Laundry love.

So here I am, day number 2, slowly chipping away at the piles of laundry blocking the entrance to my laundry room. The little miss likes to help mama transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer and I always let her, even though it takes three times as long. Then, when it comes time to fold, she has to pat every pile after I put a newly folded shirt or pair of pants down. Yesterday, my entire king size bed was covered in clean, folded clothes for the littlest member of the family. Today, it's mama and papa's clothes. And, instead of my usual irritation and sense of dire urgency to finish one of the chores I loathe most, I am happy. Lately, life has been so good to us. I know doing Kevin's laundry is just one way to bless his heart and it makes me happy to be able to wipe that chore off his list (especially because I don't always get to it). He works so hard for us and sometimes I get so busy with other things I forget to show my appreciation. I know I'm not always the easiest person to love, but he loves me anyway. He makes me feel cherished and special every day and for that I am so thankful. I'm the luckiest, laundry piles and all.

A perfect day.

It's way too late for me to be up blogging. But, through the steady rhythm of my husband's heavy breathing next to me, I poke away silently at my iPhone keys because I just had to get this out.

Today was a perfect day. It was just us, the three musketeers. Contrary to what those images of "perfection" may have implanted in your brain, we didn't do much of anything. Started like a normal Sunday with the usual pleas for pamcakes while papa is at the gym followed by some errands. But, instead of the usual race back home for nap time, we pushed it back a few hours to enjoy some time in the sun.

Post-Target for some last minute camping items, we had lunch on the patio at a new McMenamins we had never dined at before. Lunch on the patio in Oregon? Score! Lunch with a baby that skipped naptime but didn't have one meltdown? Double whammy!

With bellies full of tots and a thick yearning for adventure, we trekked into West Linn and happened across a little gem that is Tanner Creek Park.

A play structure for the bigs and the littles alike. A covered area. Bathrooms without swarming bees and the smell of warm pee. And the creme de la creme water feature made just for Claire's size. It was glorious. Took her a few to warm up to the new surroundings but she was hopping in and out of those baby fountains like a pro in no time.

This park was set right smack dab in the middle of this adorable cookie-cutter neighborhood and just screamed suburbia. Claire shook her little swim-diaper covered booty right into those mini fountains while Kevin and I plotted on how we could one day get a piece of this pie. As if it couldn't get any more idyllic, my ears detect that familiar sound of none other than... dun dun dun dun... the ice cream man! Seriously!? Too good. I went running down the hill and stopped him. The guy was nice, with his big fancy truck, and we exchanged words about how I hadn't seen an ice cream truck in ages, he gave me my cones and he was in his way.

I'm not so sure that ice cream man knew how crucial his role was in my story and just how happy he made me. But I do. Man, we sure bit off a huge bite of summer today...and it tasted so good.

Techie Baby

Claire loves pretty much anything with an on/off button or a glowing screen. 

My iPhone, the iPad, Kevin's laptop, the Xbox, her baby laptop.

She's our techie baby, growing up in a digital age.

She knows how to scroll through my photos on my phone and turn off the lock screen.

She can already tell the difference between the real Justin Bieber Baby video versus the covers.

She doesn't know exactly how to use all electronics yet, but I know it's coming.

Only a matter of time. 

There she is, 18 months going on 13 years. 

Many more years of a phone being glued to that adorable ear of hers, I'm sure.

That face says it all.

Here she is learning her ABC's on papa's laptop. 

She watched the entire video without wavering, repeating each letter out loud.

I admire her thirst for knowledge. 

Gymboree Class 4 & 5

Claire thought she was in heaven when she realized we were going to Gymboree two days in a row. Due to our upcoming camping trip this next week, we had to schedule the last two classes in our package for Monday and Tuesday in the same week to avoid missing a class altogether. When we arrived on Monday, the room was setup a little differently than it had been previously because it was Gymbo's birthday! Gymbo, the nightmare-inducing hand-puppet clown that these little munchkins go ape over, is the mascot of Gymboree. Nearing the end of each class, teacher Laurie sings the "Time for Gymbo" song and all the kiddos scurry over to Gymbo's home and pound their chubby little hands on it while they wait for him to make his grand appearance on Laurie's hand. He sings songs, he plays games, we waves and kisses each child on the head. What's even better than the goodbye song from Gymbo is the stamp teacher Laurie gives the kids on their hands and feet before they leave. Claire looks forward to the stamp every class and points it out to everyone she sees for the rest of the day.

 As far as the class activities, Gymbo's birthday brought about some altered activities like a new parachute game with a colorful parachute instead of the typical star-covered standard chute. I think this change threw Claire for a loop because she loves to go under the parachute and point at the stars but there were no stars this time. She was miffed. They also played different rockin' tunes than the typical class songs and Claire loved the new jams. Man, does she love to dance! My girl is always the one shaking her booty on the magic carpet, running into other adult's legs and tripping over her own feet. She burns so much energy in those classes! Every class they do what is called the air log game where the kids sit on and bounce up and down to a frog song then roll off the back into their mama's arms. Claire always laughs and says "more! more!" Well, this time instead of being a frog, she was a birthday candle on the top of Gymbo's cake and would roll back when he blew out his candles. It was cute to see her get so excited. After three rounds of "more! more!" the activity ended and my sweet girl cried.

 Tuesday was a repeat of the same activities as the day prior with different children in attendance. Claire didn't seem to mind and it was fun to watch her anticipate some of the activities she would be doing in the class that day. I was sad to leave at the end of the class knowing we probably wouldn't be back for a while. It's not goodbye, Gymboree - it's until next time!

Because I love this age!

Being the parents of a toddler is really fun. Sure, Claire has some moments that make us cringe but most of the time her over-the-top cuteness outshines any of the difficult moments. We are working hard at reinforcing manners like please and thank you. I wish I could bottle up the way she says pah-weeeeez and save it for some added sweetness during those less-than-dreamy days. Thank you is more of an after thought but she is starting to say it without being prompted. 

As Claire continues to change, some personality traits remain a clear pattern prompting our "that is so her" reactions. For instance, she's never been one to hide her discomfort. The little lady used to love a cool breeze from an open window or two in the car. All the sudden, she won't be having it. Think you can get away with closed windows and a cracked sunroof? Nope - try again. Let's hope this phase passes quickly. Another new car trick stems from when Grandma K was in town. She would point out all the beautiful trees to Claire on our car rides and now Claire has made it her personal mission to make sure we are all aware of the beautiful "tees!" too...multiple times during each ride. It's very cute :) I love that she is becoming more aware of her surroundings. Let's not even mention the fact that she's starting to climb on everything. The couch is no longer a challenge and we are about one inch shy of her being able to climb up on our oversized king-size bed. Once it gets to that point, we're in trouble.

