What.A.Week

Is it over yet? This week was supposed to start out great. Done with my masters and all I had planned do to was nothing. Apparently there were other plans for me that I didn't know about...but really only Monday was bad so I can't really complain.

Monday morning I woke up to do my final team evaluation. Open up my Mac and there is a blinking folder with a question mark. Panic sets in. Text my sister who says it's dead. I cry and make an appointment at the Apple store. Yes it's dead. Wonderful. Claire and I waited around for about an hour and then they called and said sorry the part we had to replace your hard drive is also broken so it will be 3-5 days. Luckily we have 3 computers (my Macbook Pro, the big Mac, and an HP laptop)....yes I know stupid but when I was doing my masters it never stopped so if we were traveling I had to have a computer. Justin also doesn't like the Mac so he has his own HP laptop....which is what I'm typing on so I can watch Seasame Street with Claire. So what is lost you might ask: pictures- lucky for me I have them on both computers which I promptly backed up the other computer, all my masters stuff (barf), some new programs I had just downloaded for my pictures, and a bunch of other stuff that I can't even think about at the moment.

So while that sounds small to everyone else. I cried the rest of the day.

Tuesday I took Winston to the new vet on base. She told me I need to start feeding him a different food because even though his perscription food is controlling his horrible allergies I could be doing more for him to relieve his itching. I wanted to punch her face. She does not understand what we have been through with him. He almost died when he was two months old and I did everything I could to help him, we have been through severe allergies, and horrible skin problems. I kind of got snotty with her but I don't care.

So now we are going to try a new dog food that is RAW SERIOUSLY DISGUSTING. It's called Primal and it's literally raw meat with other stuff mixed in. So sick but if it will help my little buddy then I will try it...Claire and I are off to look for that today.

Done complaining:

Here is what is GREAT about this week:

1. Claire is taking a bottle! This is hugeeeeeeee. She has refused bottle after bottle for 6 1/2 months. We tried last month to wean her while we were in Texas. It resulted in tears from her and me. Then last week out of nowhere Justin gave her a bottle and she sucked it down! We tried again a few hours later and she did it again. We are now on day 3 of bottles all the time and it's great. I was still feeding her at night but now I don't. It's so great. I know that sounds selfish of me but 6 months is a long time to be literally attached to someone. I wouldn't change it but I'm glad we both have a little more freedom now. The plus side for me is that I can work out without having to drink gallons of water a day to keep the supply coming! I had planned on feeding her for her whole first year from the beginning so when she wouldn't take a bottle it wasn't a big deal to me. I think it drove other people more crazy. But if she wants a bottle I'm all for it!

2. Claire got her passport made and her picture is so cute. The guy told her she took a better picture than most adults. Justin I know was thinking of course she does...her mother is a picture taking fool! As soon as it comes in we will be purchasing tickets to see my parents in China and I am so excited! Who would have ever thought my parents would live in China much less I would get to go visit there. Hopefully later this year we can go back with Justin.

Now that I have written a book I'm off to finish Claire's laundry. I'm thinking that even when she isn't a baby I will use the Dreft laundry detergent, I just love the way it smells. I get to smell it on a daily basis...does anyone else who has a baby have issues with their child wetting the bed on a nightly basis? I started double diapering her a few months ago but it doesn't help anymore...she pees through a size 3 on the inside and then a size 5 nighttime diaper. It is crazy and slighty annoying to change her sheets all the time.

I love this face!

I might be biased but how can you not love her face! She has started making the funniest little faces.

If you are in the Kingwood area check out this photographer. She was great! She made Claire laugh and smile even when she was sick and we obviously got a ton of great pictures. Check her out...http://lindsaymoorephotography.com/wordpress/

Hawaii is the best because....

We can go to the beach or pool in January while everyone else is freeeeezing! Yesterday we went to the Hale Koa pool with the Noland's. It was the first time Claire got in the water without screaming. The weather was perfect, the husbands had fruity drinks by the pool, and we swam with the babes. They did get in the water with us but then of course I jumped out to take pictures of Claire enjoying herself.

I might be biased but she's pretty stinking cute

Inappropriate Claire!!!

Her in her Pebbles bathing suit in all her chubbiness makes me happy!

Playtime

Claire is becoming such a fun little person. She is sitting up and able to play with her toys in her lap. She is also reaching for things and just always happy. I don't know what I will do if we have another baby (in several years) and they aren't this happy.

I'm also enjoying my new camera lens and she isn't a bad subject to take pictures of!

Yesterday we went to Babies R Us and got this singing alligator with a giftcard she got for Christmas...I could have bought more practical things but she loved this toy in Lubbock and she could play with it for hours...and she has!

