Monday, March 30, 2009

Spring Break

Well Spring Break is over and Mike is back hitting the books. It was really nice to have some real family time even if we just hung around the house most of the time. We did a few projects and got out in the yard and just had fun as a family. We all miss that - can't wait for school to be done.

In Claire Elaine news -

Claire is eight months old and weighs almost twenty pounds!

Have I mentioned that she kisses now? She has been for a few weeks and I didn't really know what it was at first but now I realize they are her version of a kiss. It is an open mouth sliming with a little tongue licking and if you are really lucky she nibbles you with her teeth. Truth be told it is a little gross but I would not dodge one for the world. Every morning one of the first things she does is give me a kiss. So sweet!

She is really rocking and rolling the sitting up thing now. She has been really stable the last few weeks but we still put a pillow behind her just in case. She hasn't started much signs of crawling or the booty scoot but that is just fine with me - mobility will be the end of what ever I actually get done during the day. She is either lazy or super smart because when she is on the floor rolling around if she doesn't feel like rolling over and getting the toy, she just pulls the blanket to her until she gets it. I think it is pretty smart but I am her mother . . .

We got our new car seats and they are quite the regal thrones for our wee one. It is a Recaro Como.
Very fancy and plush but I will say I miss the pumpkin bucket. It just seemed much easier to get her in and out of. This middle of the back seat stuff is for the birds! I'm sure practice will make perfect.

There would be a new picture of Claire but I am having SD problems - story of my photog life - so the new ones can't be read off the disk but I can see them in the camera, ugh. Any suggestions?

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

And a Happy Saint Patty's Day to you

The Happy Hasslers had a great Saint Patrick's Day. It was filled with fun and good cheer.


Claire was all decked out in her shamrock best and spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa Hassler.


She was the hit of the neighborhood. They went on not one but TWO walks and wasn't it a great day for it? Daddy was at St Edwards and Mommy finally got back to the pottery studio and ran a few errands. What a great day.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Out to lunch . . .

Claire and mommy went out to lunch with Kate and her mommy and grandmother. We had such a good time. It was Claire's first time to try out a "restaurant highchair." Ooh what fun she had (and what fun mommy had figuring out the contraption that goes in the seat). Claire so enjoyed spending time with her friend Kate. I did catch Claire giving Kate's mom the "stink eye" when she was feeding Kate and not Claire. For the record Claire's tummy was all full but I think she liked the idea of Kate eating her lunch with her hands. Kate is such a big girl.

We took pictures to remember the event. Why can't you ever get good pics of both babies in the same picture? But it seems like an adult and baby is just as hard . . .



Claire and Eric also had another play date; they are becoming quite a regular thing -

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A Visit from Family

We had family come into town this past week. Yes, you heard correctly – FAMILY. The Deal’s do have some family. They are few but mighty. They are actually my mom’s cousins (so other side of the family) but I have always known them as Aunt Alice, Uncle John, and Aunt Pat.


Claire had met Aunt Alice before when she came for the baptism and they caught up on recent events.


This was the first time she met Uncle John and I think they may have like each other . . .


This was the first time she met Aunt Pat (Uncle John’s wife if you couldn’t tell that Aunt Alice and Uncle John are siblings – little family resemblance would you say?)


And before Aunt Alice left (she was here a few days longer than the others) they had to have one last picture together.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Hmmm . . . Interesting . . .

So I am on one of my folks computers and just saw my new blog layout. Eww. It is very neony bright green. On my laptop (which I do most everything) it is more in the icky green category. It is very interesting how different things can be on different computers. So please leave a comment on what it looks like on your screen and whether you like it. You don't have to worry about the latter part if you don't want but you wont' hurt my feelings. I like the icky green, not crazy about this neon stuff. So please let me know, I need to know what the majority of the population is seeing so I can adjust accordingly. Merci!

On to Claire news . . .

Well, Claire is really growing and advancing these last couple of weeks. I can't help but think it has something to do with the fact that I am home with her now. ha ha. Anyway, she is sitting up all on her own for very long periods of time (I still put the pillows behind her just in case). She is also rolling all over the place. Major mobility is just around the corner, I just know it and then my life is going to be over. (kidding - sort of) And she can turn 360 on her back or belly pretty much. It is very common to come into her bedroom and she is turned all the way around and working on going around some more. Funny little girlie. We are having so much fun. She say ma ma, ba ba and mmmbaa now. She is growing up so fast, I am glad I am not missing it!