Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A Date Playing Sailors

You know it is going to be a really fun time when the playdate start in jammies. Great minds think alike.


They are really starting to play with each other instead of just around each other.


And there is nothing like someone else liking your mommy and playing with her to get a boy's attention.


After a lot of good playing and fun. The mommy's decided it was time to play dress-up and try to take a few pics . . . Let the mayhem begin . . .

This is probably the best pic of the bunch. Looks like Claire is definitely related to Great-Grandma Deal.


And this is the best shot with their hats on. Again, thank goodness for bloomers.


That didn't last long . . .


Eric: "Let's get the party started!"
Claire: "The what?"


Eric: "What is your daddy doing over there?"
Claire: "The usual, he's silly."


Claire: "This was fun."
Eric: "Yes, but let's not tell anybody about it. I have a reputation to uphold and 'plays dress-up' isn't part of it."


And we're done . . .

Monday, May 25, 2009

Busy Weekend

What a weekend. It started out with Mommy washing the car and Claire supervising . . . boy was the car dirty!


On Saturday, Claire had a playdate with her friend Andrew. He is a few months younger but not young enough to consider Claire a cougar or anything. They had a lot of fun playing together.



On Sunday, we all went to church and had breakfast at Grandma & Grandpa Deal's. Claire wore her new outfit that sweet Ashlee sent to her. Isn't she cute?



While we were all chatting in the office, Claire kept on going for Grandpa's shoes. We finally decided she wanted to wear them (or eat them) so she wore them for a while . . .





We then went to see Grandma & Grandpa Hassler's new car. Boy is it pretty. It was raining so we didn't get a picture. But she had a lot of fun. She also saw Aunt Cindy and chatted up Uncle Gene.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Fleet's In . . .

In honor of fleet week in one of our favorite places - New York City - and one of her favorite Grandpas - Grandpa Deal - Claire dressed the part this week.



The hat is one that Grandpa got from one of his men back in the day so Alison and I could play sailor. It is surprising how well this one fit Claire for being a hat of an actual sailor . . .


And for any nonbelievers - here is a crawling action shot I caught . . . she can certainly move!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Sweet Thing

Well Claire is just a busy little girl. She is still continuing her impress the relatives tour with her crawling tour. All are suitably impressed with her advancing abilities - as well they should be, she is quite impressive. She also started to sing tonight. Daddy was "la la la la la"ing holding her tonight and she was singing right along with him la la laing. It was sooooo cute. She really loves to dance and likes it when we sing and now it seems she likes to sing too!

The sixth tooth is definitely peeking through but not shining like the other five. I got a good shot tonight when I was trying to get her thunder thighs while she was waiting for her bath water to be drawn.


She has also been perfecting her wave. We prefer to wave hello to waving goodbye at this point. I started with Hi because it is easier to teach than goodbye. You have to leave to say goodbye etc. It seemed confusing so she will wave hello for now. Please make sure and greet her with a hello wave next time you see her.

This is a picture that we took of ourselves the other night after a bath. Daddy likes the picture so we thought we should share it with the world . . .

Thursday, May 14, 2009

So much can happen in a week . . .

Oh my, the computer crashed and Claire just did something new and fancy everyday it seemed.

The weeks events -

Sunday, May 10, 2009 - she showed-off for everyone at lunch at the Hasslers and out of the blue, clapped for everybody, several different times, but hasn't really done it since. Everyone was quite impressed. She was so pleased with herself.

Monday, May 11, 2009 - It is official . . . my life as we knew it that I was getting used to since having a baby is over . . . she can crawl. She crawls a little and then kicks out her left leg almost like a kickstand. She is so cute. I haven't gotten it on film yet but I will.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - I think this was the day she really just sealed the deal on her ability to crawl. Still not clapping again but crawling is being perfected.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 - Another tooth. This is the sixth one and the worst day. Poor girlie.

Thursday, May 14, 2009 - This is what I went back to find when I was going to our room and Hazel had kindly opened Claire's door for me. (Claire was supposed to be taking a nap . . .)

Yes, that is our little miss standing in her crib . . . she figured it out. Luckily we lowered the mattress a few weeks ago . . . does it all have to happen in a single week? It is all so tough on a mommy . . . they grow-up so fast.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Donations accepted . . .

Posts may be far and few between for a little while. Our computer died and we now have to make the big decision of what one to get next. This might take a while so I probably won't get to blog much until we get the new one. All suggestions are welcome.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Dog of a Different Color

Is this my sweet dog?



Who is this? I have never seen a dog so dirty. Where does the dog stop and the ground start?



I guess this is what you get if you leave your blonde dog out to frolic on the first sunny day in over a week. I guess you could call her a "black and tan." Claire and Hazel are going to have so much fun . . .

P.S. Thanks Mike for bathing Hazel and letting her survive. :)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Funny Face

So I was trying to get a picture of Claire and her current favorite toy - a big green bowl. Oh the adventures the green bowl and Claire have. You can dump out all the blocks and balls, or roll them around inside to make noise, or chew on the rim, or put it on your head and make funny noises . . . a lot of funny noises. I'm sure next she will move on to a big brown box.


In the meantime I somehow got the various faces of Claire . . .

See my new teeth . . .


If I open my mouth really wide I can make loud noises . . .


I do this because I can . . .


Hey kid, give me your stars and cheerios and nobody gets hurt . . . (notice the "Angel" on her shirt?)


And to end with a sweet one . . .


And for anyone who has tried to feed her lately, I haven't been able to get the "I said I DON'T WANT THE BOTTLE!" one yet, that is going to take two people I believe . . . It is kind of a combination of the "because I can" and nursery bully ones. It's a beauty . . .

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Nine Months

We have officially had Claire longer than she was in my belly. Wow!

We went to her nine month check-up on Thursday - no shots!!! - and to a new pediatrician to boot. It was a very successful visit. The new pediatrician was very nice and Claire seemed to like her too. She weighed 20 pounds and 12 ounces and was 28 inches long. She has now officially doubled her birth weight.

In other Claire news, her mobility has made considerable advances in just the last couple of days.


She can now get to the sitting position from her belly and dangle her legs out the crib . . . (and try and pet the dog)


And peek at you . . .

She can pull herself up on things AND the debate is still out on whether we can call what she is doing crawling. She moves backwards with her arms up but her legs aren't up. She gets up on all fours a lot but hasn't made tracks on all fours, she is up on her arms moving but slides her legs. So what does anyone else think? Crawling or not?