The Work In Progress

1 year

2012-01-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

Dear Claire,

Today, you are one year old. Twelve whole months. And you are such a big girl.

We went to Guapo's to eat for your birthday, and everyone came.

Unfortunately, you weren't such a big fan of the cake. Or the sombrero. Or the mariachi band. But I'm sure you'll get over that. You know, someday.

You aren't walking yet, but you are a really good cruiser. You say a few words - Mama, baby, and bye. You have finally started sleeping in your crib. Maybe one of these days you'll sleep through the night.

Happy birthday, my little baby bear. Our lives are so much more complete with you in it, and I can't believe that you are one year old already. Time flies when you're having fun.

Love,

Mama

Claire Amanda

22lbs 11oz, 30 3/4in.

The morning after.

2012-01-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

Hope you had as good a New Year's as we did!

Winter recital

2011-12-21T21:45:00.001-05:00

With Sugarplums dancing...

2011-12-21T21:42:00.000-05:00

Preschool Pagentry

2011-12-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

So be good for goodness sakes!

2011-12-15T22:51:00.002-05:00

Santa knows if you've been bad or good

2011-12-15T22:48:00.001-05:00

We has a crazy.

2011-12-12T22:24:00.000-05:00

Sophie took this picture.

ZooLights - at the National Zoo

2011-12-10T22:21:00.000-05:00

Someone is going to the derby.

2011-11-30T18:17:00.001-05:00

Somebody feed this kid.

2011-11-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

Hanging out.

2011-11-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

Kissing Ronald.

2011-11-08T21:56:00.000-05:00

Adventures in Jellystone Park

2011-11-07T21:53:00.000-05:00

Shakin' the Steak.

2011-11-06T21:39:00.000-05:00

She beat my score already.

2011-11-04T21:35:00.000-04:00

Invented by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr.

2011-11-04T21:29:00.000-04:00

Month 10

2011-11-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are 10 months old. You are getting so big, and wanting to be so independent, you're not going to be my little baby for much longer. You would rather be crawling around, getting into everything and forcing me to re-baby-proof everything.

We are getting ready to go on your first airplane ride tomorrow. Please please please behave. I've been that mom with the screaming baby on an airplane before, and I'd really like not to repeat that experience.

We passed out Halloween candy last night, and everyone loved you. You loved looking at all of the kids in their colorful costumes. Your personality emerges a little more every day, and you are going to be the most wonderful person.

I love you baby.

-Mama

The Nightmares Before Christmas

2011-10-31T21:16:00.000-04:00

Cheeses!

2011-10-25T20:46:00.000-04:00

Roasting Marshmellows!

2011-10-15T20:38:00.000-04:00

Punkin Patch!

2011-10-09T20:32:00.000-04:00

Month 9

2011-10-01T20:08:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are nine months old. Wow, time does fly by. You are such a happy baby, all smiles all the time for everyone. Until they try to touch you. Then it's shrieking and huge alligator tears.

You have abandoned all baby food in favor of Cheerios. If there are Cheerios around, you really don't want any of that Gerber crap. You love to eat pasta, bread, and pretty much anything you can shove in your mouth before someone swoops in to take it away. You even steal food from your sister's plate!

You still say 'mama' for everything, although you are getting some other sounds as well. You wave bye-bye, but only when you feel like it.

I love you so much it's overwhelming.
-Mama

Wait, I'm supposed to SLEEP here?

2011-09-24T22:32:00.001-04:00

A study in self-portraits.

2011-09-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck

2011-09-20T22:25:00.000-04:00

Flashback!

2011-09-17T22:52:00.000-04:00

Ham is not people.

2011-09-15T22:33:00.001-04:00

Oh yes, my child, it is.

And this one is tired.

2011-09-08T22:50:00.000-04:00

This one is hungry.

2011-09-07T22:46:00.000-04:00

Apparently we don't feed our kids enough.

These are the days.

2011-09-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

So's first day of pre-school.

Month 8

2011-09-01T23:56:00.001-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are eight months old. And boy, does time fly when you're having fun. We are approaching the end of summer, and last month you experienced your first earthquake (heck, mine too!) and your first hurricane. After a hot, dry summer that was absolutely relentless on the plants & garden, suddenly it won't stop raining.
Speaking of rain, the stupid mosquitos won't leave you alone. Today I counted five bites on you, one on your face. Poor baby.

