7 Months

This post is a little late, but I wanted to get it down before too much time passed and I forgot what was new for Miss Clara at 7 months.

Yummy yummy toes

At 7 months Clara...

--Sleeps through the night great.  She generally falls asleep between 8:00 and 9:00 and wakes up between 7:30 and 8:30

She still loves her Moo

--Likes the Eensie Weensie Spider, particularly the part where the spider crawls up the spout again.

--Can sit moderately well.  She still loses her balance and topples over sometimes

--Has 0 teeth

This picture makes me laugh because it looks like she's taking a selfie

--Eats solids!  She's only had green beans and peas, but loves both

We usually strip her down to just her diaper for bedtime snack and then go straight to the bathtub

--Enjoyed a visit from her Nona and Papa and Jack and Nina the week of Thanksgiving

Clara's bathroom was full of furniture since my dad and I were doing a project in her nursery, so Nina took her "swimming" in our master bath every night while Jack sang her the rubber ducky song in his Kermit voice.  Clara and I were so depressed when they left.

--Loves puppies

--Enjoys pounding on her baby piano

--Would not smile for me to get a good picture of her with Santa

--Still wearing 6-month clothes and size 2 diapers

Ooooooh baby bottom.  I just want to pinch it.

--Enjoys playing with bras.  I have got to get that girl some toys

She found this while we were up in the bedroom putting away laundry.  It entertained her for 45 minutes.  The next day I specifically got it out for her when she got fussy.

--Gives kisses! I love Clara kisses so much I can't stand it. They are sloppy and open-mouthed and exuberant and perfect.

6 Months

Happy half-birthday to our biggest blessing!  I was a little weepy on Friday-- I can't  believe how quickly Clara's baby-hood is passing and honestly it makes me panicky.

At 6 months our Clara Jaye:

--Sleeps through the night fairly consistently.  She falls asleep between 8:30 and 9:30 and usually wakes up between 7:00 and 8:00

--Can sit unassisted for about 30 seconds.  I don't know if she topples over after that because she loses her balance or because she gets bored.

--Has a fake high-pitched cry that she uses when nothing is wrong, she just doesn't feel like she's getting enough attention

--Puts everything in her mouth.  It's not uncommon for her to grab your face and try and eat your cheek or chin.  It's like being attacked by a very cute zombie.

--Eats 1-2 tablespoons of rice cereal at bedtime

Look at my big girl hold her own bottle

--Has learned to use rolling as a means of transportation.  She's all over the place these days.

--Was a football for Halloween

--Likes anything cold.  She likes to put her hands and mouth on the window, door frames, my coke, etc.

Clara is a wild girl.  She loves to be upside down and to be swung around. 

--Is not a great napper during the day.  She only sleeps in 20 minute spurts unless I lay down and cuddle her the whole time (twist my arm...)

Clara wears a lot of fur vests these days.  They serve the dual purpose of keeping her warm and making her look like a baby rapper.

--Is very ticklish on her feet, tummy, and neck folds

--Falls asleep in the front carrier most days during piano lessons or cheer practice

--Is increasingly verbal (read: louder) we especially enjoy screams and shrieks as she's learning to use her voice

--Really wants to make the motorboat sound with her lips, but can't quite figure it out

--Has a favorite toy.  It's a stuffed zebra named Moo.

 --Prefers playing on her stomach to playing on her back

--Smiles in her sleep sometimes.  It's so cute it makes me want to die.

It's nice to have someone else around to help with the chores.  This is Clara helping with the laundry.

--Loves to play with tags and balls

--Weighed 15 lbs even at her 6 month appointment.  This put her in the 27th percentile.  She only cried for a minute after her shots and has been doing very well since.

Clara is the best little pal I could ask for.  We have so much fun together, and I am very grateful this November to have such a happy, good natured baby (she's actually fussing as I write this.  But usually...) We are looking forward to Clara's first holiday season. 

5 Months

Sweet Clara is 5 months old! She is so much fun. 

At 5 Months Clara....

---Giggles all the time.  She especially likes being pulled up by her arms and having her feet tickled

I have a cuter, zoomed in version of this picture, but I can't get it off my phone.  So just imagine it zoomed in.  Thanks

---Finally finished off her last box of size 1 diapers and has moved on to size 2

She has perfect skin.  And the cutest little dimpled rear end.  I'm a little obsessed with it.

--Has dark grey eyes.  They are a darker version of Erik’s.  We wondered if they would turn brown like mine, but she is moving out of the stage when they would change.

She still loves her car seat.  She actually sleeps in it overnight, just not strapped in.  When she sleeps in the crib or the pack-n-play she rolls over to the edge and gets stuck and fusses.

--Loves to kick and stand

She also loves to suck her toes.  Yum yum. Also, check out those thighs.

--Has actually regressed a little sleeping.  I need to sleep train her, but I’m not sure what approach to take.  I am definitely open to suggestions/ anecdotal information.

She is definitely wearing a fur vest and pulling it off.  Unfortunately this picture was taken right before she blew out the back of her outfit.

--Had a great visit with her Nona.  My mom has perfected the bottom-pat, pacing method of getting Clara to sleep

This is one of my favorite pictures ever taken.  A Nona and baby sharing a coke. 

--Wears size 3-6 months clothes and 6 month clothes.  All the fall baby outfits are so cute that I can’t stop buying them

We are practicing sitting.  She enjoys her (Aubrie's) Bumbo.

--Loves gadgets. She will be all smiley and cute, but when I go to take a picture she gets too distracted by the phone or the ipad and won’t smile.

She's been into toys this month.  Mostly into eating them, but also hitting them around.

--Watches Baby Einstein a couple times a week.  There’s one part that cracks her up where blue and purple dots swirl around.  In fact, she is watching Baby Einstein as we speak. 

When my mom was here we were at volleyball with the cheerleaders for like 5 hours.  Clara held up best out of all three of us.

--Has started having a tablespoon of rice cereal before bed at night.  There have been some strange diapers as a result. 

This is Erik feeding Clara her first bites of solid food.  She loved it and rocked the spoon.

--Likes having stories read to her as long as they don’t last too long

Erik and Clara at homecoming.  It was a little chilly.  I know that her suit is for a boy, but it's blue and that's one of the school colors.

--Spends a lot of time chilling on her belly

I enjoy counting the chins in this picture

--Won’t wear shoes and pulls her socks off

"Hmmm....should we do the two-for-twenty, mom?"

--Tries to bite everything.  She’s working on a tooth and it makes her want to gnaw

I would like to snuggle this picture.

--Has much lighter hair than she had when she was born.  It’s still pretty short, but super fuzzy and soft and smells yummy

A homecoming close-up.  Clara was ready to go home.

--Likes to watch the wind blow the trees outside the window

I love that sweet face

 Being a mom to a baby is so much more fun than I expected.  We are too busy playing for me to blog much :) Come visit and you can play too.