Kevin is a foodie so it makes sense that the little miss loves her food, too. I'm not exaggerating when I say that she asks for pancakes multiple times every single day. I put down a nice plate full of blueberries and cantaloupe with scrambled eggs and she looks at me puzzled while asking "pancakes?" I'm sure she's thinking what the hell, mom!?! Too funny! On a more encouraging note, Claire has been practicing using her utensils and she is getting really good a it. That kid has serious hand-eye coordination skills! Plus, she loves food and understands that a spoon or fork equals a full tummy. That tiny angel has been eating us out of house and home, ridiculous amounts. I'm lucky to say Claire is a pretty easy baby to feed as she enjoys a good mix of healthy food options with a few treat options mixed in here and there. Just as summer arrived, she understands fully the beauty of ice cream, frozen yogurt and popsicles. But, if she asks for "teets" (treats) she means m&m's...and she means business. We cap it at 8 max. I swear those tiny candies are baby crack. Claire goes straight cray-cray.

Speaking of crazy, our girl still goes nuts over her books. Nuts! Nuts! Nuts! Right now, any books pertaining to the alphabet seem to be her favorite. We have covered ABCDEFG so far but all she's seemed to grasp is EFG. Every time she sees words on a sign outside of the car, on a menu, on the tv or printed on mail, she points it out singing the tune EFG! EFG! We sure love her thirst for knowledge.

Claire's New Trick

When she learned to crawl, we cheered and dangled toys to entice her to move farther. When she learned to walk, we cheered and held her hands to steady her way. When she learned to talk, we cheered and encouraged her to use her words. Now, my darling daughter, has a new trick but this one came with a little less flair. Claire has learned to remove her own diaper. During naptime. And pee in her bed. Needless to say, we didn't cheer. Usually during the warm months, we will change her diaper before naptime and put her down in only her diaper and a shirt. She seems to be most comfortable that way. Who wants to sleep in jeans, right!? But now, post-pee incident, we second guess our entire routine. Should we wear pajamas? Do we really have to change her whole outfit just for naptime? Will she be able to pull these down? Will this evolve into every parent's nightmare of a crib and baby covered in baby feces? There are just too many unknowns. So right now, during damage control, we at the very least keep some leggings or pj bottoms on her during naps to distract her from playing with the tabs on her diaper. For fear of her freezing to death in cold, urine-covered sheets all night, we have been dressing her in the zip-up footy pajamas. The two-piece pajamas seem to be acceptable so far but I wouldn't be surprised if one day soon she learns to pull those down, also. I feel so silly for complaining about a her little aggressive tendencies...I can deal with biting a lot better than human waste. Just sayin. That girl keeps us on our toes, that's for sure!

Gymboree Class 3

Took Claire to Gymboree class #3 of 5 yesterday. Just as expected, she played and danced, bounced and climbed her little heart out. Ok, I would say realistically it was 75% dancing this time, mostly by herself in the middle of the room on the bright green rug. She sure loves the music they play. She wasn't quite as adventurous during this class, refusing to attempt to climb any ramps and not too keen on sharing the trampoline. She did enjoy the "3 frogs on a log" bouncing game more so during this class than any prior. During the parachute activity, which is one of her favorites from what I can tell, she decided to claw a chunk of flesh out from under my eye and make it bleed. Boy, didn't that shock some of the other kids during what they thought was a typical rendition of Down By The River. That definitely wasn't the highlight of my morning...but we talked about her being gentle and being a "niiiiigh gurl" (nice girl) then continued with the activities. I also noticed that my girl may have inherited her mama's clumsy gene as she ran into multiple kids during the class. Perhaps, at 18 months, it's only because their spacial awareness is not quite on point? Yeah, let's go with that.

I don't have many photos of her time at Gymboree because I try really hard not to be that mom. You know, the one that lives more of her life in a digital world than the actual world. The mom with the kid so sick of having camera phones in their faces that they refuse to ever smile for an actual camera. Yeah, that mom. There is nothing wrong with memories, but I think there's a time and a place. I figure Gymboree's sole purpose is for parents to interact with their children in a child-centered environment. I love engaging with Claire while growing her confidence as she masters new skills. I have seen her blossom so much already and hope that my effort in teaching her through play has a little to do with it. Plus, I can tell she enjoys the undivided attention from her mama and that makes me happy!

Thinking there are only two classes left really makes me sad. Trying to find a way to work these classes into the budget is going to be a challenge but I'm going to try. I was skeptical at first but I do think she is learning valuable skills that make it worth the money. What better to invest in than stimulating your child's mind, right? Right. Continuation of classes is TBD.

Claire aka Mike Tyson

My roommate in college had a boyfriend that would share stories about how he was in pediatric therapy for anger issues. The mantra that his therapist encouraged his parents to use when enforcing kind gentle behavior is that they needed A passive panda, not an angry alligator. Well, as much as I hate to admit it...my daughter is the latter. 

Claire is a biter. A biter, a pincher, a hitter. The kid has aggressive tendencies and it's getting old quickly. In the course of putting her down for her nap today, she aimed to scratch my eye out but fortunately only got my entire left cheek. The searing pain reminded me that we need to figure out a new way to reinforce that this hitting/scratching/biting phase is unacceptable. And that I need to clip her nails. Ouch! Then, within about 2 minutes she intentionally bit my finger hard enough to leave teeth marks. Both of these incidences, which happen only once per day if we're lucky, are her way of telling us whatever we are doing is not acceptable to her. The problem is, I don't know what I am doing to cause her to hit/bite/scratch me. Today, she was showing no signs of discomfort or anger, she wasn't even crying about having her diaper changed. She was drinking her bottle then, like a mama cat protecting her young, she swooped out of nowhere and made contact with my face. Since this isn't the first time, I have noticed that there is a pattern to her aggression. It seems to only come out when she's tired or frustrated. What's even worse is that I don't have a clue where she picked up this behavior!?! Operation: Teach Child not to Hit (or bite or scratch) is in full session. **Wine and/or margarita donations are gladly accepted.**

Sunday Funday at Saturday Market

To beat the scorching heat on Sunday, we met up with most of the Boss clan at Saturday Market down on the waterfront. Against all better judgment we chose to push back nap time to "until we hit meltdown" and forge ahead. I'm so glad we did! The day was full of browsing the outdoor booths, watching local performers, eating local fair from the food trucks and letting the kiddos cool off in the fountain. I remember thinking last summer about how much fun it would be to let Claire loose in the fountain this summer when she was old enough to actually appreciate it. Now, the summer is finally here and I was anxious to see what her reaction would be. Let me tell you, my girl loved every minute of it. Running around, trying to drink from where the water sprays out, practicing her ABC's by pretending to recite the names of the letters engraved in the fountain (touching each one by one), grooving to the music and shaking her booty. She would get out when her little body would start to shiver from the cold water, dry off in the sun, then go right back in for another round. Since water and camera's don't mix too well, I didn't take many photos but here is a phone snapshot of Claire, dripping from head to toe, taking it all in:

Claire zonked out pretty much as soon as we got her in the car and took a long nap once we got home. All that sun and running around sure wore her out. It was definitely a good way to spend a hot Oregon summer day. Can't wait to go back again! This is what summer is all about.

