Yuh Yoo

She finally did it. It was one of the treasured moments we have been waiting for. Last night, I was singing Claire the bedtime song that I have sung to her every night since she has been born. I was rocking her in the chair and loving on her. Just as I was about to put her to bed, I looked at her and said "Claire, I love you." She answered, "Yuh Yoo." It was a mangled response but she said it!! Tears filled up my eyes. I was so happy! So I had to confirm. I said it again. "Claire, I love you." Again, she answers "Yuh Yoo."

To make it even better, she told her Daddy "Yuh Yoo" this evening. Like I have said before in the blog, it's the little things...

Say goodbye to the baby days

I have had a sad awakening lately. It is going to sound stupid, but here goes... It has dawned on me very recently that Claire no longer fits in the "baby" category. In some ways, it makes me so sad. Those were very special days that we will always treasure. In other ways, I am loving all the things she can do now. She is developing her own little personality. Claire is so sweet, funny and very expressive. She is very gentle and loves to give kisses and hugs. She loves to snuggle but she also loves to run around. Claire is inquisitive and loves to ask questions. She notices everything and doesn't have much of a buffer in asking about what she notices. (sound like her Mommy?) She loves animals, balls, music, outside, books, and being busy, busy, busy.

Lately, Claire wants to do everything for herself. She wants to use her own spoon. She wants to color. She wants to sit like a big girl.
She wants to hold the big girl book. She is getting to be such a big girl.

We went to see Grandma and Pops tonight, and Claire wanted Grandma's lipstick. Yikes... Watch out!!

The Upside of Ike

If there is an upside to Hurricane Ike, it is that Claire bear got to see her grandparents who live in Houston. They evacuated and came to visit for the weekend. Claire had a lot of fun. She played outside...
She went out to eat a nice dinner, listened to a band play and acted so silly! She even had a "Halloween practice" with the Ladybug costume that her Mimi got her. Mimi and Papa left this afternoon and she has been walking around the house since they left randomly yelling out their names.

Dino Land

Build a T Rex and a Pink Leopard with Grandma and Pops

Grandma and Pops took the grandkids to the Build-A-Bear workshop! The boys were so excited about the T-Rex that they both made, and Miss Claire loves the pink leopard that she made with her grandparents. The boys thought it was so neat that they put a heart inside the T-Rex while Claire was fascinated with the stuffing machine. It was a fun event.

"Social Butterfly and a Take Charge" girl

When I went to pick Claire up from daycare today, she did the funniest series of things. Here they are:

1. She runs over to me and gives me 3 big kisses and a wonderful hug.

2. Just as I am reaching out to pick her up to leave, she tells me "No No" and runs back over to finish playing with her friend Wyatt. This made me laugh so hard.

3. Her teacher, Ms. Miriam says to me "Claire had a great day today. She is such the social butterfly. She is talking so much!" I thank Miriam for taking such good care of Claire, and then I say to Claire "Let's go." She looks up at me, smiles really big, takes my hand and marches us out of there.

Again, Miriam and I laugh hysterically. She is getting to be such a big girl taking charge of things...marching Mommy out of school.

PS- Her daycare report card today says "Claire had an awesome time painting today! She got paint all over herself. I got a picture of your technicolor toddler and will give it to you soon." XOXO