Claraboo turns Two

Two years ago today, I sat in a comfy bed at the Agape Birth Center holding my sweet little baby.

Number five. Daughter.

Life was about to do somersaults, but for the moment, all was right in the world.

Over the past two years, repeatedly, I've vowed to write a post dedicated just to Clara. I didn't write one for her first birthday, not when she started walking, I never really recorded her first sets of words. It hurts my heart. It's been such a chaotic couple of years, but my little Clara has been like sunshine to me all along this crazy journey.

That first year, she was heaven-sent. Patient to a fault, sweet, easy-going, gentle, quiet. I will always treasure my memories of quiet nights rocking her in the glow of the streetlamp in the front room of our second story apartment while huge silent snowflakes fell.

Then she turned one. :)

This last year she has become a sassy little spit-fire. She is full of spunk and sparks, assertive and absolutely fearless.

She LOVES all animals. Whether it's a caterpillar, a snail, a kitten, a snake, or a horse, it's "Oh, tute!" She kinda takes after her mommy. Visiting the fair with her last month was a blast!

Last month when we went rafting with Aunt Wendie and G&G Moon, Clara fell asleep. After about an hour of "peace and quiet" and bees hovering all around, I here from the back of the raft, "Oh! Hi, buggy! I yu you!" (referring to a friendly bee buzzing over her sleepy face)

She has a special place in her heart for doggies. We babysat Jake's pup this last month and she adores MoMo. (Nebo) I could often find her snuggling up on the doggy bed with Nebo saying, "I yuv you, MoMo."

She has difficulty saying her own name, but is awesome at everyone else's. "cl" is a difficult combination for baby mouths.

She talks and sasses. A. Lot. She's not always super clear, but has no problem communicating her meaning. If I listen close enough, I realize that she is actually speaking really well, it's just a little fuzzy.

As mentioned, she is fearless. She loves water and has no comprehension of it's danger. She has tried to jump from the raft or sneak away from me to the end of the dock and slip into the watery depths unnoticed. Last month while visiting the chair lift at Schweitzer, she refused to sit back in the seat, instead opting to dangle her feet and lean forward as far as I'd let her.

She loves sugar - and pancakes. Blueberries are one of the only things that she eats consistently and always loves. It's all about the timing. Sometimes she loves it, sometimes she hates it. I'd say she's a picky eater, but the only thing I find that she will NOT eat is potatoes. She was SO excited tonight for her "coclate" cake!

For a 9 pound infant, she sure doesn't look it. Still under 25 pounds and so slender that she regularly slides her diaper right off her bummy. In fact, if I don't put a onesie on her, I cannot keep a diaper on her at all. Apparently she doesn't like them - or pants.

She is a bit of a wanderer and I've lost her a few times just in the backyard. She LOVES to be outside. She does not like to hold hands.

She adores her sisters and they think she's the cutest thing in the world. She holds her own with them and will not be pushed around. She tattles on her sisters like nobody's business and knows how to milk the sympathy. It's adorable.

She loves the riding lawn mower and can be found sitting on it almost every time she goes outside. She RAGES if someone is riding it without her.

Clara loves to read stories and loves to sing. She remembers words to songs and is on key when she sings along. Her favorite this year has been "Tiny Tim".

She loves to be tickled. "Mama? Ticklou?" "You want me to tickle you?" "YES!" She loves butterfly kisses and laughs and laughs and asks for more. She also says something that I haven't heard in about 8 years, "Mama, I hold you?" (will you hold me? my Hazie Baby used to ask the same thing.) Just last week she started saying "No way!"

She loves the trampoline, cannot get down on her own, and thinks playing "runaway" when I try to get her off is the best game in the world. She screams in delight and then frustration when I finally jump up on the tramp to grab her and bring her inside.

Loves to draw. On her legs, belly, face, and arms.

She is almost always happy and loves to laugh.

Every time I put her to bed, we repeat to each other:
*kiss* "I love you."
"I yuv you."
"Goodnight."
"Nigh, Night"
"Bye, bye."
"Bu-bye."

Her birthday today was happy and low key. The homemade chicken noodle soup was met with "Mmmm, nummy!" and the 'coclate' cake with sheer joy. This girl loves her some chocolate! She had so much fun with the candles. Over the course of the day she requested to have them relit about 27 times, squealing with excitement and clapping every time she'd blow them out again.

I love my little Clara Lettice. She brings so much joy into my life and I am so thankful that the Lord sent her when he did. I often feel like she's growing up too fast, but at the same time I'm so excited for each new thing she learns. She is such a delightful little person.

I love you, Claroo! Happy birthday, Baby Girl.

Thirty-One and Counting

I don't know why or how it happened, but somehow I never connected that after 30, comes 31. It was a strange day about 6 months ago when I realized that little tidbit. Yikes!

For my birthday this year, all I wanted to do was be go for a drive and be outside with my family. Funny how that seems to be all I want to do every year.

It makes me happy to feel the fresh air and sunshine.