18 Month Photos

My mom met Claire and I at Picture People in the mall this morning to have Claire's 18 month photos done. This was probably our most challenging photo session yet. She wasn't too into just sitting there and looking pretty. Fortunately, after much coaxing by grandma, some toddler-enticing oversized number blocks and a little Justin Bieber's Baby bribery, we got a few good shots. I took some quick shots of the prints on my phone so they are not the best quality but....check out this cuteness:

I just cannot believe she's already a year and a half old. She's growing so quickly. This is such a fun age, especially during the summer. I love my girl and I know I will cherish these photos for years to come!

Bye-bye to Bah-Bah?

First thing in the am, she asks for her bah-bah and drinks it in her crib.
Before her nap, she lets out an excited squeal for her bah-bah.
In the afternoon, she sometimes asks for a bah-bah to sip while watching tv.
Before bed, she always takes a bah-bah. Always.

I have major major major anxiety over taking away Claire's bottle. At 18 months, she still takes 3-4 bottles per day, totalling 20-24 ounces of milk per day. And apparently, that is like the worst thing ever. I cannot even tell you how many people have said things like:

She's still on the bottle? 
She's howwwwww old?
You know that will ruin her teeth, right? Hope you want to pay for braces.
Bottles are for babies and she is a toddler.
She's not a baby anymore.
Why do you let her have that much dairy? It's too much for her system.
Why don't you just take them away?
If she won't drink milk from a sippy, then tell her she gets no milk at all.
You're the mom!

And it goes on and on and on and on. Honestly, I just really don't see why it's such a big deal? Think about the fact that she's been drinking milk since she was born. Why, because she is all the sudden considered "too old" according to google or my pediatrician or my coworker's friend's sister, should I take away her bottles? If I were still breastfeeding, nobody would be telling me to wean because of her age (or they all would but thats a whole different issue!) It just seems unfair, like I am forcing her to grow up too quickly. I try to live by the if it ain't broke, don't fix it mantra. 

My anxiety is not only because the bottle is her last baby item, but also because she will only drink water in addition to milk. She rarely drinks juice. If I take away her bottle, she won't drink anything else out of a sippy. What happens if we successfully wean from the bottle but she refuses to drink any milk from a sippy? Or, even worse, what if she wants the milk heated in the sippy cup like her bottles are? Isn't that like basically like giving her a bottle, just in a different form? See! There are too many variables...and it's stupid. What happens if her naps get all screwed up because mama took away her pre-nap bottles. It's like taking away her comfort. And for what? I just mull it over and over in my head trying to figure out what I/Claire will gain by doing this and I cannot think of many pro's. 

Sometimes this mom-job is seriously irritating because everyone else thinks they can make better choices or can do a better job raising your child than you can. I still maintain I know my child best and will ultimately do what I feel is best whether or not Dr. Sears agrees with me. Take that!

Gymboree Class 2

On Monday, we made a special trip to Gymboree while Grandma Karen was in town. To my surprise, Claire tackled a few more challenging obstacles this time including climbing the wooden incline with pegs that you have maneuver around and the woven rope incline that you must climb like a monkey without letting your hands/feet fall through the holes. This mama was very proud! She worked well with some of the other kids while on the trampoline or the modified child-friendly teeter totter.

She only participated in about one-third of the group activities, opting to ride the rocking horse or crawl around popping bubbles that had landed on the floor without popping. She enjoyed the parachute game, huddling underneath with the other toddlers squealing with excitement, and the crazy clown hand puppet the teacher brings out every time. It is pretty creepy in my own opinion but those kids go ape over it.

On a funny note, Claire makes it clear when she thinks the group activities are stupid. Her face says it all:

What are all you people doing? 
Don't you see they have a rocking horse and a mini trampoline!?!
::insert scowl face here::

Just like the first class, Claire enjoyed getting her boogie on to the music, running around on the magic green carpet pumping her arms in the air and bobbing her booty up-n-down. Both Grandma and I would say Claire's second class was successful. Cannot wait to see what she can impress me with next week. That girl is just so smart!

Gymboree Class 1

Months ago I purchased a smokin' Groupon deal for Gymboree classes for Claire. I had always wanted to enroll her but the class rates were not exactly paycheck-to-paycheck budget friendly. So, once I saw the deal, I knew it was my chance. Yesterday was our first of five Learn and Play 4 classes and Claire had a blast!

Learn and Play 4 is for 16-22 month children. Being 18 months, Claire seemed to be within the average age and really excelled in an environment full of similarly-aged children. She made efforts to engage with other kids in activities and tried out her abilities to share, wait her turn, work as a team. The advantage to these classes is they allow your child the freedom to explore and learn at their own pace. The instructor did encourage open play for exploration but also incorporated interactive activities with the parents and classmates. The parents are encouraged to take a step back, watch them blossom and only intercede when necessary so the kids can feel safe and uninhibited. It's also encouraged not to make your child participate in any activities they do not want to. This is supposed to be a fun environment, not a forceful one. Claire was clear about which group activities interested her (the musical ones) and which ones she wasn't comfortable with (she didn't want a stranger to touch her in any way). During one segment, the instructor blew these amazing hard-to-pop bubbles and Claire went crazy locating all the bubbles that had landed on the floor and toys around her, careful to pop each one she found. Too funny! She also kept returning o the mini trampoline with a handle bar and the plastic rocking horse. Rock, rock. Rock, rock.

Needless to say, I am so thankful to have purchased the Groupon. In addition to the five 45-minute classes, the deal includes unlimited open gyms (unstructured drop-in play times) for 5 weeks and a lifetime membership ($40 fee waived!) including exclusive discounts to Gymboree children's clothing stores (to-freaking-die-for adorable) with the option to enroll Claire in more classes when we become millionaires in the future. Cannot wait for next week. This time, we are taking Grandma Karen!

18 Month Checkup

Today, we visited Dr Nielsen, Claire's pediatrician, for her 18 month well-baby check. We left with a clean bill of health, new stats, a couple post-shots bandaids and some sought after advice regarding Claire's aggressive nature and her preference for bottles over sippy cups. Here's her new growth information:

In 3 months, she sprouted up 1.5 inches standing tall at 33 inches putting her in the 85% for her age. She also gained exactly 2 pounds weighing in at 23 lbs 12 oz putting her in the 43%. As usual, her large brain-filled noggin measured in at 46.25 centimeters putting her at 60%. That girl and her noggin! 

