Routine

Everyone tells you that putting your baby on a routine and sticking with it is one of the best things you can do for the development of your baby and for your own sanity. Many people have told me how to "break" you in Claire and get you to stick to a timetable. Well, my sweet little angel, you have developed your own routine without any coaching from me and it's made all the difference throughout our day! Ready to hear your routine? .... You eat, play, sleep. Eat, play, sleep. All day long. We don't follow a time schedule, I just let you decide when you're ready for the next activity. You eat about every 3 hours. After you eat, we play for a while: reading books, going on walks, you help me clean the house by going room to room, and you now love playing with your toys. When you start fussing and it's not a change of scenery you want, we both know it's nap time. I swaddle you good and tight, walk around with you to settle you down, and lay you in your crib with your binkie in your mouth. You are such an easy baby!

Night time is even easier! You know how some people will rock their babies for hours and hours until they fall asleep only to bump them when trying to transfer them to their crib and they wake up screaming and the parent has to start the process all over again? Well not you my sweets. I don't even have to swaddle you or even walk around. We put you in jammies, read you a story, have family prayer and scripture study and lay you down for bed. We turn your butterfly mobile and leave the room letting you put yourself to sleep. Works like a charm every night. You sleep for eight or nine hours until about 6 or 6:30, I feed you, and then you go back to bed until about ten. You are such an easy and good baby! We are so lucky to have you!

Personality coming out...

Claire - you are starting to turn into the cutest little girl ever! You've always looked so adorable, but your little personality is starting to come out in little bits and pieces. You are all smiles and you make the cutest sounds now. You cue and copy the sounds we make with our mouths and you are gaining new skills. About 4 days ago I watched you roll over all by yourself from your tummy to your back and I was so excited to show dad.... but you haven't done it since. Might have been a fluke, or you are just taking your sweet time in rolling over. There's no hurry. You have also started reaching and grabbing for toys, putting them straight into your mouth. It's so cute to see your eyes light up when we bring out a bright toy for you to play with.

Yesterday I was so sick! Sicker than I've been in years. I couldn't do anything all day but lay in bed and occasionally get up to go to the bathroom. I couldn't eat anything all day. Dad took the day off from work and stayed home to help me take care of you. I couldn't get up to get you in and out of your crib and I couldn't even play with you. Dad saved the day and we had some fun bonding time together with me just laying there watching the two of you play. And for the first time, you laughed for dad. You laughed for me several weeks ago, but haven't done so since. Probably another fluke, but yesterday you giggled for dad while we were all playing on the bed. Cutest sound ever!! I can't believe how big you are getting. I tell dad everyday - can we just freeze time and let Claire stay this little? I'm excited to watch you get older and gain new skills, but at the same time, I sure will miss my little baby. :)

Tummy Time!

Claire, I'm proud to announce that for the first time ever you actually enjoyed tummy time and you lasted for over 5 minutes - your new personal record. Normally you last about 30 seconds before you start crying for me to flip you over on your back. This time you were content to look around, suck on your hands, and give HUGE smiles to me! Sadly, I wasn't fast enough in pulling out my camera and missed getting pictures of your happiness.

With this thumb...

The last 2 days Claire, it seems that you've found your hands all over again and you prefer to stick them in your mouth almost as much as your binky or the blankets and you grab and thrust in there too. You have also gotten so good at just putting your thumb inside your mouth. Nope, you've done it alot lately so we know it's not a fluke. You have found your thumb and its here to stay! I have a feeling that you might turn out to be a thumb sucker!

Your first time Camping:

We totally went camping with the Schmidt Family to Bryce canyon and had a blast! We rented a van and you, dad and myself sat in the very back with Andrea and Ross and their kids in front of us. I was so nervous to take you camping... but you were awesome! You slept every time we got in the car, you played and smiled at everyone, and went to bed easily and slept through the night. I should have never doubted you!

Riding in the van!

Lunch stop in Nephi

Look how adorable you are at 3 months old!

The kids loved the dirt at our campsite and completed covered themselves everyday!

Check out Allen's "war face" from all the dirt:

You stayed very clean while we were camping - except when you decided to spit up on yourself

Our cute little family:
Check out your awesome hair that refuses to ever lie down!


Horse Back Riding!
Sorry, you didn't get to come because you had to be 6 years old. You stayed behind with Grandma, Aunt Annette, Aunt Andrea, and Aunt Jolynn

Getting ready for the long hike down the mountain and back.

If you look really close you can see the "queen" in profile in the rocks behind us

You like hiking!

We were so tired when we got up to the top - man, mommy's really out of shape!

You were just fine after the hike and took a good long nap.We went to a local restaurant to experience the food. Dad decided he was in the spirit of the place and got an elk burger.

You and dad are great pals and slept in together every morning

Claire, you love this swing so much....we didn't dare not to bring it camping just in case :)

July 4th!

Claire, it was your first holiday on earth! Grandma Schmidt bought us all flag shirts - and you got a pink onesie :) What a fun holiday! We went to the parade, the carnival in the park, played games, watched movies, and performed in our show "She Loves Me"!

You were stoked for the parade!

Look how glued you are to the parade! You liked everything but the fire engine sirens which is where you started screaming. Other than that - you are a parade loving


The Schmidt Family

Sorry that you got cut off in this picture - that's Grandma Schmidt for ya!

Meeting Aunt Andrea for the first time:

She loves you so much and thinks that you are just a doll!