But back to you! You've started eating Puffs and Crunchies, and all kinds of baby food. You also love bread and rice and pretty much anything you can grab when nobody's paying attention. I swear, you eat and eat until we stop giving you food. Yesterday you stole your sister's bacon. Today you cried when I took away a French fry. This is probably why you are now wearing 12 month size, and those are getting small. You're my little chunky monkey.

You say 'Mama', but that's kind of your thing, and I don't think that it means anything in particular yet. But I still like it.
You still laugh on the inhale, so it sounds like an excited gasp, and is really funny in itself. You're a very smiley baby, and interact with absolutely everyone. Until they get too close to you, then the game's over. You don't let most people hold you, although the Mama Fever is kind of easing up. Maybe. A little. Okay, not really.

You have a slight problem with the biting. Really, you need to cut it out. I have little bite marks all over my shoulders, and it hurts! Some people think they can get away with anything just cause they're cute.

And yeah, you're really cute.

Happy 8 month-day, my baby bear.

Love,
Mama

The State of Aquaria, August 2011 edition.

2011-09-01T22:18:00.002-04:00

Looks much different from a year ago.

We still have the peppermint shrimp. The tiger brittle star had an accident about a month ago, and we had to re-home the coral reef shrimp as he developed a taste for expensive fish. Current inhabitants are: 2 percula clowns, a coral beauty, a yellow tang and a scooter blenny. We've got lots of inverts, including a plethora of snails & hermits and an emerald crab. The foray into corals include button polyps, 2 mushroom corals, green star polyps, a hammer coral, a galaxia and a Captain America brain coral.
The freshwater cichlid tank is also doing very well, I'll post a picture of it sometime. We also have 2 geckos and a fire-bellied toad that we've had for over 10 years, and a female betta keeping me company in the kitchen.

Doesn't have time to be bothered by your nonsense.

2011-08-31T22:14:00.000-04:00

3 is the new 13.

The first rule of food fight club is that you do not talk about food fight club.

2011-08-28T22:12:00.002-04:00

Hatching a plan of escape.

2011-08-24T22:08:00.000-04:00

Life's just a blur sometimes.

2011-08-20T22:20:00.000-04:00

Playing games.

2011-08-17T21:45:00.000-04:00

This is probably the first time a balloon has topped a video game controller in this house.

FISHIES!!!!!

2011-08-14T21:41:00.002-04:00

We love the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Month 7

2011-08-01T11:16:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are seven months old. It's been a really busy month. This month you really started taking off with the crawling. You still army crawl, not picking your tummy up off of the floor, but you're super quick.

You are eating like a champ. You still aren't too sure about the Puffs, but you think that the purees are awesome. For some odd reason, prunes are your favorite. And you've had the blow-outs to prove it.

You've still got those crazy blue eyes, and you are so chubby that everyone wants to eat you. Nom nom nom on the baby thighs.

You have seven teeth now, two on the bottom and four on the top. After your canines came in, the two middle teeth came in pretty quickly. So you weren't a vampire for long.
guess it's time to move you out of the bassinet. Since you can stand up in it and all. This month we started putting you to sleep in your own bed. Which is actually a pack and play in the office, because I really don't want you and your sister to wake each other up in the middle of the night.

Thank you for being part of my life. I love you so very much, sometimes it's painful. You smile all the time (unless someone else is holding you, you've got Mama Fever pretty bad) and you have this huge smile where you open your entire mouth and show everyone your tonsils.

Love,

Mama

Puff the magic dragon lives by the sea

2011-07-27T20:30:00.003-04:00

Claire's not so sure about the Gerber Puffs.

The G-rated version of the last post.

2011-07-23T20:02:00.002-04:00

A few things.

2011-07-23T19:57:00.003-04:00

Notice we have 2 mobiles. We apparently couldn't decide.
Notice all of the toys in this bed. No, she has never slept here.
Also, the 2 of Clubs? Um.... 3 and under poker night?

The waving was actually a plea for help.
Probably to alert someone that there are glowbugs in her bed.
Or maybe that she already knows that topless photos always end up on the internet.

Sorry officer, I totally didn't see that stop sign.

2011-07-16T19:50:00.000-04:00

Cart full o' fun.

2011-07-11T19:37:00.000-04:00

Totally charming and completely innocent. I swear.

2011-07-09T19:52:00.001-04:00

First haircut. Snip snip snip....

2011-07-08T19:40:00.000-04:00

Mama Mia.

2011-07-06T20:57:00.003-04:00

She's definitely Team Edward.

2011-07-05T21:37:00.000-04:00

There is no Dance in Independence.