As far as her intelligence, she seems to score very high. Children her age are expected to know a minimum of 8 words and when we counted a few months back she was up to 77+!  We sure think her fascination with books really are advancing her communication skills! In other good news, Claire passed her autism-signs test today with flying colors as well as her 18 month questionnaire assessing her communication skills, gross and fine motor skills, problem solving abilities and her personal-social interactions. The only behavioral issue noted was her aggressive tendencies. My girl often bites, hits, scratches, pinches and pulls hair (either her own or other's) when she is frustrated or tired. It's now time to start really enforcing those timeouts and nip this in the bud. 

Our other issue to start focusing on, besides starting the potty-training process, is trying to get our strong-willed girl to start taking milk in a sippy instead of a bottle. She is still drinking 4 bottles a day(!) and, at this age, should really be using sippy cups. Most kids her age drink milk with their meals much like how adults drink liquids. Claire, on the other hand, still takes a bottle first thing in the morning in her crib, before her nap in her crib and before bed in her crib. YIKES! Since the only liquids she will drink are water and milk, she associates a sippy cup and milk with a bottle. Looks like I have got my work cut out for me. 

Claire received the first of two chicken pox vaccines and the first of three Hepatitis A vaccines. She yelled, screamed and cried - it was tragic but short-lived at the promise of a sticker reward :) Overall, clean bill of health for our long and lean girl. It's a good day! 

Happy Father's Day!

I think my friend said it best:

NOT BECAUSE HE HAD TO,
BUT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO.

Kevin is that father. You know, the one that you compare your fathers and husbands to, the one that makes all the rest look bad. He is such an attentive father, very present in his daughter's life. Never has he refused or ignored when she has asked him to read her a book or to wrestle on the living room floor. He races home from work and instead of walking in after a long day on his feet and kicking back with a beer, he helps to feed, bathe and then plays with his daughter. He never acts like he doesn't have the time for her and I love the way he loves her. Kevin is more than anything I could have anticipated when it comes to being the perfect father for a little girl. She gets to grow up feeling loved, cherished, adored, valued. I want that for her and I am so thankful to call him mine. Claire can't say it yet, but I know if she could, she would agree that her papa is the best. Just when I thought I couldn't love him more as a husband or a best friend, we had a daughter and he became a father. I love their bond.

 

At Kevin's request, his Father's Day was pretty low-key this year. Woke up early and got the gym out of the way, took care of Claire while I went to church, watched a couple soccer games while Claire napped then headed out to my parents for a BBQ with the family. Claire and I showered him with a couple gifts including a new golf shirt, a box of golf balls and Claire's custom-made "Best Dad in the World - hands down!" sign to hang above his dresser. It was a relaxing Sunday just like he wanted.

So, on Father's Day, and every other day of the year I just hope I remember to tell him often enough just how much his time and sacrifices mean to his daugher and his wife. Don't know where we would be without you, Kevin. Happy Father's Day!

Who she is right now: 18 Months

She plugs her ears when I vacuum and runs screaming from the hair dryer. You point it in her direction to blow the warm air in her face and you get looks that could kill. This girl is sweet but, to quote a popular country song, there's a "little bit of devil in those angel eyes." Hitting, biting, pulling hair - let's hope it's just a phase. My mom says Claire is just a girl who knows what she wants and won't take no for an answer. Usually, I can appreciate and even admire that quality but when it's a toddler that wants to color on your Mac with a sharpie it's not so endearing. Oh, and when she gets scolded? She pinches and/or bites herself or pulls her own hair. If this is any preview of the terrible two's, we are going to have our hands full.

In a typical day, drawing and playing with her baby are the two alternating activities of choice. Diaper baby, feed baby with bah-bah, rock baby in her Elmo chair while swaying forward and backward singing Rock, rock. Rock, rock. She hits baby on occasion, too. Aggressive one, that Claire. While baby is in timeout, we switch to coloring by Claire asking to "Draw?" while pretending to draw on her own chest. She obviously made up her own sign language for this and it's super adorable. So, we bust out the color wonder (mess-free) markers and restaurant-crayons to scribble all over paper (and often other non-paper items). When coloring in and out of the lines gets boring, I draw shapes and teach her what they are called. So far heart is the only recognized shape but it's a start.

Clothes just seem to get in her way, but nothing is worse than diaper changing. Apparently the little miss believes her time is too valuable to be inconvenienced for the replacement of a soiled diaper. Who does this kid think she is, Beyonce?

Everyday her speech seems to be improving. Uses new words multiple times per day and has established nicknames such as "Pate" for Peyton, "EEEE" for Ethan, "Moonma" for Grandma and "Bampa" (said in a whispered, breathy tone) for Grandpa. It's too freaking cute. If I could bottle it up, I would be a millionaire. "No" is the answer to almost any question you ask her unless it involves the word treat. My girl is an M&M fiend and is learning quickly that "teets" are pretty cool.

She is still into books, but before she used to always request demand that you read to her. Now, she will often sit and flip through the books by herself, looking at the photos and making up her own stories. It's always nice when I have a dishwasher to unload or am trying to make her lunch. When she wants you to read to her, she still picks a book, sits in our lap and pays the toll (a kiss) before we read. It's a small price to pay. We adore her thirst for knowledge.

Every single time she gets in the car seat, she asks for a snack. Fortunately we bought a carseat with not one but two cupholders. "Feeshes" (goldfish) and graham crackers galore. After stuffing her face and spilling just as many as she ate onto the floor, she gets bored and takes off her shoes and socks. It's quite a sight when she's wearing tights - boy does she get pissed when the tights don't ccome off like socks do. I cannot help but giggle.

Pudding Picasso

A couple days ago, Claire met chocolate pudding and it was love at first taste. She loved it so much, in fact, we reconnected the two again this evening and this happened:

Apparently, this time it was more fun to paint with than eat. And play she did. Mama and papa didn't even care because it was the first meal all week that they got to enjoy still warm and in peace. No mini, grabby hands stealing from their plates or sneaking half soggy food back into their bowls. It was a win-win.

Can you say bath?

Rose Festival 2013

To find some adventure on a warm Saturday evening, our family of three headed to the Rose Festival, a fair down along the waterfront in Portland. Since going to my first fair with my best friend's family growing up, I have always loved fairs. The rides, the games, those stupid cheap stuffed animal prizes, the horribly-delicious, ulcer-inducing food. Elephant ear, anyone?