This birthday was a little rough. I was feeling massively homesick on my birthday - and for about a week afterward. And while I miss my family, it wasn't just them - it was feeling lonely for HOME, for rest. I don't know why I can't get past this. I'm so tired of this feeling. Our landlord decided to put the house back on the market and it's been throwing me for a loop. I've been able to really settle into this home and our lives here and I've felt very peaceful, but it seems that every six months something comes up. Having realtors bring people by the house upwards of 4 times a week is annoying and makes it impossible for me to forget that this life is temporary and I am not the one in charge of deciding how long it will last.  - Luckily, I'm not overly concerned about the house selling - but it's still making me kinda grouchy.

My birthday fell on a Monday and Nels happily took the day off from work and I let the girls stay home from school. Hooray! I woke to happy children singing and bringing me breakfast in bed. What a sweet way to start the morning!

Clara helped herself to my berries. :) I love her tiny tootsies in this photo. :)

Then we spent the rest of the morning enjoying a day off. That afternoon we packed into the van and headed south to Lake CDA to ride a different part of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes bike trail. It was a beautiful spring day.

The only way to keep Clara from diving off the dock or performing the "wet noodle" act.

We loved watching the coots, herons, osprey, and other birds.

Lilie made up wonderfully detailed stories about this abandoned

"Pirate Ship" - she was just certain that there was treasure inside. :)

We rode up the river a couple of miles. It was slightly chilly as the sun was on it's way down, but it was so fun to listen to my girls and the stories that they make up together as they explore the world around them. Their enthusiasm always fills me with gratitude.

I'm so thankful for my life. It is truly beautiful. I'm so thankful for all those that I love and who love me. People who share their hearts with me. What a beautiful thing it is to weave our lives together. I truly feel that it is one of the greatest blessings of my life. There were so many people from both near and far who let me know that they were thinking of me on my birthday. Thank you!

And how blessed I am to share my life with six of the very best friends that the Lord could ever give me! There is no one of earth that I'd rather share my birthday with MORE than these . . .

I'm excited for what this next year holds.

Turning 3

We celebrated our beautiful Violet's 3rd birthday on Saturday.

I will always say I can't believe it - because I can't. I've spent the weekend looking at pictures of that sweet, soft, little, brilliantly-blue-eyed baby. What a tragedy of mortality that I can only remember those times in glimpses.

Violet is growing up --- so beautiful and smart. She is fun and LOVES to laugh and make others laugh. Violet is gentle and tender-hearted. She is timid at times, with things like strangers and heights. Other times she has no fear. 

Two months ago Violet got her first set of glasses. She is far-sighted and the only reason that I even considered taking her into the eye doctor is because I, myself, am seriously far-sighted, so I recognized the signs. Not only that, but both Nels's dad and two of his siblings are far-sighted as well, so I've been on the lookout. I got glasses when I was four and according to my mama, I was angel until I was about two and then I turned into a crazy monster child. Being far-sighted doesn't mean that you can't see (like with near-sightedness), it just means that your eyes have to work extra hard to see -- as if you were walking around all day looking at something that's 4 inches away from your face. It's incredibly strenuous on the eyes. It can lead to headaches and general irritability/moodiness. I'll never understand why more doctors don't recommend vision checkups for hyperactive children.

Around about last fall Violet started having SUCH a hard time controlling her emotions. She would fall to pieces about the smallest things, then try really, really hard to be happy, but just couldn't do it. She'd start crying and when I'd try to help her calm down saying, "Violet, you need to stop crying now. Everything is okay." She'd respond, "I'm NOT crying! (with huge tears rolling down her face and wailing) See?! (insert fakey smile) I'm happy! I'm happy! Waaaaaahhhhhh!" It was getting a little ridiculous. :) I thought maybe she just needed to take more naps, but often she'd wake up in this kind of mood. I knew that this kind of behavior wasn't really her natural temperament and finally made the appointment at the end of December.

We've broken one set of glasses already, but since getting a pair that stay on her face much better than the first ones (and have a warrantee), she's been wearing them like a champ and they really make a difference. Violet loves to be happy and has always been pretty easy-going, but we no longer have the mid-afternoon crazies. She has mellowed out quite a bit since getting her glasses.

Violet LOVES her name! She can spell it and write it. She loves to sing a song that I made up. "V-I-O-L-E-T that's what spells my Vio-Let-y" It's silly and it makes her happy. She knows all her letters and likes to point them out everywhere we go. - Especially her favorite letter - V!

Big Violet and Little Mommy

Violet gives the greatest hugs! At night you must give and receive no less than 5 hugs and kisses (with lots of butterfly and kitty kisses mixed in). I love tucking Violet in! She is very concerned with the happiness of those around her. She asks me often, "You happy, Mama?" 

Vi loves to talk and talks very, very well. She is also my little songbird. All my girls love to sing and hum and whistle and make up lots of songs, but Violet remembers the words to songs really, really well and has excellent pitch. She is always listening.