2011-07-04T21:21:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!!!!

The one thing I retained from 7th grade Social Studies. Thanks Mr. Mitsdarffer.

Getting the monthly photo. Kind of.

2011-07-02T22:06:00.000-04:00

Oh hi, I'm sitting up.

Wait, is that a paper? For me?

I'm gonna get you, paper.

Wait, I'm in the corner. Sitting up.

WHEEEEE!!!!!

Here's that paper again.

NOM NOM NOM.

What does this say?

Scrunch scrunch scrunch.

I lost my paper.

But hey, I'm cute! Maybe I can get another.

My foot's stuck. HALP.

Month 6

2011-06-30T21:31:00.001-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are six months old. You are getting so very big, and you have a mind all your own. Determined, I think they call it, and I have no idea where you got it from. You are almost sitting, but generally find that there is somewhere you have to go before you sit still for very long.

You roll everywhere, and you have started creeping backwards on your tummy. You're going to start crawling any day now, you get up on your knees and elbows and launch yourself into a faceplant, then scream your frustrations into the carpet.

You still don't sleep through the night. But don't you worry. I'll get you back, when you least expect it.
You should probably not be sleeping in the bassinet anymore, since you're bigger than it is and all. Although you spend most of the night co-sleeping.

Your dad put the crib back up to baby-level, and it's all ready for you, and you will share a room with Sophie.

Except I don't want your 2am shenanigans to wake up your sister, because I don't need two of you up at that unholy hour.

You have started eating solids. You are very skeptical about the actual food, and you spit out more then you actually eat. You really enjoy getting a mouth full of bananas or squash and then blowing a raspberry to get it all over the room. I know you enjoy this because it makes you laugh.

You are quite enamoured with the spoon though.

You have four teeth, two on the bottom and two on the top. Although the two top teeth are, oddly enough, your canines instead of your middle two teeth. Therefore, we've decided that you're a vampire.

You aren't a fan of the carseat. You do like sitting in your jumperoo, and your highchair. You ride around for hours in the Baby Bjorn, looking at everything and everyone.

You are starting to enjoy swinging. We bought you a special baby swing for the swingset in the backyard, and spray you down with DEET before plopping you inside.

You are such a happy baby, you smile at everyone and everything. You're my little cuddler.

Love,

Mama

Claire Amanda, 27 1/4", 18 lbs 4 oz.

Dance Recital

2011-06-25T22:47:00.003-04:00

Sophie was not a fan of her costume. It pinched in a couple places, and itched in a couple others. I put band-aids on her back so she woudn't get stabbed by cording, and cut the sides of her tights so she wouldn't get sqeezed to death. It still wasn't a very comfortable time for her.

The show itself went very well - Sophie walked right up to where she was to stand, and did about half of the dance while looking out at the crowd for the other half. It was adorable. She really loved that class, especially her teacher. Unfortunately, Miss Christine is moving and her replacement isn't very good with the little ones. Miss Christine, you will be missed!

Toddlers and Tiaras.

2011-06-16T21:18:00.003-04:00

Sophie had her pictures for her dance recital earlier this month.

She got to wear lipstick and eye make-up, but that was probably not the best idea I've ever had, since she kept rubbing her eyes and getting mascara all over her face.

Hanging out in our baby soups.

2011-06-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

Mama's shoes.

2011-06-02T09:10:00.001-04:00

3 years

2011-05-31T22:26:00.001-04:00

Dear Sophie,

Today you turned 3 years old. We had a party for you a few days ago, and all of our friends came over for a cook-out to celebrate. We had hot dogs, chorizo and hamburgers, and a bunch of other things. Everyone had a lot of fun playing, we had animal masks, bubbles and temporary tattoos to keep everyone occupied.

This has been a big year for you. You finalized the potty training (yay!) and started sleeping in your very own big girl bed. You are getting so big, and every day you look less like my baby and more like a little girl. Although you'll always be my baby.

You love stickers, and when given the option between coloring and stickers you always choose the stickers. You love books, and will want one book read over and over until you have it memorized, and only then will you move onto the next book. You love all things Dr. Suess, and adore the Cat in the Hat. You like to watch movies, and right now you are in love with the Princess and the Frog, all of the Toy Story movies, and Tangled.

Your favorite food right now is probably potato chips. But you'll tolerate salad, hot dogs, chicken and pasta. You'll eat pork chops, but only if we tell you it's chicken. I have been known to bribe you with lettuce to get you to try new things. You love pretty much everything salty, including different kinds of olives and feta cheese. You are a chocolate monster, but only chocolate candy peices (like kisses), you won't eat cake or cookies. Which means that there is more for me.

