Signs That I May Actually Be Insane

Tomorrow Harper and I will get in the car and drive about six hours (give or take) to St. Louis. Yes, I am willingly getting into a car and attempting to drive 390 -ish miles with a toddler, solo. I have many diversions, video, audio, and edible, for the car and I keep telling myself that we'll just stop when we need to stop, that we aren't in any tremendous rush to get there. The driving part does not particularly worry me, it's the six hours in a confined space with a two-year-old. It could be a very very good time or a very very bad time. Say a prayer for us.

Why would I do this? The reward is getting to spend a long weekend with a dear friend and her (nearly) one-year-old son. Harper loves being with other kids so I won't be the only person to entertain her all the live long day. Matt has about 349 basketball games to coach or attend this weekend, so the timing of our departure is pretty much perfect.

These days there seem to be two Harpers. The one that is charming and delightful and funny. And the one that spits acid and shoots fire from her eyes. I'm really, really, really hoping the delightful Harper joins us for the weekend, or we may not be invited back to St. Louis any time soon!

In all her twoness, Harper is really cracking me up lately. Here are some photos of her taking care of the baby doll Auntie Shannon gave her for her birthday.




This particular baby doll spends 98.3% of its life in the high chair being fed cereal. This does not say a lot about the level of exciting activity I provide for Harper in the course of a day. All she is able to recreate is breakfast!

Here's one last note from the vault of Harper's apparently amazing memory:

Today we were Target, getting a few supplies for our trip and she made two rather astute observations. When we were rolling up the juice aisle, she pointed to the Welch's grape juice and said, "Dat juice at Nana's house." It is the kind of juice she drinks at Mike and Ann's, and not the kind we have at home. Then we were in the aisle with baby dishes, cups, etc. and she pointed to a set of Elmo dishes on the bottom shelf and said, "Dos (those) at Mugga's house!" And she was right, those were the dishes she used at my parents' house. And she hasn't been there since August! A nice little reminder that I have to watch what I do around here.

We'll be back in a couple of days with a report about our St. Louis trip!