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Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday to our Darling Daughter

Cliche though it may sound, Josh and I cannot believe its been a year since you joined our family. So much has happened over the course of this year. We've learned so much more about marriage and love. You are such a blessing and gift from God. We have loved getting to know you this year and watching you grow, develop and explore your surroundings. I pray that God continues to grant us wisdom and grace as we parent you in the years to come. We are so thankful you are our daughter.

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009July 2009

August 2009

Septmeber 2009

October 2009

Happy Birthday to our darling girl! We love you so much!

Weekend

Enjoying fall weather and Lola's leash. yum...yum...The "hoo hoo hooing" face enhanced with sweet potato puff stuck to the side of Claire's nose.Sunday we took a family trip to Orchard Nursery in Lafayette. They have events during the Fall like tomato sampling and decorative pot planting as well as music and visiting farm animals. Claire enjoyed the steel drum band along with my 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Ross.

Claire and I checking out the baby pigs and their wagging tails.

We loved checking out all the decorations and music at Orchard. Josh got tips on starting a winter garden which he hopes to get started this weekend. I'll let you know how it progresses.

A Story or 1 & 2

***Disclaimer*** The subject matter of this post may be considered by some to be a little on the order of TMI.

A story of one. Claire enjoys a bath just about every evening to help relax her before bedtime. After her bath we let Claire play around on the floor in our room before putting her pajamas and diaper on. She is fascinated with this pair of green flip flops I picked up at Marshalls years ago. She loves to put them in her mouth so I have to hide them so she doesn't. On this particular evening I had thrown my flip flops behind me into my closet. Claire played around for a few minutes and then took off into my closet in search of my shoes. As soon as she got into my closet, she sat down, peed, grabbed by shoes and crawled right back out. Thank you Claire.

A story of two. Bath time on another evening. Josh was preparing Claire for the bath and called downstairs to request the camera because he said Claire was looking particularly cute. When I got upstairs Claire was standing at the tub, all ready for the bath with her back to me and Josh was standing next to her. He started in again on how cute she was while I was thinking to myself, she's kind of making a funny face that doesn't look so cute. As I was thinking that, she turned around and there dangling from her behind was poop. Here's how the dialogue went Josh: "Isn't she cute?" Me: "Uh...not so much, she's pooping." Josh, ever the calm one in these situations: "Ahh, what do we do? Do something!" Plop on the bathmat. Now those of you that know Josh and have heard from previous posts, Josh doesn't like mess of any kind, especially the bodily kind. So he's totally cringing as he wraps his hand in TP and disposes of it. Poor Josh.

All in a day's work for a baby.

Thanks Dad, and by Dad, I mean my Dad

Saturday Josh and I escaped to my parent's house to get away from at least some of the heat. While enjoying a delicious dinner of Mexican food with my parents and grandma, Claire shows off a new talent.



We all started laughing uncontrollably. My dad was especially in stitches about the whole thing because apparently he has been doing this very thing in front of her for months and now she's doing it back.

New Poll

I am currently taking votes on what kind of Halloween costume Claire is going to wear this year. Cast your vote to have your say.

Day with Daddy

Recently, through an childcare glitch, Josh got an unexpected day off to spend with Claire while I was at work. He chronicled his day and below are the results.

Taking the fire truck out for a morning spin. Checking out her new digs in this hand me down baby back pack. A kind woman in one of Josh's classes gifted us with this.

Getting comfortable and enjoying the sunshade.

Great way to spend the morning, walking with Lafayette Reservoir with Dad and Lola.

Josh stopped some other walkers on the trail, is my daughter asleep?

Gott have a post walk snack for the car ride home.

Lunch time!

Some quality play time after an afternoon nap.

Claire's Photoshoot

Last week Claire had the priviledge of having pictures taken by Brieanne's wedding photographer Edyta. This is the first time Claire has had professional pictures taken, we are thrilled with photos and can't wait to see the rest.

images courtesy of Edyta Szyszlo Photography

Check out Edyta's Blog to see more of her photos. I'll also be posting a bit more about the shoot later.