Being our first time to fair with an 18 month old, we weren't sure if she would enjoy it or be too overwhelmed. She must have gotten bit by the same fair bug her mama did because she loved it! We mad our way down to the kiddie rides and bought some tickets. Almost as soon as my dreams of riding on the mini airplanes or carousel with my girl popped into my head, they were shattered. On the ticket booth window it read that children must be 2 or older to ride and no refunds will be granted. I thought no problem, she's tall for her age and can pass for two. Little did I know, whilst handing over a $20...once you get to the rides, they also have height requirements. What the? I suppose, looking back, I should have anticipated that but I didn't. I managed to sneak her onto the big slide. She rode down like a boss on her mama's lap yelling "weeee!" all the way to the bottom while her papa snapped photos from the base. I also half-coaxed, half-barged my way past a young carnie onto the fire truck ride. Claire enjoyed it also, minus the clunk noise it made after each rotation. She'd clutch me tighter and I'd smile bigger each time.

To spend the rest of our non-refundable tickets, we assisted Claire in some fair games. She won a squishy ball and a starfish stuffed animal. Neither of which have been played with since, but it was fun nonetheless.

A quick trip through the wild animal exhibit proved to be more of an education or us than her. She would point a the animals and imitate heir sounds while we carried her for safekeeping. She I'd stick her head through a gate near the baby lion cage (not in it) and got it stuck. That was the end of the animal exhibit.

Lastly, on to fair food! Papa was definitely in search of a good beer and all his mama wanted was a hot, cinnamony-sweet elephant ear. However, we decided to be the responsible parents we knew we should be and fill our bellies with dinner before dessert. A couple of pulled pork sandwiches, smoked mac-n-cheese and an ear of corn for the C Bear and a Rogue beer later and we were full. Claire and that corn on the cob, hold the butter and salt, were a match made in heaven. She even yelled "Uh-Oh!" at me in a sassy tone because I took a bite. Apparently, sharing doesn't work both ways with a toddler. Too funny!

We decided to rest our bellies and let Claire get her energy out and she definitely took full advantage, running all over the festival grounds. That girl can be so crazy. We ended the night with an elephant ear for mama, an ice cream cone (her first) for Claire which she wasn't too impressed with and the mother of all fair food hot apple pie fries for the papa. Too die for! We spent way to much in money and calories but the memories more than make up for it. Cannot wait for Oregon State Fair and the Clackamas County Fair in July!

Goodbye from the airport

Today finally made it. We have been counting down for so long and it's finally here. My heart is heavy to have left my little angel a couple hours ago but I know Claire is in the best hands. She will be fine. She will have a blast with her cousins and I know she will get so much love. Like so many have told me, I am certain it's harder on me than it will be on her. So, I am choosing to be happy and to let myself get excited about this vacation I am headed on. A chance to have mommy time and to reconnect with my husband, to just be us for a while. I made a promise not to let my mommy guilt get in the way of his time with his wifey. Second honeymoon, here we come!

Preparing for separation

Every year in college, when Kevin would leave Corvallis for holiday or summer break, we'd cry and cry and cry. Kiss and hug and breathe in his smell until the very last second before almost missing his flights. Stare at each other through the airport security glass, watching him get smaller and smaller and smaller. I hated watching the one person I wanted next to me leave me behind. One time he left in his car and I just sat on my driveway and cried until there were no tears left. I waited for him to swing back through the neighborhood to give one more hug, one more hug, even just one more wave or glance. He never did because he new if he did, he really would never leave. I knew that time was the worst time. That I would never feel that much heartache again. But it only got worse. 

In five days I will be saying goodbye to Claire for an entire week. It makes me queasy at the mere thought of having to actually say goodbye and physically walk away from her knowing it is not just goodbye for a couple of hours. It's eight good mornings, it's eight goodnights-sleep tights, it's 16 naps that I won't be there to hold her, snuggle her, comfort her, kiss those cheeks. I thought I could handle this, that it wouldn't be as tall of a hurdle for me to clear but I was quite possibly either in denial and/or just fooling myself. Maybe my coworker was right? Maybe we should have done an overnight separation test? Since they placed her in my arms, I have never spent a night away from her. And, to be honest, I really just don't want to. Not one bit. Every time I think about being without her, the tears just come. Now I know why Grandma K always cries when we part ways at the airport and why my dad cried when I left for Italy for 6 weeks. Goodbyes are the worst...

I'm just going to miss her so much. Too much. She is going to grow and learn and change and do funny things of which I will not be there to witness. What was I thinking? I cannot do this. But I'm going to put on my brave mommy face as best I can, even through the tears. My heart aches just thinking about it. How do you leave your entire heart behind?

Who she is right now: 17 Months

At just a couple days past 17 months, Claire is pretty spectacular. There are long days speckled with these shimmery, beautiful moments. She's an independent one, my girl. Not much cuddling goes on around these parts. She has no problem entertaining herself. Communicating her needs and asking for help is getting better. Tonight, while eating her dinner, she pointed at her high chair where her green beans were and said "more?" to which I replied "more what? noo-noo's (noodles) or green beans?" and she said "green beans" very clearly. I was impressed. She knows what she wants and is learning to communicate that. Notices when she goes to the bathroom in her diaper by either saying "pee-pee" or "poo-poo" or tapping on the front of her diaper. But, when you ask her if she'd like her diaper changed so promptly responds "no" because she can't be bothered to let a diaper change get in the way of her play time. When she's laid down for a nap, she let's out a very excited giggle-laugh combo when she knows her baa-baa is coming. It melts my heart. She is and always has been a curious one. Always wanting to learn more. Books are still her thing. She opens the book, you tell her what to find. If it is an animal, she will make the sound to match. She can also recognize many more items like balloons, clocks, bananas, cars, trucks, babies, chairs, flowers, trees, balls, etc. She loves to draw, especially with sidewalk chalk but a pen with paper will do just fine. If you don't watch her closely, she will finagle the cap off the pen and color on any other surface but the paper. She eats the sharp ends off crayons on occasion. TV isn't on much at our house but she does enjoy a good episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Sesame Street now and then. She knows the names of most Sesame characters. In the car she enjoys one cupholder full of puffs or crackers and the other cupholder with her water-filled sippy cup. Sometimes she wants a book to look at, sometimes she just wants to stare out the window. There is a lot of confidence stuffed into that little body. Doesn't become uneasy when I have to drop her off at the play area in the gym or with a babysitter. She may stand back and take it all in at first (like in the above photo at Sesame Street Live) but soon enough joins in on the activities. At the park, she soaks up the vibes of the other children. They seem friendly? She's friendly back. They seem grumpy or intimidating. She will adjust for that. And periodically, she will look back for her mama and I see it: that smile, that shimmery beautiful piece of her that is so perfectly Claire.

