Toddlerisms

Bye bye Babyhood, Hello! Toddlerhood!!!

Why do I think Claire is turning into a toddler???

When I say it's bath time; she responds by running to her bathroom saying "bath bath"...which truly sounds like "bat bat"

She is beginning to pick her nose and occasionally picking the nose also means "snack time" GROSS!

When putting on her coat she puts her arms in the sleeves without being told to.

We can say "Claire, will you go get your ball? and she brings us the ball

"Claire, where's your belly?" Lifts her shirt and points to her belly. "Claire, where's your nose?" points to her nose. "Claire, where's your eye?" points to her eye. "Claire, where's your mouth?" and she opens her mouth.

When you take away something she wants she proceeds to throw herself on the floor and cry...I just walk away and let her cry, she comes back around after a couple minutes

She has gotten "in trouble" at school for hitting...yes, hitting; which she thinks is a game. We are trying to break her of this. "In trouble" at school means having to get in her bed and think about what she has done. Her teachers do say Claire is very smart:)

"Claire, do you want to watch your movie?" Moo-v, moo-v and heads off to her chair that she watches movies in.

She is saying new words everyday and you can tell she is really trying to talk to us....milk, moo-v, bath, baby, to name a few.

The ornaments that are on our tree are mostly hallmark/disney ornaments I have collected over the years; the glass ornaments did not make it the tree this year for fear they would never see another Christmas....anyway, since the day we put on the ornaments Claire keeps going up to the same ornament and saying "daddy daddy"...it makes us laugh because the ornament she points out is Gaston from Beauty and the Beast and he is making big muscles, showing off his guns and in the movie he is huge!!!

Funny Girl

The last couple weeks Miss Claire aka "Miss Priss" has been showing her true toddler colors! She makes us laugh so much everyday....its good for the soul and so needed. She never ceases to amaze me with something new. Today is Claire's 14 month birthday and I would swear the terrible two's are taking over my sweet baby. Example: Last night she wanted to play with my cell phone; since the last one was a victim of slobber damage I said "No" she preceded to throw a fit because I would not give her my phone....really, there are 500 toys on the floor why do you want something you can't have!! But as for now that funny things out weight the terrible two episodes.

Funny thing: When she is ready to go outside (which she would live outside if she could) she goes and finds my purse, tries to put it on her shoulder and then goes to the back door and bangs on it...yesterday she got her purse and then started pointing at my purse, walking to the door (see picture above) Too cute!

Funny thing: She was pushing her doll around in the doll stroller, threw the doll on the floor and then tried to get in the stroller which is not at all possible....of course she was mad because she could not get in the stroller.

Funny thing: We went to my dad's last weekend and he had several stuffed animals that sing and dance. He taught Claire how to push the buttons...she was a pro by the time we left. Well, now she looks at all her stuffed animals toes and ears, pushing there ears and toes, some sing and dance, some don't.

Funny thing: Ok, This isn't that funny, just something Claire does...she picks up our shoes (the pair, never just one) and carries them around the house and occasionally is caught licking them, gross!...she also puts all kinds of things in our bath tub...always check before you turn on the water.

Cute thing: We have been teaching Claire "Hot" We have an open wood burning fire place and the outside of our oven gets hot (i hate it), and I am burning a lot of Christmas candles...So Claire now says "Hot"...every time she looks at the oven, fireplace, candles and for some reason every time she says "Hot" she raises her hand! ???

My Favorite Funny thing this weekend: My mom sent Claire the Elf on the Shelf book and elf and for those of you not familiar you need to look into it, it is very cute for kids...anyway, the first thing the child is suppose to do is name the Elf...so, I said, "Claire, what do you want to name your elf?" with no hesitation she responded "Bubba"...we just laughed, so yes, our

Elf is named Bubba!

She laughed and laughed...Skeeter was thinking "SERIOUSLY ya'll are letting her do this to me!"

I think she looks like a little model here!

Taking a break from running

Nick told the dogs to sit and Miss Priss walked over next them and sat...it was too funny!!

Running from the dogs is a favorite

"No, Momma I am not cold"

I am outside and I ran wild!!!

Love this sweet baby....or should I say toddler

Such a big girl :(

Notice no ornaments at the bottom of the tree

"Gabell would you like my passy?"

New Toy= Daddy's duck calls

All smiles! I love you Claire!! Happy 14 Months Old!

