1 YEAR OLD

K so wow....Time is once again flying by. I have not posted forever and although I have never been really great at updating, I feel like I have skipped some major events. First and foremost on May 13th Claire turned 1. Holy cow. How did that happen? We had a little party with just our families to celebrate and it was lots of fun. Of course Claire got totally spoiled. She has so many people who love her and I just want to thank them all for making her birthday so special. Although she may not remember it I most definitely will and can't thank you enough for everything you all do for us. We are so blessed with such awesome families and I look up to every single one of you!!!

WE LOVE YOU.

and now to Miss Claire... (This was written when she had just turned 1)

My sweet Claire!

I can not even begin to express to you how much I LOVE being your mom. You have brought more joy to my life in the past year than I ever imagined was possible. It's crazy to me how much you have learned and grown this past year. It's been so much fun watching you discover new things. I love the faces you make and the excitement in your eyes when you learn something new or see something that is interesting to you. It's a look that I will never forget. So innocent and loving. So unjudmental. Your Dad and I can honestly be making fools of ourselves and you just look at us like we are the coolest people in the world. I hope you keep all that enthusiasiam throughout all your life. I hope you get excited over small things forever and that you will always love those around you the way you do now.

Right now you are so much fun! I do get sad that your growing up. It just makes me realize how fast the rest of your childhood is going to go. However, I must admit it is so much fun interacting with you. You give me the best snuggles in the world. You give us snuggles when we ask for them and when you are tired or hungry, but my favorite snuggles are the ones at night when it's just me and you with no interruptions. I don't worry about needing to clean the house, or running errands...It's just me and you and I wouldn't have it any other way. I must admit there are times I get frustrated that you are not sleeping better. You still wake up at least once a night, but like I said some of my most cherished moments with you happen in the rocking chair in the middle of the night. There are times when I could just lay there forever with you. I sit thinking about how I won't get to do this forever, that someday I will be lucky if I get a hug before you go to bed. The other night you stopped eating looked at me and blew me a kiss and then went right back to eating. It was heart melting...You LOVE kids and are a very social baby. Even the doctor (at your 12 month appointment) noticed how outgoing you are. When we go to church there literally will be a line of kids wanting to get a hug from you. The crazy part is, they don't even have to ask you for a hug. You just dive right for them, wrap your arms around them and lay your head on their shoulder. It is so endearing to me. I have always been known as a "hugger" and I am so glad you got that quality of mine. I like to think it's a good one. I feel like a hug can always make things better. We hug when were sad, when were happy, scared, excited. They make most not all, but most people feel happy and thats what I love about them. You give open mouthed kisses that I can't get enough of and your latest thing is blowing kisses. You actually make the kissing sound and use the back of your hand instead of your palm. The other day your dad came home for lunch and as he was leaving you blew him a kiss. As he walked out the door he said "that makes me want to cry" between you and me I am pretty sure he had a tear or two in his eyes. He adores you! You started walking probably about 3 weeks ago. You are so fun to watch walk. You are careful, but anxious to get to where your going. It's like it's a whole new world for you. I was hesitant for you to walk I worried about keeping up with you, but for the most part I worried about my heart. I knew that as soon as you started walking you would feel so grown up to me, and that my little baby would soon be my little girl. Don't get me wrong little girls are great and I am so excited to continue to see your personality develop. It just pulls at my heart strings a little. Maybe that's why I am having a bit of a hard time giving up nursing..... because I know it's just one step closer to little baby Claire being big girl Claire.

As far as eating goes you are doing great! You eat most anything, but like your mama you totally love sweets. You seriously spot anybody eating anything and bee line to them. It cracks me up. and I find it amazing that you seem to know if it's healthy or unhealthy. It's always the popsicles, ice cream and candy that you are most interested in. However, you do love Grandmas homemade honey wheat bread. I would consider that one of your favorites, but you love bannans and cheese, corn, sweet potatoes, turkey, I could keep going, but you get the picture...Most anything edible you eat. You fold your arms when it's time for prayers. The first time you did this I was seriously amazed. I just said "let's say prayers" and you folded your arms. It definitely made me realize you really are watching every little thing we do. It's a little scary. Lately we say it's time for prayers and even if you don't fold your arms right then by the end of the prayer they are folded. It is very sweet! Yesterday we went to the park with a few friends. I let you play in the bark and on the playground a little bit. When it was time to go you were so mad at me. I had not ever seen you get worked up so much about something like that. You were arching your back and just screaming while I tried to put you in the stroller. ....I realized my baby is growing up. You had pig tails in your hair that day too, and the combo just made me a little sad...I was like when did this happen? When did she decide it was cooler to play on her own than with me? Your dancing is hilarious as well. You love when we put on music and dance around the house. You also love books. I worry I don't read to you enough, but you really love just sitting there and flipping all the pages more than anything else. You have a mouth full of teeth, eleven to be exact and you are becoming more and more attached to your blanket and your binki. Anytime I take you out of your crib you make sure that blanket is in your hands and then you drag it around behind you most of the day. It's really very cute. You love jumping on the trampoline and you really love going on walks. Being outside is like being at Disneyland to you. So much to see and discover. I love it. You also are a huge fan of baths. When I ask you if you want to take a bath you start pulling at your clothes trying to take them off. The only problem is you like to stand up in the tub and it makes me nervous. You actually face planted out of tub once...It was so sad and I felt bad for days. Anyway Sweet Claire, I want you to know how much everybody in your life loves you. All of your aunts and uncles and grandparents absolutely adore you. You are easy to love though, you are so loving and sweet and smiley. You single handedly can make a bad day into a good one with only one little snuggle. Thanks for being mine...I hope I can be the kind of mom you deserve!

I LOVE YOU...

love mom

and if you actually read through all of that....Here are just a few pictures of her big day.