We are Walking!!!

Clara has had quite an exciting week. We started Monday off with a play date at Mrs. Shelly's house. Clara loved pulling out every single toy in the entire play room.

On Tuesday we went to Tot Time at the Community Center where they have open play time in the gym for kids 6mo to 5 years. Clara loved watching all the big kids and playing on all the ride on toys. 

Clara must have gotten inspired at Tot Time because when we got home she took off after Hope the cat, leaving the end of the couch and taking about 8 steps. That was the first time she had ever let go on her own to take steps so I was shocked she did so well the first time! Since then she is fearless letting go of furniture and taking steps to wherever she wants to go. Sometimes she doesn't make it very far but she has made some long strides too. After she walks, Brian and I clap for her and she will sit down and clap too. Its too cute!

I think today is going to be less eventful because it is FREEZING outside! Feels like Indiana! 

Teeth

Tooth number 3 has broken through and 4 is right behind it. Unlike the first two teeth these have been quite difficult for our little girl. Lots of fussiness and a long sleepless night. Just hoping she gets to feeling better soon! Miss our happy smiling baby!!

Sunshine

We had the most beautiful day yesterday! 75 degrees in January. I love it!

Happy 10 month birthday little girl!!

Today Clara is 10 months old! Never mind that I just now got around to posting her 9 month update. She is getting so big and I think walking is just around the corner!

Clara at 9 months

This month has been lots of fun with all the Christmas hustle and bustle and letting Clara meet lots of new people. The corduroy jumper in the picture was mine when I was a little girl. I'm so grateful my mom saved some of our special outfits! Here is what she has been up to.

My favorite moments: You can clap your hands now when we sing patty cake which is super cute! We have a little giraffe toy where you put the ball in the top and it makes a noise then spits it back out the bottom. You can put the ball in all by yourself, which I think mom is a lot more excited about than you are! You got a fisher price noah's ark for Christmas and you love for me to put all the animals in the ark so that you can take them all out. You do really well playing ball and understand that you are suppose to throw it back although it doesn't always get thrown in the desired direction. I'm so proud of how much you are learning!! 

Clara quirks: You still have an addiction to Old MacDonald. It came in handy when we needed you to be still for an hour and a half in the airplane to and from Indiana. Dad put Old MacDonald Baby Einstein on the Kindle and that completely occupied you for the first hour of the trip. When I put you down for a nap but you aren't quite ready to sleep you love to stick your hand out the slats of the crib into your dirty clothes basket and pull all the dirty clothes into your crib. I will check on you during a nap only to find you asleep on top of a giant pile of dirty clothes in your crib. 

Nap/Sleep: You are finally transitioning to two naps a day. It flip flops back and forth right now depending on how our schedule is but if we are home all day you will now take a late morning and then a mid-afternoon nap. Each about an hour to an hour and a half. We were gone so much in December that your sleep at night was kind of erratic but since we have gotten home you have done great, going down at 8PM then getting up around 6:30AM to have stuggles and a bottle with Dad before he goes to work, then going back to bed till about 8:30. 

Eating: You are taking three 6 ounce bottles during the day then eating solids for dinner. You also have solids for snacks some during the day, usually puffs or fruit. We fix you another bottle before bed which sometimes you drink and sometimes you don't. We have started to do some finger foods like little pieces of vegetables, corn or black beans. You really like feeding yourself! 

Mobility: You have gotten so fast! You can cruise around the furniture at lightning speed and had a blast in Indiana with your walking toy going 100 miles an hour through the whole house. We have gotten you to take a step or two walking between Brian and I but only when we let go of your hand. You still aren't brave enough quite yet to step out on your own. When you finally do, I image you will go from walking to running in a matter of hours!! 

Christmas picture catch-up

Our family lit the 4th advent candle at my parent's church the Sunday before Christmas. Clara was mama...baba... praising Jesus the whole time!