poop. (not to be read at the dinner table. or anywhere else, for that matter)

Harper has picked up some new and interesting habits in the past week or so. Her first newly acquired skill – which we all find rather amusing- is to growl while flexing her whole body as rigidly as possible. At first I thought it was her new pooping ritual, but after the results of the first few finger-in-the-diaper tests came back negative, I realized that she was just doing this full body stretch for the fun of it.

Her next trick is to get on her hands and knees and excitedly rock back and forth in her first attempts at crawling. After swaying for a minute or so while covetously eyeing a toy in front of her, she usually gives a confused look as to why her new motions are not getting her anywhere. Eventually she gives up by putting her face down in the carpet in a heartbreaking display of defeat. Don't give up, lil' Harp Face. Your time will come.

Her last trick is not quite as amusing, for me at least. Currently, Harper loves to poop in fresh diapers. It doesn't matter if it's morning, noon or bedtime (which is her favorite time to pull the fresh diaper maneuver), it seems that she waits until right after I change her to let it rip. I've recognized a 5 minute time frame which she allows to pass before proudly pooping her pants, which makes this new fetish at least somewhat predictable. The first time it happened, I thought it was a coincidence. I was putting Harper to bed (which is no easy task in and of itself), and when her limbs were finally limp and in spread eagle position I started to slowly creep away. As I was making my way down the stairs, however, I heard one of her shrieks of delight, followed by that telltale butt grumble...When I returned to her crib, I found her smiling up at me, blatantly proud of her latest accomplishment. I have to admit that, after all the trouble of getting her to sleep, the thought crossed my mind to just let her sleep in her own excrement. Luckily, it was just a fleeting thought, and I eventually bent down, took her from her crib, changed her, and put her back to bed. After some Mason Jennings lullabies, her eyes started fluttering and I knew it wouldn't be long before I was downstairs eating dinner with Rivs, when suddenly...ANOTHER GRUMBLE FROM DOWN UNDER, followed by a close-eyed smile. In disbelief I employed the trusty finger check, just to be sure that I wasn't just hearing things, or that my nost had been confused by the beans cooking downstairs (they have thrown me off before). Unfortunately the test came back positive, and so she was lifted out for one more change. It's been three days since that fateful evening, and at least once a day, Harper proudly pulls one on me, regardless of time, location or mood. She even did it yesterday at the grocery store, forcing me to change her twice on “Maxibodega's” excuse for a changing table made from an old cushion and held up by a thick metal chain. No guard rails, no concave nook, no anti-roll precautions at all. Actually, because of the makeshift chain, the flat cushion actually slopes downwards, which made quite the spectacle.

Don't worry. I haven't posted any pictures of Harper's new trick, just other cute photos we've taken over the past week. Consider yourselves spared.


This is a photo of Harper and her new amiga Bianca, our landlord's daughter.


The baby backpack is becoming our new hammock...