My Very Special Mother's Day

Mother's Day was really special this year. I received beautiful flowers from my little Claire Bear (via Grandma K) on Saturday. On Sunday, Kevin let me sleep in (bliss!) while he cleaned up the kitchen downstairs. When I woke up, I sipped on some coffee out of my favorite mug with my favorite creamer while my hunk whipped me up a wonderful breakfast. He recreated my favorite broccoli & sharp cheddar omelet from my favorite breakfast place in Corvallis, but adjusted it to mostly egg whites to make it more weight watcher friendly. He thinks of everything! It came with a side of sweet potato hash and mimosa's. Yum! And the fact that I didn't even lift a finger? Double-yum! The table was adorned with my beautiful flower bouquet and we all sat down to eat breakfast as a family. Claire kept asking for more "tees, peas" (trees, please) - Kevin taught her to call broccoli trees. She's the cutest and breakfast was nothing short of fabulous.

A few days prior I had made plans to go see The Big Wedding with my mom for Mother's Day. So, after breakfast, I got ready and headed out to my mom's house. I delivered to her a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers from the farmer's market. She loved them! My mom got me a really adorable all-white garden gnome and a little mini-gnome on a stick to put in a pot. I'm still hunting for the perfect homes for them. Not sure what my gnome obsession is all about, but I just can't get enough of their cuteness. Kevin wasn't too found that my collection had grown but that's life. I informed him that they are going in the front yard and he didn't have any say since it was Mother's Day. He just smiled.

Window shopping at the mall with my mom was fun. We got a couple things needed for our upcoming trip then headed over to the theater. In typical chick-flick style, it was jam-packed with other mother-daughter couples. We laughed our way through the movie and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Sometimes it's nice to just get away from it all. The movies always does that for me. Mom and I parted ways with a kiss and wishes for a Happy Mother's Day exchanged to each of us.

Little did I know, Kevin was up to a little something-something while I was out. My return was greeted with a very happy (but still under the weather) baby and 3 presents on the kitchen table. He was very specific on how he would like me to open the gifts, each labeled with a card and little blurb about the treasure inside:

"So many things seem to run in three's. We have our three person family. You are three very important things to me - my best friend, my wifey and the mother of our child. So it only makes sense to get you three gifts:"

Gift 1: Quality Time with Your Husband!
"Gee, aren't you a lucky one. This gift may not be a surprise, but you deserve some time with me doing what you like to do. Consider it an experience with me to remember." - It was a giftcard for us to get pedicures together. I have been trying to get him to go with me for years.

Gift 2: Nurturing the Claire Bear
"Parenthood has it's ups and downs, but few things are as rewarding and stress free as sharing positive moments with our daughter. Here is a tool that will help you remember this Mother's Day and Claire, but also allow you to teach and interact with Claire in the future." - It was a pot with Claire's handprints all over it, complete with soil and a tomato plant. This should be fun!

Gift 3: The Simple Things
"Time to keep it real. Spending time with Claire and I and calling it relaxing? That's probably the most stressful thing you do. We are probably taking years off your life. So, here's an entirely different way to relax. Consider it a way to forget us both for a moment." - Not sure I'd ever want to forget them, but the sentiment is nice. It was a bottle of 88 Vodka from a local Portland distillery. And boy, is it good! Kevin completed my cocktail by mixing the sweet nectar with some fresh, partially frozen watermelon puree. Happy Mother's day to me!

So, after tearing up at the ever-so-sweet card he got for me, we ended the day by eating a healthy meal together and sipping on watermelon cocktails. He sure went above and beyond anything I expected, but I was enjoying all the special treatment. I love my family and I am truly blessed.

Dreaming of Home

Happy to announce we have made some positive changes to start working towards life goals for this family. One big adjustment is our new budgeting system recently put into place. After testing it the last few months, and making necessary monetary adjustments, it seems to be working for us. Kevin and I decided it is worth the scrimping, saving and sacrificing we are enduring (minus the fabulous trip to the Carribbean we leave for in a couple weeks) in order to save for something better. Luckily, we were smart to create a budget that is manageable, the perfect mix of work and play. There is no time like the present to take advantage of the blessings we have been given (Kevin recently got a promotion!) and use them wisely towards buying a little home we can call our own. Like I told my mother-in-law, it may take years and it's just a step - but it's a step in the right direction. We are like hungry kids waiting for our own piece of the (American dream) pie. Baby steps. We'll get there. And until we do...we are going to enjoy the ride. 

The Pink Stuff, round 2

Went to see Dr. Nielsen, Claire's pediatrician, a little earlier than expected this time around. Claire had a cold that was hanging around longer than normal in conjunction with a low-grade consistent fever, a wet cough and a lot of congestion in her chest. I figured a trip to the pediatrician today was in order to clear up any possibilities of something more serious than the common cold like pneumonia, etc. Good news is she doesn't have anything more than the common cold. That's a relief! Bad news is that she does have a pretty nasty ear infection. Poor baby! Doc said her ear is blocked with a pocket of pus and that she's not surprised she's been extra cranky. She was never pulling or tugging at her ears so I didn't realize what was happening. I just figured she was cranky because she didn't feel well, she has 4 molars trying to break through and she's a 1.5 year old that likes to throw tantrums. Silly mama! Well, two trips to the pharmacy and one $4 prescription later, we have the new bottle of the pink stuff (amoxicillin) and a happier baby girl. She takes the "num-nums" (medicine) like a champ and she's feeling a lot better. Two does of 1.5 teaspoons per day sure help to keep the doctor away. On a brighter note, the doctor did say that we have been very lucky. Having only two ear infections in 18 months is more rare than you'd think. So, I guess we are pretty lucky. I'm just glad my baby girl is feeling better. 

Tantrum City

Sometime in the last month or so, Claire discovered that she has her own opinions...and that she can enforce them. Loudly. Complete with tears, kicking-n-screaming, and a scrunched up nose. It is quite dramatic around these parts. Let's just go thru a typical morning, shall we?

She wakes up in the morning and her diaper needs to be changed? Tantrum. Alligator tears, thrashing on her changing table, kicking mama, pulling my hair. The whole bit. Then, God forbid I have to clothe her after the bath! Tantrum. Screaming, grinding her teeth, pulling her own hair. I understand that this kid doesn't like to wear clothes (who does?) but that's just not the way the world works. She doesn't buy it. Ok, now on to breakfast. Shes been signing "eat" at me all morning so i know shes hungry. So, I put her down to cook breakfast. She comes to me asking me to read her a book. I saw no, that i will read it after im done cooking annnnnd. . . Tantrum. Flails herself on the ground, head own and bucking her legs up in the air like a wild animal. And it only gets worse - I made her eggs on a morning she wants pancakes? Tantrum. Only this time, she just says "no" a million times and straight up refuses not to eat it. On the really special days, she thrashes it all over the ground. As if the food I offered her is so terrible, it's better off on the floor. Funny thing is, she really will not eat it. At that point, plan B it is. I made her eggs and she wants pancakes? Pancakes, it is....

