Happy Turkey Day!

Hope everyone had a Happy Thankgiving! Just a glimpse into what our celebration looked like...

So Cool

Claire found her sunglasses about a week ago and has been having so much fun with them. She loves to have us put them on her face, walk around the house, and then take them off. Here she is looking SO COOL!

Fever

Despite cutting several teeth and running a fever for the last few days, Claire has been in a pretty good mood. She is finally fever-free today, so hopefully we will be able to bring her back to daycare tomorrow!

Little Miss Cling

Claire's separation/stranger anxiety has reached an all time high this week. I don't know if it is all the teeth she is working on or if it is just a stage. She has been quite sensitive at daycare all week. If anyone even looks at her a little funny, it is enough to send her into tears. Her separation anxiety has also been coupled with a definite preference for me. While it is nice to feel so loved, it also makes getting anything done nearly impossible. The minute I try to blow-dry my hair or start making dinner, I have a little cling-on standing at my feet begging me to pick her up. And lets be honest, carting around a near 20 lb child in my arms isn't exactly a breeze - it is hard work! Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Claire woke up from her afternoon nap with a 103 degree fever. No runny nose, no cough, no throwing up (thank god)...just a high fever. Lets hope she kicks this fast. It has been a long week!

Pearly Whites

With one tooth in and three more on the way, we figured it was time to buy Claire her first toothbrush. We have been brushing her teeth (and gums) in the morning and evening and she LOVES it! Here are a few pictures from Claire's introduction to her new toothbrush.

Eleven Months Old

ELEVEN MONTHS OLD!! Only one more month until our baby girl hits the big ONE! It is hard to believe that a year ago I was as big as a house and anxiously waiting to meet our little bundle. At times the last 11 months seems like a blur. While it is hard to remember all the first moments we shared, it is never hard to remember all the feelings of love and joy that Claire has brought to our lives. We love you baby girl!!
Did I really think that she would sit peacefully in her brown chair for a full year? I must have been crazy! While the picture above isn't the best, at least it represents who she is at eleven months - busy, busy, busy!!

And now for the update. At eleven months old, Claire:

• is walking like a champ. She prefers walking over crawling and continues to get more steady on her feet each day.
• is babbling a ton. She makes a lot of sounds and even a few that sound like actual words, but the only one that she truly uses in context is "more". It sounds more like "mo", but she definitely knows what it means...especially when cheerios are involved.
• has her FIRST tooth!
• boycots her afternoon nap no fewer than once a week, which makes for a very tired little girl in the evenings. I can't complain all the much. She is still a champ when it comes to sleeping through the night...in fact I don't think she has woken up in the middle of the night since she was 4.5 months old (knock on wood).
• is little Miss Sensitive. If someone even looks at her a little funny it is enough to send her in tears. We definitely think this has something to do with genetics!
• LOVES water. I swear she would drink a gallon a day if we let her. Must be from all that water I consumed when she was in my belly.
• is a mama's girl.
• is starting to figure out how some of her more complicated toys work. She has a few toys where you put blocks into open slots and she has finally figured this out. It is amazing to watch her little brain in action.
• enjoys her books. She loves to look at the pages and listen to the stories. She doesn't always make it through the entire book, but we are getting there.
• is full of so many smiles and laughs!