My Claire

When the weight of world gets too heavy, I just look at this little girl and the world doesn't seem so heavy after all! My Claire, I love you!

Thankful Day

Christmas time is here and Thanksgiving has passed....I had full intentions of blogging about all the things I am thankful for but time just doesn't seem to be on my side most days. So, here is my "thankful" post........

20 things I am thankful for

1. Claire blowing me kisses on my way to work to this morning, with sound effects:)

2. That I have a wonderful place to work

3. My wonderful husband put up the Christmas tree

4. My daughter is healthy

5. Hearing "Momma" "Momma" in the sweetest little voice

6. Claire going to get books and climbing in my lap to have them read to her

7. A family that supports us no matter where life takes us

8. A relationship with my sisters that only gets stronger with age

9. New ideas and creative outlets...even if they never transpire...a new dream is addictive

10. The walls that make our home

11. The cup of coffee I drink every morning

12. New friendships I cherish, Old friendships that make me smile

13. That my daughter went her entire first year of life without an ear infection

14. Claire grabbing my purse, trying to carry it, while saying and waving "bye bye"

15. The "warmth" in the air at Christmas time and all the Christmas tunes playing

16. Claire has a great school with great teachers

17. Listening to my grandparents tell old stories...what a great generation

18. For safe travels this past weekend

19. Each time I hear a new baby was born with no complications

20. That I have someone to share my life with

Thanksgiving isn't the only day to be THANKFUL.....

HAPPY THANKFUL DAY TO YOU!

Friends Forever...all four of us

Claire = 3 weeks Eva Beth = a few days

The girls playing when they were about 4 months old.

Our girls One Year later!

Miss Claire being competely serious and Miss Eva cheesin it up!

Oh! I love these girls!

13 Months

A little late but better than never...Miss Claire is 13 Months old and boy is each day a new day around our house. Our walker runs everywhere...one second she is playing in her house, then the next second she is in her room, then the kitchen and then Claire! Claire! where are you??? there you are! She is getting taller...not exactly sure how tall but this can be determined because she used to be able to walk under the kitchen table and now she hits her head on it. New words are spoken every day...tractor, ry ry (ryan), bubba (not sure where this has come from)...and she shakes her head "no" when she means "no". Claire does not have a blanket or stuffed animal that she sleeps with but she loves her pacifiers and carries around 3 or 4 at a time...she has started a new thing where she likes to hold her cup or bottle while she is trying to go to sleep...just hold it and love on it (pat it), as if it were a doll. And I promise she has plenty of dolls and stuffed animals to choose from! Her blond hair is growing longer everyday and she still has eight teeth...which is perfectly fine, I hate when she is teething! My child is obsessed with books, which I love...I love her bringing me books, crawling in my lap, and reading about 2 pages before she is ready to go get another one. Claire got her seasonal flu shot and ran a good fever for the next 24 hours....(the clinic did not have the H1N1, which I was kinda glad because I am not sure about giving it to her, so I was glad I did not have a decision to make.) I know there are so many other things that make each day wonderful.

Claire, you make me smile when I need it the most and make me laugh at times I want to cry....my love for you grows with each minute that passes! XOXO~ Momma

Weekend Update

More pictures from our trip to Cajun Country.... Look at those curls...thank you humidity!
Downtown New Orleans

Claire and Daddy in "Gatorville"

Being silly with Nana in New Orleans

Ridin' the Gator..she thought this was too funny!

Streets of New Orleans

Family picture at the little shops in Donaldsonville

Look at the doll house on the porch...so neat:)

Cheesin' in the hotel room...love that smile

Weekend Update

We are 100% "go-bots" and never sit still....we spent Halloween weekend in Donaldsonville, LA, the following weekend we headed up to "the hill" for family time, razorback game, take care of our NWA house, and visit one of my bestie's newborn baby, Kellan James. Both trips were very long and Claire did great in the car both times. We went from nearly walking in the ocean to being a stone throw away from Missouri.

Since this past weekend was officially "Hunting Widows" weekend, I spent some time with my girls on Friday night...sushi, good wine, and girl time....LOVE IT!!! and then headed to Little Rock for Holiday House and lunch with my college roomies. Claire spent Friday night with Gramie and had such a good time playing with all her aunts and mommas old toys...yes! my mom saved them ALL...the attic looks like a playroom from 1985!!! It's great and so much fun seeing Claire play with my favorites childhood toys!

Wonder where we will land this coming weekend???