And I'm just stopping this wonderful play-by-play at breakfast, but it continues all day long. Don't even get me started if I have to put sunscreen on her or wipe her nose. If looks could kill, I'd be 6 feet under by now. My girl, and her tantrums, have a smile that can light up a room mixed with a glare that can make you cringe.

This tantrum thing is just a phase, right? Riiiiiiiight.

Sesame Street Live

Hanging out with Oscar the Grouch.

So excited to see Abby Cadabby!

Playing in Big Bird's nest

My girl loves her some Elmo! Sesame Street Live was a huge success and worth every penny. We bought the tickets knowing we may have to leave early in case Claire got scared of the characters or being in a dark, loud room was too much for her. With babies, you just never know. But, fortunately, she did so well. I braced myself all week for the crowds, the screaming kids everywhere, and the other high-anxiety parents (just like me) trying to keep track of them, but the place was empty. No lines to bathrooms. Empty seats all around. Only took us 3 minutes to get popcorn, a hotdog and some drinks. You could still buy tickets at the door. Maybe the early showing on Sunday is a less popular time but it totally rocked for us. I was relaxed, calm and stress free. We had fabulous seats - seven rows back from the stage and about an arm's length from the mini stage where characters would come out and dance periodically throughout the show.

Claire in her popcorn-induced coma.

We were so close to the characters!

She had to push all the buttons to make them talk!

Not too amused with the Sesame Street stoop.

My little music lover cried when she had to leave the tiny piano.

Claire loved seeing them up close. Ernie stopped to shake Claire's hand during the show and she was smitten. The only character she didn't seem to fond of was Count Dracula. The closer he got to her, the closer she got to papa. And I don't blame her - that dude is creepy with the pointy-dark features, vampire fangs and arched eye brows. My girl has got a good sense of stranger danger. She made it thru the first half of the show in a trance - I'm not even sure she blinked. She sat there and didn't take her eyes of the stage, clapping, smiling, dancing. We let her run around a bit during intermission and, while she did well, the second half she was a little more antsy. Switching from mama to papa's laps and wanting to be snuggled. I definitely think an hour and a half show was a bit too long but we did make it to the end. Overall, it was so much fun. Definitely a different way than we had ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the past but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Plus, we got out of there without purchasing the $10 Elmo balloon, a $15 t-shirt or any of the other memorabilia. Score! Can't wait for next year. I'll leave you with the best photo we got of the three of us:

Little Swimmer

Our local aquatic center holds a Parent-Preschool Program in the mornings Monday thru Friday. They open the two kiddie areas at their facility for kids 6 and under. It allows parents to feel comfortable knowing the older children that attend the weekend open swim aren't going to mow down their little ones. Looking for something fun and different to do, Claire and I decided to check it out. We met up this morning with my nieces and my cousin's daughter at the pool. Not sure what to expect, I figured it would either be packed or we'd have the place to ourselves. I got there 10 minutes late and was the 4th car in the parking lot. Score! Since Claire is under 3, she got in for free and it cost $2.50 for me for being a Clackamas County resident. $2.50 for an hour and a half of warm-water swimming at a heated indoor facility? That's a steal!

Trying to keep Claire comfortable being around water, I just sort of plopped her in the kiddie pool and let her take the lead on what she was comfortable doing. In the beginning, my little analyzer just observed and took it all in. The older girlies enjoyed flying down the seal slide (shown in the photo below) while Claire preferred for mama to hold her or to float on a big duckie while mama moved it back and forth in the water. She'd walk the edge of the pool and ponder life. She'd flirt with the lifeguard (no joke!). We took turns with other babies playing with the steering wheels and even went down the slide a couple times. She'd walk from pool to pool and watch the other kiddos show off their best moves in the water. I tested out what Claire remembered from swimming lessons - she could still do the monkey hang on the side of the pool and she'd stand on the edge and "jump" to me in the water. She was not too fond of floating on her back, but she never liked that in swimming lessons either. Even though she was a little off due to two giant molars coming in, she still had a lot of fun. But when she was done, she was done. So, I wrapped her up in a towel and we snuggled on the edge of the pool while the girlies continued to play. Cannot wait to go again when she's feeling 100%.  I would say our little adventure was definitely a success.

Our first visit to the Children's Museum

Sunday was a day for books for the Garvey family! We took Claire to the Children's Museum and all three of us had a blast. I hadn't been there since elementary school and Kevin had never been so neither of us knew what to expect. Of course, our little curious Claire got excited as soon as we walked through the doors. My little toothbrush-lover saw the grinning alligator with the giant toothbrushes and was hooked. There were so many exhibits to explore!

During our 3-hour visit, she only had about 3 temper tantrums. In this current phase of her life, three screaming tantrums isn't too bad. Our girl has an opinion and isn't afraid to express it. Today, she chose to share it by kicking, screaming and crying giant alligator tears either because she wanted to play with a toy another kid was already playing with (aka the steering wheel and/or the shopping cart) or because she wanted to go back into the water room every single time we passed it. Every single time. Kevin was so proud to announce his girl is a fish just like her papa! The tantrums, although ear-piercing, are really no big deal. We just ignore her as she screams it out until she gets bored and we move on. People stare and I used to get super self-conscious but now I just let her be. Ahhhh, babies.

But, more about the museum. I'd say her favorite activities were playing in the water room, filling up her cart in the just-her-size grocery store, and making designs in the giant light bright display. She picked up the coordination of pushing those little plastic pegs into the holes really quickly. My smart girl! She also visited the Vroom Room multiple times to drive the school bus and push the buttons to light up the "Stop" and "Walk" signs. I hoped Claire would enjoy working with the clay in the art studio (you know, to prove there is some of me in that child) but she wanted nothing to do with it. Oh yeah, that was tantrum #4. She hated the clay and we just moved right along. *Looks like we can put off the play dough a little longer...

After such a fun family day, I am already trying to figure out a way to add the year membership into the budget. Where there's a will, there's a way! That would be a great weekend spot to meet up with friends for a playdate or for her papa to take her on his days off. I was impressed and cannot wait to take her back again. 

Change of Scenery

"Outside?" is the most popular word out of Claire's mouth in the past couple days. No doubt it has to do with all the sunshine and warm weather we've been soaking up. There is just nothing keeping this girl inside these days. Now, more than ever, I am so grateful to live in a townhouse with a private fenced backyard. With all this nice weather lately, Claire has had the luxury to come and go through the open slider as she pleases. And let me tell you - that is all she does.   Last night while Kevin and I ate dinner, we watched the little angel push her grocery cart back and forth across the patio, jabbering to herself and stopping every so often to rip a wipey out of the pack I let her put in her grocery cart. Then she would stop, pick up a wipey from the pile in the cart and transport them one-by-one onto the carpet right inside the sliding door. As soon as all 12 had been transferred, she would start the process all over again to return them back to the cart. We must have watched her complete this cycle at least 3 times. Silly baby! But we weren't complaining - a happy baby and an uninterrupted dinner makes for two happy parents. All I know is this summer out in the sunshine with my family is sure going to be fun!