We joined the neighborhood pool this year, and you have been several times. You don't know how to swim, but you love jumping off of the side of the pool, and it's pretty amazing how you have absolutely no fear. You wear your "baby soup", and your sister wears her "diaper soup".

You still call me Mama, and you call Daddy "Da-ee" unless you call him "Dad-dy" with an English accent you picked up from watching too much TV. Your Abuelita is "Weeta", which I think is absolutely charming. And Claire? Clairt.

You talk so much now, it wears me out just thinking about it. You can spell your name, and now we're working on writing it. You're so smart and outgoing. We signed you up to start pre-school in the fall at St. Philip's, which is right down the street. You talk to everyone, and are not shy at all.

Happy birthday, baby.

Love,

Mama

Sophie Gloria, 3 years old

39 1/4 inches tall, 40.8 pounds

5 Months

2011-05-29T14:29:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are 5 months old. What a ride it's been. You are such a happy baby, smiling at everyone you see and even some people you don't. You're an easy baby for me, content to ride around in the baby carrier and chill out most of the time.

Your two teeth are getting so very big, and next week we are going to start you on solids. I've already bought cereal and some beginning foods.

I can tell you're going to be a blast to be around. You love making faces and clowning around, and I just know you're going to be an outrageous person.

You have started rolling over in earnest. As in, to get places. You're on a mission. You're going to take over the world, and you're going to roll to get there. Which has also pretty much ruined my life, since I can't leave you anywhere anymore. You're not there anymore when I turn back around.

I think you look like your Daddy, but he thinks you look like me. Regardless, you're a beautiful baby, you get attention from everyone everywhere. Strangers stop on the street to get a better look at you. I know I may be biased, but only a little bit.

It's getting warm outside, and we're bracing for the DC humidity. You love to be outside, and we've had some good times hanging out on the deck and in the backyard. We've joined the neighborhood pool this summer, and we're going to have so much fun.

You and your sister are going to be two peas in a pod. It's great watching the two of you together. You watch her do everything, and laugh at everything she does.

And I love you, my baby Bear, my little Claire, with such completeness it's scary. You're still my little nuzzler, my cuddly, giggly, laughing baby, and you always will be.

Love,

Mama

Sugar and spice and everything nice... until somebody grabs someone else's panyo, then it's WAR.

2011-05-28T09:20:00.000-04:00

It's too bad they didn't show up for the second round.

2011-05-27T09:15:00.000-04:00

Just hanging around.

2011-05-24T22:49:00.000-04:00

Jumping jumpers jumping.

2011-05-22T22:07:00.001-04:00

It's raining, it's pouring

2011-05-13T22:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Abuelita!

2011-05-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

From Hair, with Love.

2011-05-12T17:50:00.000-04:00

Remember to drink lots of water.

2011-05-08T23:23:00.000-04:00

To working women who are breastfeeding babies, who are pregnant with babies who will be breastfeeding, or who may breastfeed babies in the future, remember to drink lots of water.

Do not be afraid to go back to work. Go back because you need to support your family, because you want to have a better lifestyle, because you enjoy it.

Get two pumps. One for home, one for work.

You don't need a hospital-grade pump. Buy the best one you can afford. Do not be afraid of a used one, if it is in good condition. Replace all of the tubing and horns. Buying a used double pump is a thousand times better than buying a new manual pump.

Find a place at work where you won't be bothered, be it a Mother's Room, an office or a janitor's closet. If it doesn't lock, put a chair under the knob and a sign on the door.

Buy all of the nursing tank tops and bras you think you will need. Then buy four more. Get them at Target. They're soft, durable and cheap. You need to be comfortable.

Kellymom.com is your friend. It has answers to all of the questions you have, and several hundred you will have but haven't thought of yet.

Don't be afraid to have a few drinks. If you can drive, you can breastfeed. If you can't, you can pump and dump.

Make a schedule and stick to it. If your baby eats every two hours, you should pump every two hours. Make appointments for yourself. But, it's better to pump late than to skip it.

After your baby is four to six weeks old, nipple confusion is a myth. You have enough things to worry about, skip this one.

Build up a good freezer stash. A stash is like frozen gold.

Don't be afraid to supplement with formula. If your baby is hungry, feed your baby, even if it compromises your ideals. Don't allow your ideals to make you selfish and cruel.

Eat oatmeal. And not just in cookies.

