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...