Say cheese!

This past weekend we donned our Sunday best and met up with one of our favorite photographers Jenn Pfaus of Pfaus Photography (the photo of Claire above at the pumpkin patch is her work!) to have our family photos done in the midst of our beautiful spring weather. The venue for this session was the gorgeous Jenkins Estate in Beaverton. It was sprinkling at first arrival but quickly tapered off before we had even changed the scenery from our first pose location.

As many of you probably know, Kevin and I have been doing a lot of work to get in shape, she'd some pounds and be healthier for our daughter and each other. We each have lost a significant amount of weight and felt more confident going into these photos than the shots we took last fall. Needless it was a lot less stressful than it had been six months prior. Here is a sneak peak from the shoot:

There were multiple beautiful spaces to shoot in, including a "picnic in the park" setup. I specifically asked the photographer if we could do this and bring books to read to Claire and she confirmed that the idea would create some fun photo ops. So, books in tow, and a girl that loves to read them, we got a shot like this:

We are beyond thrilled with how these turned out! The coloring is beautiful. Everyone looks comfortable - not too posed - and it definitely is encouraging that the photos serve as official evidence that we are making progress in our pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. I cannot wait to see the rest of the photos! You know that comforting feeling you have when you find a photographer you mesh well with and feel comfortable posing for? Yep, we found ours. Next photo op? The pumpkin patch this fall. Cannot wait!

Busy lives and bye-bye Facebook

I'm so behind on posting about our lives on this blog, it's embarrassing! I guess I've just been too busy living it. So, in a way, that's better! Now that I'm back, I plan to make every effort to be better about it. After all, it's not just a way for out-of-town relatives to keep up with the Garvey family (hi Grandma Janet!), it's also a record of Claire's life that I'm sure will be very much appreciated later. So, I'm going to start today and will be filling in on what's happened these past 5 months during my blogging hiatus. I've already started to make myself a list. Thank God this blog system is high-tech enough to let me publish posts in the past.

In other news, I've been contemplating getting rid of my Facebook. I don't use it much anymore because I find the majority of it has turned into ways to sell things, advertisements and political/religious attacks on one another. It's as if you can't write anything opinion-based because some one's friend of a friend of a relative or a coworker will freak out about it. That's not what Facebook is for and it's getting old. I just want to look at photos of my friend's cute kids or their destination weddings, not get inundated with messages about how much people love/hate Obama or how we should be giving money to this, that or the other thing. See what I mean? It's exhausting. Plus, I feel like I miss out on seeing my friends and their cute kids face-to-face. There is so much out in the media right now about how technology is causing us to lose the social aspect of our lives. Why talk when you can text? Why send a letter when you can email? Why meet for a playdate or coffee when you can just look at their photos from their vacation on Facebook? I don't want Claire to grow up in a world where keeping up with people on the computer is "normal" because you lose so much. So, I have been thinking a better option would be to delete Facebook to focus more on this blog. It takes away Facebook, a real time-sucker in my life, and replaces it with keeping up with this blog for the family (you can still see photos and read updates on Claire) while allowing more time to actually live. Summer's coming - I don't want to spend it all on Facebook. It's win-win. Not sure when this change will happen, but soon. It's freeing just to type that. Boy, oh boy, is this going to earn me extra brownie points with the hubster.

Now, while Claire is napping, I'm off to start some laundry and clean out the car. Fun stuff! I'll leave you with this little gem:

Claire, 15 months, Easter photo

So perfectly Claire.

At 13 months, she's playing in the drapes on the sliding glass door. Sometimes, all I see is the fabric rustling or little toes peeking out from underneath.

Grunting and pointing at the toothbrush on the window sill in the kitchen. Every time it is noticed, teeth must be brushed. Mama brushes, she brushes. Papa brushes, she brushes.

Pushing as many music-making buttons at once that those little arms can reach then dancing her little heart out. Clasping hands at the waist and swinging her arms from side to side. Booty-shaking left-to-right and bumping it up-and-down. Our dance parties, while short lived, are always fun.

Feeling little eyes on me when I shower and listening to the clanking of the shower curtain rings as she whips the curtain around. If I don't let her play in the water while I shower, she is not happy. And my Claire, my darling daughter, make yourself heard.

Having learned to open the bath tub drain, letting all the water out every chance she gets. I always tell her to stop, explaining that the water will go bye-bye, and she just looks at me like "What? It wasn't me!"

Grabbing the binky from her mouth with my mouth and hearing her crack up with laughter as soon as she snatches it back from me. She either inhales it back into her own mouth with her teeth then waves it in front of my face (silently daring me to do it again) or she jams it in the general vicinity of my mouth as hard as she can. Laugh, repeat, laugh, repeat, laugh. The bink game is always amusing. I will miss it more than she knows.

Tearing all the toilet paper off the roll. I don't know how it's possible that we never notice her doing it until just the cardboard roll is spinning around the holder! Little mischievous one, that Claire.

Squatting Ethiopian-style (usually in a corner somewhere) doing her business. Complete with a red face and grunting.

These will serve as some of my favorite memories of my sweet girl. Things I never want to forget. Her transition from babyhood into toddler life has happened in the blink of an eye. I love my independent, bright-eyed, sassy girl but I miss my baby. Life is so bittersweet sometimes.

New Year's Eve {parent-style}

New Year's Eve used to be about dressing to the nines, going to the city or our favorite local dive bar, celebrating with friends, coordinating a DD, toasting to the new year with bubbly drinks in hand. We lived it up, especially that year in Vegas. Now, with a miniature that comes with a strict 8pm bedtime, we don't have the stay-out-all-night-and-get-tipsy-on-drinks-we-can't-really-afford luxury.

Rewind to 2011: In our role as new parents, we rang in 2012 with a brand new baby. We traded in our fancy get-ups for that distant I'm-an-exhausted-parent-of-a-newborn look in our eyes. Knowing how hard those first days were, I probably cried the whole night. That year, we were up round the clock due to screaming newborn so there was no way we were going to stay up until midnight purposefully! Sleep when the baby sleeps, they say. New Years, we'll catch you next year.

Fast-forward to 2012: After just having got the baby down, I rushed off to take a relaxing bubble bath about 8.30pm and kindly reminded Kevin (mid-Xbox game) that if he wanted to watch the ball drop he better keep an eye on the clock. We both knew I wasn't referring to midnight. Oh no, no. East coast time, baby. But, it didn't even matter - he just looked at me and said Oh, I didn't even realize it's New Year's Eve. 

Yep, that's what happens. Babies change everything. Welcome to 2013.Publish 1/1/13