Buy enough bottles for at least two days, then buy four more. Don't be afraid to wash them in the dishwasher. Always check the nipples for holes, especially after teeth come in.

Do be afriad of teeth.

Don't eat a lot of broccoli. Remember that your baby eats what you eat, so anything that induces gas will not be fun for your baby.

Eat healthy. Don't diet. Don't go crazy on the pastry either.

But one of the most important things, as in most of life, is to drink a lot of water. Then drink four more.

Happy Mother's Day.

Blue eyed baby.

2011-05-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

Check out those 2 bottom teeth.

Tickle Monster.

2011-04-30T20:09:00.004-04:00

4 Months

2011-04-29T22:52:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are four months old. Your sister wouldn't let me take a picture of you by yourself, so it's a group shot this time.

You still have those crazy blue eyes. I keep waiting for them to change, but they haven't yet. Your dad and I do both have some blue-eyed people in our families, and genetics is a funny thing. But man, are they gorgeous.

This year Easter was a little warmer, and we had the family over on the back deck. You smiled and laughed and made fish-face at everyone.

You were originally going to wear an outfit that coordinated with your sister's, but you spit up all over that about 10 seconds after I put it on you. Happy, I was not.

But you were cute anyways.

You totally have two teeth now. You were feverish and cranky, so I took the day off work to take you to the pediatrician. She looked you over, and declared you to be teething. So your aunt Monica and I went to Target to get you some Oragel, and we stared at the Oragel wall for about ten minutes. Why in the world are there 5,892,734 different kinds of Oragel? We had used Hyland's Teething Drops for your sister, which of course they didn't have. Because of course they didn't.

You love to be sitting up. Whenever you're laying down, you scrunch your little tummy muscles and try to do a sit up. You don't get very far, but you do get ten points for trying. And a gold star, 'cause they're shiny.

Of course you have the little socks that look like shoes. Because you're my kid, and I like to instill the love of shoes pretty darn early. They're kind of like crack, but legal.

Also the love of hockey. You're totally a Caps girl.

But you are beautiful, my little squirmy, drooly, giggly baby girl. And you are loved more then anyone could ever imagine being loved.

Love,

Mama

16.7 pounds

They took no prisoners.

2011-04-25T21:27:00.002-04:00

On the hunt.

2011-04-25T21:24:00.003-04:00

Sophie found all her eggs on Easter morning. Poor Claire slept thr0ugh all of the excitement.

Goofball.

2011-04-13T14:31:00.002-04:00

And then what happened?

2011-04-09T17:43:00.002-04:00

Month 3

2011-03-29T21:02:00.000-04:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are three months old. This month went by lightning fast. I am now back at work, and you spend your days with your Abuelita and your sister. It amazes me that you have only been with us for three months, and yet it seems as if you have been here all along.

Every day you do something new. You bat at toys, smile at lights, and are just beginning to laugh. You're the ultimate morning person, laughing and smiling within moments of waking up. As if to say, Here I am! Come and pick me up!

You suck on your fingers all the time, and I think you would fit your whole hand into your mouth if you knew how.

You are a big girl, and are nearly grown out of your 3 month clothes. I have to go up in the attic to find Sophie's 6 month clothes to add to the clothes we've bought for you to wear so that I don't have to do laundry all the time.

It's getting warmer, which is great because you absolutely hate being put into winter gear. Coats and hats you can do without. You now tolerate taking a bath, and don't cry the entire time anymore. Sophie and I give you a bath, she helps by getting you towels and washcloths and other things. Everyone who knows you loves you so very much.

Love,

Mama

Sitting pretty.

2011-03-27T14:57:00.002-04:00

Angry Birds.

2011-03-26T14:55:00.001-04:00

Sophie from the Block.

2011-03-22T11:26:00.000-04:00

Watch out. She has bling.

Sk8r gurl.

2011-03-14T06:18:00.000-04:00

So you think you can dance?

2011-03-14T06:05:00.000-04:00

Sophie likes Naima on American Idol.

Chubby cheeks. NOM NOM NOM.

2011-03-13T14:15:00.000-04:00

Needs a large medallion that looks like a clock.

2011-03-11T19:20:00.000-05:00

And she'd totally be Flava Flav. (I feel a Halloween costume coming on.)

Rain Man is back with Little Miss Sunshine

2011-03-08T10:50:00.003-05:00

On Sunday Sophie refused to take her sunglasses off.

We had a torrential rainstorm all day.

Go, baby, go!