This morning we played for three hours and then she crashed. She has currently been napping for two hours. I'm sure she will be waking up soon.

6 Months

Dear Claire,

Today you are half a year old! We can’t believe you came into this world six months ago. What an amazing little person you are turning out to be. You are hardly ever grumpy or fussy. You are all smiles and love to giggle.

This month we have been in Texas celebrating Christmas and the new year. You met lots of people and even took some little trips. You got to meet daddy’s side of the family and spend time with them. You went on your first road trip to san Antonio to see tutu’s side of the family. You slept the whole way. At the end of our six week stay you went to Lubbock to see where mommy went to college at texas tech. we stayed with a friend of mommy’s from school, Emily. You got to play with harper and Bentley and you had so much fun.

You took your first trip to see Santa. You were so good. The first time we went to see him they told us we would have to come back because santa had diabetes. Later that week we went back and you sat in his lap and smiled like such a big girl. I’m sure next year you will be screaming when you see him but that’s okay! You had several Christmases this year. You were a pro at opening gifts and trying to eat the paper and bows.

You are eating more and more cereal this month and after your doctor appointment we will start giving you veggies and fruits. You started sitting up all by yourself! You practiced for a few weeks but really started doing a great job after the first of the year. You sat up and played with toys for such a long time. We tried to give you a sippy cup and you are practicing. You don’t know how to suck yet so you are just getting really wet. It’s funny to watch. You still won’t take a bottle… anytime would be great, just let me know! You are blowing bubbles like crazy and babble to yourself and other people. You don’t care for the car seat and scream for awhile when you are put in it. But then Your little giggle makes me laugh and you loved to be tickled. It’s so cute. You are still able to roll from your back to tummy but can’t get back over. It’s frustrating for us all but once you learn you will be a rolling machine. Some nights you are sleeping better than others and when you sleep it makes everyone happy, but when you wake up you are always smiling so it’s okay. Tutu slept with you in a chair some nights while we were visiting. I hope she didn’t spoil you too much.

We got an email this week that said some babies start crawling within the next few months. I will be okay if you aren’t that fast. I feel like you are growing too quickly and I’m not ready for you to be mobile yet. I hope you are always as sweet as you are right now. Everyone told us all month what a good baby you are and they are right. We couldn’t be more blessed with a happy baby.

We love you stinker,

Mommy and daddy

Peas and Ice-Cream

Claire went to the doctor on Monday. She got the full speed ahead on eating solids. This little person must have been just waiting until she could sink her gums into some mashed up food. First on the menu...peas! I thought she would rebel but instead she probably could have eaten about five jars if I would have let her!

Trying out juice...

Justin also thought because she was screeching at his ice-cream cone that he should let her lick his Drum Stick. I was less than thrilled but of course I took pictures.

Sitting UP!

Claire can officially sit up on her own! She worked and worked at sitting up on her own for the last few weeks we were in Texas. She has mastered it! It is a whole new world of playing. She thinks she can pick anything up and put it in her lap. It's so funny to watch her. She is very serious when she is sitting up. 

Funny story about this penguin. When we were in Lubbock Harper had one of these penguins. Claire would throw a fit when it would go off. So of course when we got home I thought I would see how she reacted. UMMM basically the same as when were at Emily's. He has slowly been making his way back into her play zone...

Home with Daddy

After six weeks of being gone we are home with Justin. He got to come meet us in Texas for three weeks between his transfer. We are enjoying him on shore duty! I get to go run errands without a small person and Claire gets to play with Daddy. Her new favorite thing to do...pull hair! I love them together.

Lubbock

So the last post I did was before we went to lubbock, before Claire started sitting up totally on her own, and before we came back to Hawaii. I've been so busy the past few weeks and days. I only have one more week of classes left until my masters degree is complete and I'm really excited. I don't even know what I am going to do with all my free time. I did sign Claire and I up to go to Gymboree with our neighbor which I'm super excited about and I'm also looking into a place called My Gym. All I saw were little people ziplining in a swing looking thing and thought it looked fun!

Back to Lubbock...

My mom, Claire, and I all went up to Lubbock for two days to see some of my college friends who still live up there and have all had babies. It was so much fun to watch them all play together. Bentley is a little more than a month older than Claire and Harper is just a few weeks younger than her. They were so stinking cute. We also got to visit some of my favorite places in town and pick up some Lubbock souvenirs. One of my favorite professors at Tech, who would have us all over for Grey's and pizza on Thursdays, still lives there too! We got to visit with her and her sweet daughter and grandbaby.

Lubbock has grown so much since I left. I could almost imagine myself living there again and not as a college student. I hope we get to go back and visit again soon.