Flair for the Dramatic

Even though these pictures were taken back over Easter weekend, I still felt the need to post them. One of the things Harper loves is pretending. Specifically she loves pretending to be a dog or a cat. And when she is playing this game you should watch out, because she will actually lick you on the cheek if you don't stop her.

When we were up in Wisconsin, visiting my parents, Harper was in the basement rec room with my dad, pretending to be a dog. Something went awry and Harper "hurt her paw." My dad, being the excellent grandfather that he is, proceeded to fashion a cast from an ace bandage and some masking tape. Check out Harper's pitiful, "I'm hurt," face.


Don't worry. She was only acting. See!


Harper just becomes more and more of a character every passing day. Earlier this week, when she was playing nap refusal games with me yet again, she looked me square in the face and said, "I no take a nap, Mommy, the sun is out. It's a beautiful day out dere!"

I have to work harder on keeping a straight face. I've never before known a person who could make me frustrated to the point of tearing my hair out and cause me to crack up with the same sentence.

Today Matt's mom was giving Harper a bath while I was at an appointment. Harper was playing with one of her musical dolphins that float in the bathtub. When you submerge them they usually make bubbles and today one didn't. Harper told Ann that it wasn't working and needed new batteries! (Note to self: Lay off the electronic toys.)


*****

I feel I would somehow be remiss if I didn't mention what happened in Virginia earlier this week. Of course my thoughts and prayers are with the Virginia Tech community. I cannot imagine how you try to return to anything normal after such a tragic event.

The news affected me differently than things like this have hit me in the past. I am not sure why. This is going to sound crazy, but I think Harper's peanut allergy has something to do with it. In many ways the world has seemed infinitely more dangerous to me since learning that accidental contact/ingestion of a peanut product could potentially kill Harper. So I am already terrified of sending her off to school; I'm not sure any event could increase that anxiety for me.

As a parent, and a human, I find myself constantly skating that line between a normal level of anxiety that helps keep my family and me safe and a level of anxiety that qualifies me for medication. This week it's been a little more difficult than usual.