2011-03-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

All right, Mr. Demille, I'm ready for my close-up.

2011-03-05T10:56:00.000-05:00

Claire has a friend.

2011-03-03T22:43:00.000-05:00

She saves all her smiles for the ceiling fan.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

2011-03-03T22:39:00.002-05:00

Month 2

2011-03-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Claire,

Today you are two months old. You are my little cuddle bug, wanting to be held all the time and snuggling your face into the crook of my neck. All of the shoulders on my sweaters have marks where you've mouthed on them. You still sleep in the little bassinet next to my bed, but when you wake in the night I pull you into bed with me for some snuggle time.

You still sleep with your mouth open, and you still have the little rattle in your chest from when you were born. The hole in your belly button has completely healed, and you are solidly wearing 3 month clothes.

You still don't like the carseat. Maybe it's all the poking. Sorry about that, but one day you'll be able to poke back.

You are such a beautiful baby, and it seems like every day you get more beautiful. Your hair is a medium brown as it grows in, not dark brown like we thought it was when you were born. And those eyelashes! The boys are going to be in some serious trouble.

You are very interactive, always looking around and watching everything. It takes a lot of work to get you to smile, and I haven't really been able to catch it on camera yet. But it's a wonderful smile, complete with dimples. You love to watch the ceiling fan in my room, and the sun light in the room you're going to share with your sister when you get a little older.

You like to be sitting up, that lets you watch things and interact with your environment more. You like things that are brightly colored, and watch your sister's cartoon with her.

We all love you so very much, and having you in our lives makes this world a better place to be.

Love,

Mama

13 pounds, 2 ounces, 23 3/4 inches

Somebody's watching me, tell me is it just a dream

2011-02-28T22:44:00.002-05:00

Knitting in my spare time.

2011-02-24T13:39:00.001-05:00

Smiling with the fishies

2011-02-24T11:53:00.002-05:00

Well she was, I swear.

The crew.

2011-02-22T13:35:00.001-05:00

Sophie-isms

2011-02-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

"Mary had a little man, whose face was white as snow."

"Can I have a drink of your bear?" "No, beer is for grown-ups." "Let me smell it then."

"Where are we going?" "Home." "How 'bout we go to a party?"

"Soup it!" (Properly said 'chupe', to lick your fingers.)

"Baby soup." (Bathing suit.)

"You need some help? I help you..." put your shoes on, tie your shoes, walk down the stairs, make dinner, change your pants, take a shower, etc. etc. etc.

"I need to bump the salad." (She is an expert at the salad spinner.)

"Chuck-E-Cheese is closed."

Words she says in Spanish no matter what the rest of the sentence is in:
chupete (pacifier), as in, "Claire needs her chupete."
aqui (here)
leche (milk)
agua (water)

We've started her calling adults "Miss Beth", etc., and she calls her doctor "Miss Doctor".

I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of any right now.

Twinkle toes.

2011-02-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

Seein you seein me.

2011-02-14T23:47:00.000-05:00

Hear ye, hear ye!

2011-02-08T16:47:00.002-05:00

Classy Collage Pink Baby Announcements

Create beautiful birth announcements with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

I can just hear Super Nanny flipping out about this one.

2011-02-04T17:50:00.001-05:00

Month 1

2011-01-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

Dear Claire,

You are one month old today. You are such an easy baby, and a joy to be with. Everything that seemed so hard with your sister are easy with you, but I know that a good portion of that is my fault. Learning curve and all that jazz. You do have some colic, which appears like clockwork at 7:30 and lasts until around 9ish, when you fall asleep for the night.

You have a teeny tiny hole in your belly button, a remnant of the umbilical cord that connects to your kidneys. The doctor told us to keep an eye on it, and we haven't seen any of the things she told us to look out for, so we think you're fine. You have a small curved birthmark on your left side, right above your hip bone. You have really sensitive skin, and get rashes easily from clothing tags and vigerous wiping (it's pat pat pat the bottom for you, my dear.)

You like to eat, and weighed 11 pounds at your two-week appointment. Sometimes it seems like all you do is eat. You prefer to be held straight up instead of in a cradled position, and sleep with your mouth open.

Already it seems like you've been with us for so long. I can't imagine what life would be like without you.

Love,
Mama

Getting ready for bed. Kind of.

2011-01-28T11:41:00.002-05:00

Baby Swing -1, Lindsey - 0.

2011-01-28T11:37:00.002-05:00

Beware the baby swing. Is vicious.

Head over heels.

2011-01-21T02:02:00.001-05:00