Babbling

Claire you have officially grown out of the "raspberry" stage and you are babbling ALL the time! It's so cute to hear the sounds you make while we drive in the car and while your eating meals. Yesterday I was changing your diaper and you started babbling, "bum bum bum" ... I guess someone's been listening!

Grandpa and Grandma Schmidt

I just want you to know Claire how much your Grandma and Grandpa Schmidt love you! Seriously- they try so hard and put in so much effort! We've started performing Beauty and the Beast (we've been taking you to the school for rehearsals since November) and they volunteered to watch you so me and dad could be at the school without any interruptions. Two night ago Grandma played with you, gave you a bath, dressed you in jammies, and put you to bed without you even making a peep! Last night Grandpa watched you all by himself, and he loved it! When we showed up for dinner and to drop you off, you remembered them and were all smiles and giggles at the dinner table - doing cute things that we see you do at home. Grandpa played with you and said that he sang to you in the rocking chair for 20 minutes while you listened. When he laid you down to bed you cried for 30 seconds and then turned over and went to sleep! What an angel you are, and you've won over their hearts!

A True Lady!

The other day I watched "A League of Their Own" on Netflix - I love that movie! It's one of those classic movies from my childhood with some hilarious one-liners. "Cow girls, see the grass? Don't eat it." "See the train moves, not the station." "You mean you ain't taking her cause she ain't pretty?..... Well, look who just caught up!"

Seriously - I forgot how funny it was! While the girls are in Charm School the teacher says, "Legs together. A Lady reveals nothing." - I couldn't help but think of my little Claire, who crosses her legs at all times! Check out these pictures:

She's our little Lady - and there's no convincing her otherwise!

We survived the plague.

RSV is crappy. I can see why women with new babies stay home during the cold months for a long time - even months! Claire caught this horrible virus and our life was turned topsy-turvy for a week. We spent hours during the night comforting and rocking and using our handy BBG (baby booger getter) machine to clear her breathing passage. No, I'm not kidding, that's really what it's called - it's scientific name. I guess they're running out of other medical abbreviations. Of course, it didn't help that me and Kelland caught the same virus. It's not as dangerous for adults as for babies, but with how we felt, you could have told us otherwise. Taking care of sick baby is hard enough but it's ten times harder when your also too sick to function. We passed up all of our other obligations and I stayed inside with Claire for an entire week. I didn't go to school, church, jr. high rehearsals, family get-togethers, grocery shopping, nada. Not too bad right? Except when I'm used to running at full speed all the time I felt like a hermit. (We're lucky she was only sick a week- sometimes is lasts for 3!)

We're still not sure where she caught it. If she would have gotten sick last semester when we dragged her to school with us, being surrounded by strangers and practically living on campus, I would understand and still feel like a horrible mom. But now, we are home what seems like ALL THE TIME! Needless to say I spent lots of time cleaning and sanitizing our doorknobs. Things are on the up, and Kelland is the only one still showing symptoms. What a crazy week! It sure put things in perspective for our little family. Thank you to everyone who helped and brought us meals and checked in on us!

Here is our little sick-o who would only sleep well against our chests - making our own sleep pretty interesting :)

Splish Splash...

Claire, today is Martin Luther King day or Civil Rights day, which means that we had no school and no obligations today. We played and relaxed all day together! We also took you swimming - and for the first time, you actually enjoyed it! We spent 45 minutes playing and splashing as a little family. Today, you also had your very first french fry, which turned into several -I hope you enjoyed it, because it won't happen very often. Me and Dad are not fans of fast food.

Sleeping Beauty

Ah- Claire, you have entered a new phase in napping and nighttime that I have thoroughly come to enjoy and appreciate. You know longer want to be rocked to sleep for naps. I used to wrap you all tight like a burrito and rock or bounce you until you fell asleep, then transfer you to your crib. You have now decided that you don't want to be rocked or wrapped up like my little baby anymore. You simply want to lay down in your bed, be covered up with blankets, receive a loving stoke on your forehead, the door closed and you drift off to sleep without uttering a peep! I can't believe it! You are growing up and becoming independent!

The only down side to your new sleep habits at church - church is hard for kids no matter what age they are I've decided, but even harder now that you won't nap at church. You don't want me to rock you, and there's no crib to lay you down in....pretty hard sacrament meetings. However, Danielle Johnson(a neighbor and friends) loves watching you during relief society and Sunday school, (she keeps asking to do so even though it's not necessary) which means that I'm all fresh and patient to deal with sleepy and fussy Claire during Sacrament meeting.

Tricking the tricker...

Claire - you did the cutest thing yesterday during lunch. I was trying to feed you homemade bananas and carrots to go with your rice. You're not a huge fan of certain vegetables. Lately, you only seem to like peas and mashed potatoes. I would alternate giving you bites with banana and bites with the carrots in hopes to trick you into eating more of your vegetables. Instead, you learned how to trick me back. With every spoonful - you would pin your lips closed. I would prod the spoon at your lips making happy sounds, which would leave a little taste of the food on the spoon. You would slip your little tongue out from your lips, taste the food, and if it was banana you would open your mouth and let me enter. If you tasted carrots you would keep your lips closed with a firm determination on your face to not let them in your mouth. You're getting smart and tricky my little girl!