A Few Pictures From Our Week

Every week seems to be pretty busy. This week was too, so I'm not going to go into great detail, just post some pictures. The highlights included a trip to Daddy's work, Clarita's first concert, the SEED graduation party, and "Game Day the Sequel".
This time at Daddy's work Clarita met the packers. It was a hilarious experience! They all crowded around her and kissed her, rubbed her head, and took pictures all the while exclaiming over her in Spanish ("Que maciza! Que ojos! Que lindita!"). She was a big hit and was even offered work! The concert was the first of a series of outdoor "$5" country concerts that the local radio station puts on and we go to every summer. Clara behaved perfectly! She danced, drank her bottles, and then fell asleep around 9:30 after putting her jammies on.  All of the SEED students, especially the girls, fawned over Clarita at the party and took lots of pictures of her. At the first "Game Day" I was overdue and jumped in the bounce trying to bounce the baby out. Needless to say it didn't work! This game day was a little more fun and I think Clarita had fun too "playing" with the other babies and getting lots of snuggles.

She liked Amanda

At Daddy's work

Who doesn't change their baby in the middle of a concert?

With Tia Laurie

Dancing with Tio Robert

SEED students Cycle 2011

Both of our daughters

With Deyra

Memo from Honduras

Eho from Guatemala

Don't drop me Dada!

Dada's shoulder tastes good!

Kevin watching Reedcito

Allison and Clarita

Hugging Connor

Chelsea finally held Clara...her face pretty much sums up the experience!

Sleeping with Ashley

Ryan, Reedcito, and Sarah playing

I like to lounge in the bathtub

Two Months!

It's crazy how much the little wiggle has changed in the past month! She is definitely no longer a newborn and is so strong! Clarita can hold her head up steadily and can even sit up in the Bumpo chair. She loves to stand up on our laps and bounce. She started rolling over from tummy to back at around six weeks and does so sporadically. Sometimes I put her down for tummy time and she rolls over right away. Other times she tries to roll over and gets upset that she can't. Clara now "talks" up a storm just like her mommy and loves to smile.

Clara recently had her two month check-up and has gained three pounds and three inches since birth. She's only in the 22nd  percentile for weight but the doctor said that she's not worried because "you're not fat people".  She's constantly moving and rarely sits still. Clara even moves in her sleep (much like her daddy) and wakes herself up by flailing her arms and legs. She also got her vaccinations which was a horrible experience for all of us. Kevin made me hold her down because he didn't want Clara to associate him with pain. I have never heard Clarita scream so loudly. She was so happy drinking her Polio vaccine and then became so sad when she got her shots. The rest of the night she slept or screamed becoming happy only when she got swaddled for bed. I am not looking forward to more shots. I thought I was going to cry along with her.

Ready for my check-up

This vaccine is yummy!

Shots make me sad

I'm amazed at what a little personality Clarita already has. She's so tiny but definitely knows what she likes and dislikes and protests when she doesn't like something. I think she's going to be a stubborn one.

Clara continues to be such a good baby. Everyone keeps telling me to wait and that she's going to start sleeping less or be less easy going, but I hope that she continues down the path she's on. I take Clara most places with me just like I always said that I would do with my baby. She's very well behaved and loves to go on trips. 

Clarita is such a good little sleeper. For my Mother's Day present she slept through the night from 9:45 until I woke her up at 5:15 to feed her before I went running. She has continued to do this and will fall asleep anywhere including super loud parties. When we're out at night she falls asleep around the same time as normal and doesn't wake up when she gets put in or taken out of her car seat, swaddled, or put to bed. She sleeps like her mommy!

Clara continues to meet new people! She is pretty good about letting everyone hold her.

Debbie watching Clara while we play soccer

Meeting Sally

Meeting Beth

I finally got to meet cousin Shawna!

Finally a picture with Megs!

So far it has been so much fun watching Clara grow and change. The time has really flown by and I know that it's going to continue to fly. I made a comment to Kevin the other day that Clarita is only going to get more fun and he said, "But she's already so fun!". That pretty much sums up our lives with Clara, fun! 

Clarita's Stats

(As of her two month check-up on May 16)

Weight: 10.1 pounds (she's gained 3 pounds!)

Height: 22.5 inches (she's grown 3 inches!)

Head Circumference: 38 centimeters

What Clara Wears

0-3 month outfits fit pretty well. 3 month outfits are a little big but once the cloth diaper is factored in they fit length wise at least.

Things Clara Loves

Mommy and Daddy, nursing, going for walks, getting undressed and having naked baby time, her "soothie" pacifiers (especially her monito), the bouncy chair, the swing, the Moby Wrap, snuggling, baths, baby exercises, the miracle swaddling blanket, car rides, the Baby Bjorn, the rain forest play mat, reading books, sitting in the Bumpo chair while mommy and daddy eat, massages, being a baby airplane, being held looking over your shoulder like a parrot

Things Clara Does Not Love

Getting dressed, waiting, getting buckled into the car seat, shots, being held in a cradled position (especially when she's tired)

How Clarita Sleeps

Clarita sleeps off and on throughout the day as she sees fit. I let her sleep whenever she wants and it changes from day to day. She has started sleeping through the night and usually goes to bed between 9:00 and 10:00 (depending on when she gets tired) and wakes up between 5:00 and 5:30. She will then nurse and go back to sleep until 8:00 to 9:00. I am loving this new sleep schedule! She gets swaddled at bedtime and sometimes lays awake in her bassinet quietly looking around for a half hour before she goes to sleep. She rarely fusses but if she does we give her a pacifier and she goes to sleep.

