Growing Up Too Fast

This is happening way too fast... she started out so little. So sweet. So perfect.

No, that hasn't changed... she is still perfect and sweet, but not so little anymore.

I remember putting this bow on her head and thinking, "Boy, that looks ridiculous. It is the size of her head."

It has only been a few months since we left Borger. Okay, it has been 5 1/2 months, but Claire has changed so much. Her hair is lighter... she sits up on her own (without the Bumbo), and she has two bottom teeth and another coming in on the top. She loves fruit, hates vegetables, and constantly wants to be with her sisters or her mom. She is growing to be just like Ella and Abbigail.

One of her favorite things... being outside. We'll go for walks, spend some time at the park, take a ride in the stroller or wagon... or sometimes we'll just put her in excersaucer outside and let her get some Vitamin D. She loves the breeze, loves the sun, and loves watching the squirrels, cats, and dog run wild through the yard. Oh... and the other animals: Ella and Abbigail.

Probably the best part about Claire... her beautiful, goofy grin. When she smiles it is as if she is trying to smile harder than she possibly can. Her nose wrinkles up, and these perfect little giggles escape her lips. You can't help but be happy when you are with her... that's probably why God put her in my life. I need that daily, hourly, minute by minute dose of happiness.

Every day is a new discovery for Claire at this age. Whether she is finding her balance and standing on her own. Maybe she discovers how to suck through a straw. Or perhaps she finds the simple pleasure of a box. Forget the toys. A box to sit in, and pretend it is her own little car is what every baby needs.

And then she discovers the stairs. The crawling came so easily for her... but she avoided the stairs. Until one day... this day in the picture... she heard her sisters giggling and playing upstairs at Meme & Papa's house and had to join them. So she climbed all 18 stairs (with mom right behind her, of course.) Now we can't keep her away from the stairs. She can't climb down them, but for some reason all she wants to do is play on or near those darned stairs.

And no, the gash on her chin and bruise on her cheek are not from the stairs. One evening at church Abbigail was carrying Claire when they both fell and crashed into a folding chair. Claire's chin split open, blood gushing everywhere... and surprisingly mom didn't panic. Some dermabond glue at the emergicare solved the problem, and hopefully in a few weeks she will be as good as new. If only we can get Abby to stop picking up her baby sister!

If there is one thing about this beautiful baby girl that shouldn't surprise anyone is how much she loves her chocolate. After all, it runs in the family. But when this kid gets her hands on something chocolate... it goes everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!

What else can we say, but that we are crazy about this little angel. She is the perfect addition to our family, and we love watching her grow. We just wish she would take it a little slower...