Claira Updates

This is the Official Security Blanket. And of course, the paci. Often times she self-medicates by wandering the house, whining & then pops a found paci in her mouth.

Meet Baby Kayla! Claira feel in love with this stroller in March. Then Grandma decided to kick the cuteness factor up a notch by dropping this forgotten "Baby Alive" doll into the stroller. Well, that inspired a renewed interest in Ellia for the doll. She named her Kayla. She moves her arms & legs and performs 3 emotions: babbling, laughing & crying. The second Ellia heard the Crying she literally dove for Kayla and craddled her arms about her, patted her head and said "It's ok, it's ok, Mama's here, Mama's here!" Now, when Claira hears Kayla cry she pats her head and then looks at me and smiles.

Anyone who hangs out with her long enough knows of her need to climb. I had to capture this latest climb by Claira. Especially since I hadn't captured her climb onto the dining table earlier...the girl needs a helmet 24/7.

Even though she's still not quite to the stage to sit in my lap and read, Claira loves to grab a book and go find a spot of her own to "read".

Good-bye Baby Swingin'

The days of photos of Ellia in the baby swing are numbered...getting a bit too big. Some of them hurt her legs. She's practicing the leg moves for the 'Big Girl Swing'. She's getting very good on the Big Girl Swing, but the Baby Swing is still the swing that will allow her to go super-high and super-fast!

Claira's New Smile

Claira smiles so hard that in some photos she looks like she's crying! Her mouth is smiling as wide as those cheeks will allow. Her nose crinkles up. And her eyes squint & gleam. It's a split second of pure happiness personified.

Smiles & Snow

Snow Trip! It was such a beautiful day-perfect weather, perfect snow spots. This was their very first time playing in the snow so it made it extra special. I bundled Claira up with so many clothes that she was irritated at how immoble she was. But eventually she adjusted. She even gave in to the gloves, finally.

A friend brought his daughter, Alissa (age 7) and Ellia glommed onto her very fast. Everything was "Lissa! Lissa! Look at that! Lissa! Come over here!"

Our friend's daughter turned 4 & hosted a party at a really cool indoor play gym Under The Sea. It had tons of stuff for Claira to climb up, slide down (always head first), drive & bounce.

Ellia was enthralled with a real Mermaid! She watched the mermaid's every move, barely moving as she sat there..curious, focused, with an amused smile creeping across her face. It's times like those where I really wonder what she's thinking!

HOME :: HAIRCUTS :: HOMEWORK

Would you look at that belly? WOULD YOU PLEASE LOOK AT THAT BELLY!?
Oh my gosh, I love that belly!

The "twin" girls being silly together...their favorite thing to do together (and mine!)

Last month Claira was introduced to the new freedom of walking out the front door all by herself. Boy oh boy, to say it's the favorite part of her day is an understatement! Let me just say that when she sees I'm trying to get things going out the door & off to school...she picks out my shoes and brings them to me. Yes, it's the sweetest thing in the world. And she's so proud of herself when she does it; I feel a little guilty when they aren't the shoes I need to wear to work.
Ever since I've let her head out for the day 'on her own', I've asked Ellia to help her "because you know what to do & she doesn't..she's little." And so the favorite part of MYday is (above) watching Ellia gently lead her waddling, wildly excited little sister out & into the day.

Haircuts & Lollipops. Claira finally had her 1ST HAIRCUT! Yay! When the cutting began she started crying but I handed her some snacks & she was just fine. Ellia got a quick re-cut of her previous cut. I let them have the salon lollipops even though I was headed next door for our dinner. Oh well, they were patient little tots & lollipops sure made them happy!

Holy crap - HOMEWORK. The day has come. I think I felt more like a parent on this night than when she was born!

Awesome iPhone Photo

Posts might slow down for a bit but I wanted to give you this sweet, sunny, smiley & smirky photo...

Mama Tiger, Baby Tiger

Ellia's Halloween costume has unexpectedly been given a new lease on life. Ellia wore it one day and somehow the dress-up evolved into her new favorite character "Baby Tiger". And somehow I became "Mama Tiger". I put on a different voice (picture Tiny Tim on Vicodin; high-pitched but super-calm). When I put the 'mask' on and change my voice, Ellia immediately becomes Baby Tiger from head to toe: Her face softens and she scrunches up her face ever-so-slightly, tilts her head and stetches out her limp arms as if she's a baby and says "Mamaaaaaa...."
It kinda takes a lot of effort to keep stepping into the Mama Tiger persona. If I say "later" she asks "when it's light out?" or "when it's dark out?" Still, it's cute to see how excited she gets. And I rope Claira into the scene as well. She's been deemed Baby Seal. (We pretend to eat her chubby chubbiness)