Nicknames

Baby Butter, Clarita, Snugglepuff, Snuggles, Wiggles, Baby/Bebe, Bambina (thanks Chels), Sapita

Monthly Exciting Events

May 17-20: Daddy's first weekend away from Clara :( (ok not so exciting)

May 12, 2013: Clara sleeps through the night from 9:45 until I wake her up at 5:15 to eat before I go running

May 7, 2013: Tia Laurie babysits for the first time while Mommy and Daddy go on a date!

May 5, 2013: Clara attends her first birthday party

May 5, 2013: Clara is baptized

May 4, 2013: Clara's first road trip

May 3, 2013: Clara's first trip to the mall

May 1, 2013: Clara starts holding her head up steadily

April 28: 2013: Clara rolls over from tummy to back

April 27, 2013: Clara's first fiesta

April 22, 2013: Tio Russell finally holds Clara

April 22, 2013: Daddy's first time watching Clarita alone (for more than an hour)

Monthly Pictures

One Month

Two months

A Whirlwind Weekend

Kevin had to go to Chicago for work so it was just Clara and I for a whirlwind weekend! We dropped Kevin off at the airport Friday morning, headed to the allergy doctor, then a funeral, then a little rest before Deyra's graduation. It was a very exciting event as Deyra has worked really hard these past two years in order to earn her associate's degree from Reedley College. This is a huge accomplishment for someone who grew up literally in the middle of nowhere without electricity or running water and spoke no English. We are very proud of her. Clara got a little fussy during the graduation and then went to sleep in the Baby Bjorn. She made quite a few admirers as she cooed and made her famous expressions during the ceremony.

Sleeping during the ceremony

Hanging with la Abuelita

Deyra

Saturday was the Swedish Festival in the town that we live in. Every year there is the Dala Trot race and the male and female winners get a miniature Dala Horse (aka the orange horse that I took maternity pictures laying on). I had run it twice in the past and I won it once and got second the other time (this really fast girl showed up out of nowhere and beat me, but also made me run my personal best time). I had told everyone that I was going to win it this year, but I didn't really think that I would be able to. My awesome mother spent the night at my house Friday night so she could watch Clara while I ran and bring her to the finish line to cheer me on. Somehow I pulled some fastness out of the air and managed to win myself another horse! Clara had fun watching (she really just likes being outside and around people) and was great motivation for me to kick it up a notch at the finish. The race was followed by a Swedish pancake breakfast complete with Lingonberry jam (the real reason we all run). Even though it is not a super competitive race, it felt really good to run and win it. I felt like I pushed myself to reach this goal and hope that I am teaching Clarita that hard work pays off and that being active is fun. I can't wait until she can go in the stroller without her car seat and go for runs with Kevin and I. Right now it is a little too unwieldy although Kevin has pushed her a few times.

All done

My mom watched Clarita Saturday all afternoon and evening so I could go to Pinot and Pints, a fundraiser for the Reedley College agriculture department. It was a nice break and I even had a glass of wine! Then I watched a movie with some friends. It was very simple, but so nice to watch a whole movie uninterrupted. Clara enjoyed spending time with La Abuelita even if she did have an upset stomach. My mom spent the night again since I got home late and it was nice to have her here since Kevin was gone. Thanks for all your help mom!

On Sunday we attended my Pastor's daughter's first birthday party. Pastor Rick and his wife Tracy adopted Emma a year ago and it has been so fun to watch her grow! I can't wait until she and Clara can play together! Her party was "Up" themed complete with a house with balloons on top and an awesome cake! Emma wasn't exactly sure what to make of her cake...she thought it was fun to squish but I'm not sure if she ate any of it. Clarita took it all in and made Tio Robert laugh will all of her constantly changing expressions. She can go from smiling to frowning to looking serious to looking confused all in one minute!

What a cute cake

Not sure what to do with the cake

Flying

Clara's First Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day was very nice. Clarita got me a massage gift certificate since carrying her around and feeding her have wreaked havoc on my back. How sweet of her. We went to church and then to my brother's house to celebrate with my family and his wife's family. They BBQd and we ate so much that we didn't even have room for dessert (not even me and I love dessert). Clara behaved beautifully and only got fussy as we were about to leave because she was tired.

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We then headed off to Kevin's sister's house to celebrate with his family. Clara got really tired there so I finally put her in the Baby Bjorn and she spent most of the evening asleep. Before we left, we laid Clara and Teagan on the floor next to each other. What followed was hilarious and had all of us standing over them laughing! Clarita was flailing about talking up a storm as usual while Teagan attempted to eat Clara's hands as they would flail over to her. Teagan managed to lick her a few times and became upset because Clara wouldn't keep her hands still enough for her to get her mouth around them. Clara appeared oblivious to it all. I think these two are going to have some fun growing up together so close in age!

All the cousins

Teagan wouldn't look at the camera

Auntie Alyssa holding Clarita for the first time