great-grandma Ashdown when she was just a few days old. Virginia was in Arizona with her daughters visiting family. They drove down to Tucson from Phoenix just so they could meet our sweet Harper. It was so fun to watch Virginia hold her. She adored Harper.

Almost smiling for Grammy

sleeping like a baby

I can't help but stare at her all day. I haven't been able to watch TV or read while I am nursing or cuddling her. It doesn't seem right to let even a moment pass unnoticed. Harper no longer has to wear her bilirubin blanket and we are thrilled! She is starting to gain weight and hopefully by Monday she will be back to her birth weight.

our sweet harper

We are so happy to have Harper home. I have wanted to get more pictures up for the last few days, but my time has been spent almost solely on figuring out how to get Harper to eat. Because she was so early, we spent a lot of time in the hospital focusing on this. She had a really hard time latching on. We are still supplementing a bit with formula to try and put some weight back on her. We had our first doctor's appointment yesterday and she was down to 5 lbs 8 oz (a ten percent weight loss) which is concerning. They did a test for jaundice and her levels are up from the hospital. They are going to deliver a bilirubin blanket today. We are grateful for an amazing pediatrician who is being proactive with Harper's care.

I got sad today realizing Harper is already changing. This stage goes way too fast. Poor Brady is in the middle of midterms and it makes me sad that he has to miss even a moment with her. My mom arrived on Monday evening just hours after we got home from the hospital. It has meant the world to me to have her here, especially with Brady being so busy.

We are loving this time together and getting to know our new little girl. I keep looking at her and telling her in awe, "I can't believe you are here." Until very close to the end, I didn't really think I was in labor or believe that she was really coming. Brady and I had talked about how it would be nice if she were a little early so she didn't show up right in the middle of a final. Now I feel bad because she heard us and jumped the gun a little.

I had said before I would miss being pregnant. I do miss feeling her kicks, but now that I get to cuddle and kiss her, I am thrilled to be a mom. Sometimes she will kick her legs while she is sleeping and I recognize the rhythm. I see now what she was doing in there.


I am absolutely loving watching Brady be a dad. He is so sweet. The other night, Harper was sleeping next to him as he was studying. As he read, he was playing with her tiny hands and sometimes would just stop and stare at them and at her. Brady is head-over-heels for his 'Harper girl.'

Going home

She's here!

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family,
Harper Susanna Ashdown.

She was born Saturday morning just before noon and weighed 6lbs 2oz and is 17 3/4 inches long and is doing fantastically well despite being 4 weeks early.

On Friday morning Elizabeth started feeling light contractions and timed them throughout the day. As she was still early we tried a couple of things to get the contractions to subside. By midnight the contractions were 3 minutes apart and our doctor advised us to go into the hospital. Elizabeth did an amazing job during the labor and delivery without any pain medications and Harper stayed really strong throughout. This is in stark contrast to Harper's dad, who cried like a little girl when she was born.

We're ecstatic about her arrival and excited for everyone to meet her in person. In the mean time, here are a few pictures.

My take

Hi,

Remember that post that a few of you commented on just below this one? The one where E gave me credit for taking photos of her ever expanding belly? I thought I'd give you all an account of the photo shoot from my end, in photo form of course. Please enjoy.

Do you see the symmetry in this one? Thats art!