2013 Year in Review

Year in Review-2013

What an amazing year we have had!  I can easily say it has been one of the best years of my life.  It can pretty much be summed up with this girl.  

January

·         I turned 23.  Erik and  I had a fun day painting the nursery and going out to dinner and falling asleep instead of going to the movies liked we’d planned

February

·         I tried unsuccessfully to give up whining for lent, and we tried out a new Thai restaurant for our 4^th Valentine’s Day together

March

·         The cheerleaders traveled across the state for the state basketball tournament and I got to go with.  They looked fantastic and we had a great time

April

·         The month of  baby showers!  I am seriously the most spoiled person I know.   I had a great trip to Boise/Logan to see my family and my friends threw me a beautiful shower at home

May

·         My friends Chris and Beez came to visit the week before Clara was born.  Chris thought it would be cool if I had the baby while they were there, so he kept trying to scare me until Beez reminded him that surprise was for getting rid of the hiccups, not inducing labor.

·         Clara Jaye was born on May 15^th weighing 6 lbs  6oz.  It was a fairly easy birth.  I was induced at midnight and in labor for about 11 hours.  Erik, my mom, and my mother-in-law were all with me.

·         My mom stayed for two weeks to help us adjust to life as parents.  We watched a ton of Downton Abbey while we were up with Clara during the night.  It was a really special time that I will always remember

·         My sweet Grandma Rhea passed away just a few days after Clara was born.  I would always call my grandma when I needed a pick-me-up because she was so supportive and encouraging and made me feel like a rock star.  She made me feel like I was capable of anything, which is exactly how grandmas should make you feel.  She was the perfect blend of tough and sweet and we miss her very much

 June
We learned how to be parents to a baby.  There was a lot of strange sleeping patterns and spit-up.

 

·       July

·         Nina came and stayed with us for 3.5 weeks.  It was SO much fun.  She is the best ever.

We had an awesome 4^th of July at the lake house with Erik’s family 

   My family came to visit for Clara’s baby blessing.  My dad and I spruced up the garage door and Clara and my mom got lots of snuggle time. 

·      

·         Erik, Clara, Nina, and I travelled to Banff with Erik’s parents for a 20-group meeting.  It was beautiful and so much fun.  Clara did great on the road trip.

August

Clara learned to roll over and visited Boise for the first time.  We had a great time going swimming and seeing my brother Alex and his cute wife, Emily.

September

·         Our friends Zach and Emily visited from Utah.  Erik had his most successful month ever at work.  Piano and cheerleading started up again.

October

·         My mom came to visit just for a few days.  Having a baby definitely upped our family time this year.

·         Clara was a football for Halloween

November

·         My family visited for a few days.  My dad hung crown molding in Clara’s nursery and Nina came to winter season cheer try-outs.  I would have put her on the team if it weren’t for the whole living in Idaho thing.  We had a great Thanksgiving with Erik’s family

December

·         My piano students did great at their Christmas recital.  As always, Debbie made it look like a wedding reception in the Primary room.  She is so helpful with my recitals

·         We   spent Christmas in Boise where Clara made her debut as Baby Jesus

·        

 We went to bed at 9:30 on New Year’s Eve.  Happy 2014 everybody!

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.