Her new favorite toys are My Little Pony and it's been fun for her and Elsie to have a game that they enjoy playing together. Up to this point, the age gap between Violet and Elsie has been a little too big at times, but Ponies have been a good meeting place for them. And the older Clara gets, the more I can see what fabulous little friends they will be as well. I love my girls so much!

Violet's 3 Year Stats:

Height: 38" -- 75%

Weights: 32# -- 70%

When I asked Violet what she wanted to do for her birthday, she said that she wanted to swim. Elsie keeps asking if we can go swimming at City Beach (brrrrrr!) and so it's been on her mind. Luckily we found a great swimming pool in Coeur d'Alene where we could go play so that we didn't have to brave the still-snow-covered beaches in town. :) We spent the day splashing and then playing at the indoor play area. By the time we'd eaten cake, gone out for dinner, and drove the hour back home, she was one tired birthday girl!

She was so excited about her orange (current favorite color) birthday shirt! 

I love her happy face!

Happy birthday, my sweet Violet! Thank you for being such a darling and patient little friend to me. I feel like the luckiest mom in the whole world to have you as my daughter.

Nelsy Boy

I am so thankful for Nels in my life. He makes every experience deeper and sweeter and he makes me laugh every single day.

I called him midway through the day to see how work was going. This is the basic gist of the conversation:

Me: Hey, Bub! How's the birthday boy?!

Nels: {laughing} Hahaa! Good. 

M: Oh yeah? I'm glad!

N: {still chuckling and clearly distracted} Yeah. I just got back to my desk; somebody left a present for me. (connection starts getting a little garbled) something something about a thousand testes!

M: . . . . .. . . . . .. . . Um. . . . Did you just say what I thought you said?

N: Yes! Now I need to go find out who's responsible for this!

M: Well, you do that!

When Nels got home that evening, the party prep was in full swing and I'd totally forgotten to ask him about his "birthday present". Later that night I got some clarification from a Facebook post.

Nels is creeping right through his 30s and even though it doesn't seem to phase him much, it's kind of freaking me out. -- Not that that I think he has much to worry about. Working in the "fashion industry" has given him a perfect outlet for his youth and vigor! If ever he decides to step out from behind the camera, I think he's got a real nice start to his modeling porfolio...

For his 33rd birthday, the girls really wanted to show the depth of their love for him, so they got him an ice cream maker. They really do know the pathways to their daddy's heart . . . through his arteries!!! Ba-dum-ching! Thanks folks! I'll be here all night!

And what's the best thing about an ice cream maker?

Sharing the goods, of course!

Thank you, Nels, for all that you give - to me, to your girls. We are so lucky to have you! I'm so happy that you are alive and that you are mine!

Lunch with my Little Lady

Being the middle child can be a tough place in a family.

Elsie holds that spot in every sense of the term. Hazel and Lilie are 18 months apart. Violet and Clara are 18 months apart. Elsie is 2 1/2 years from Lilie and 2 1/2 years from Violet, 4 years younger than Hazel and 4 years older than Clara. And to top it off, they're all girls -- so there's not even gender as a varying factor.

Smack. Dab. In. The. Middle.

She's not really one of the "little girls" and she's not really one of the "big girls". Luckily, she's got enough spunk to shine brightly in her place. She is sweet and nurturing and sassy and fun. She definitely doesn't "fly under the radar." :)

However, with the craziness of the last few months --- having two babies, on top of moving and unpacking --- I have felt that at times I have overlooked some of her needs. - Because she is so easy-going.

So, last month, I took advantage of the excuse of my birthday and decided to pamper us both with some one-on-one time and a Fancy Lunch Date the Friday before. Nels came home for lunch and Elsie and I got all dressed up in our finest, with jewelry and make-up and fancy hair. Elsie wore her purple princess dress and her pretty gloves and I actually pulled out one of my old dresses that my incredible mother made for me in high school for a formal dance. (And before you all rise up in indignation that I actually FIT in one of my high school dresses - I'll just tell you that the term "fit" is used VERY loosely. There were a couple "under cardigan" alterations. {{wink}})

Having Elsie to dress up with was super fun, because I didn't feel conspicuous at all. I could direct all the attention to the fact that my DAUGHTER and I were having a fancy date. For HER. :) It was great.

We headed downtown to my now-favorite restaurant in town, Trinity. It's so gorgeous - right on the beach and a perfect view across the lake - and all of the food is both unique and SO delicious!

As we were waiting for our food, we colored, chatted away, and admired the scenery. As I was watching the seagulls, I realized that one of them wasn't a seagull, but a bald eagle catching fish. So cool.

Elsie enjoying her huckleberry lemonade.

As we finished our lunch, we decided that we MUST order dessert as well. Elsie REALLY enjoyed the Chocolate Mousse Cake a`la mode. :)

I felt about the same way as she did. It was amazing. :)

Thank you so much, Elsie, for being my special little lady. For allowing your mommy to be a princess with you. For being my friend. I love you, my darling girl!