Just when you start to get it...

Our routine has been set now for about four months. Claire is really into the food thing, she is a champ about trying new things like turkey burgers, roasted vegetables, cous cous, and pita bread. She has been a lot more laid back around groups of people and even become friendly to others. She can even "say" a couple of things aside from mamama and da da da da, most notably, ki ka (kitty cat) and dog (though the g is usually silent).

Just as I start to think I've got this "thing" figured out, she changes again. This past week its been a game of study and guess what Claire wants/needs. This weekend was a real treat as Josh's workload lightened and we actually got to have a weekend together. Both of us were completely mystified by Claire who refused to take an afternoon nap three days in a row and started crying midway through the meals that only a week ago she cheerfully enjoyed. Friday we were completely puzzled, Saturday we thought for sure she'd sleep after tiring herself out at Waterworld (which she loved - yay for complimentary tickets from work!). She fussed when we put her down and then took to throwing things out of the crib and crying when she had nothing left to throw. Sunday, while Josh was at a field trip, I decided to really try and figure this whole thing out. She took a great morning nap but was still chipper and ready to go after her normal 2nd nap time so I kept her up...until 3. She went down for 1/2 an hour and I doubt she was asleep the whole time.

Along with all this confused sleep, she has been crying as I said before during meals and the clingyness is back. The only other person she likes to be with is my mom - period. Actually she prefers my mom to me at this moment. So, last night while attempting dinner, in addition to the clingy, she didn't want to be put down (unusual for her). So, there I am, its hot, she's been a challenge today and hardly slept, and I'm trying to make couscous and turkey burgers with roasted vegetables. I've got Claire on my hip, bent down in the fridge fishing out the vegetables while dodging Claire's attempts to pull things off the shelf when my elbow knocks the fridge door and knocks loose a shelf that I didn't know could come loose. While I attempt to keep Claire on my hip and stop things from falling out of the door, my contact pops out...really?

Yes, she's wearing my shirt that she fished out of the laundry basket and kept trying to put on. kiss for daddy...

11 months old

This month has been full of discoveries. Claire has expanded her palatte and is open to new food textures. She likes tabouleh and quinoa pasta, turkey sausage, beans, cantaloupe and watermelon.

Her crawling has improved significantly though she still prefers to motor around on two legs holding onto something. She cruises all over the house behind the stepladder or her fire truck or using walls and furniture to support her. She has taken a couple of steps a couple times on her own but being that she isn't a risk taker, prefers the safety of some "stable" object or person. She and Lola have worked out a food system. Lola waits for the food from her high chair to fall and she eats it unless they think one of us isn't looking in which case Claire will share whatever she's eating. Claire has figured out what Lola has known all along, when Claire gets up from eating there are scraps in the hich chair seat. Lola is quick on the draw to clean that out but now has to fight Claire for the leftovers. Heading into month 11 she has three teeth (all on top).

Labor Day in Tahoe

Summer holiday weekends are open season for family at the cabin. Josh and I have enjoyed spending time with my extended family during those times. We had beautiful weather at the Lake, it was a bit windy for the beach but we didn't really spend much time there. By Sunday evening there was just a tinge of fall in the air.



Just before we snapped this shot Claire dove into the coffee table and cut the inside of her lip. Fortunately she recovered quickly.



As Claire grows more confident in life on two legs she is less intersted in toys and more intersted in her surroundings.



We all learned a new way to wear our hats this weekend. Apparently this is the latest fashion in headwear.





Taylor Creek is a leisurely 1/4 mile walk through the Tahoe visitors center and fish observatory. We strolled around and let Claire stretch her legs. Josh even gets school credit for visiting here and taking some photos.













Claire seems to becoming more confident overall. She is not a risk taker but once she settles into her environment she is friendly and curious. We have observed this specifically with people. I think she is moving out of the "mommy only" phase.



















Ahhh...all clean after a bath.



drum roll...the debut of Claire's teeth! We call her bucky..he he he.