Una Semana Sin Dada

Last week Dada went to Holland for work. Fun for him, sad for us. I'm usually the one that travels for work, but only for a couple of days at a time (and never to any place very exciting) while Dada and Clarita have fiestas so it was my first time being with her solo since she was a couple of months old. Don't get me wrong, Dada works a ton and often gets home late, leaves early, or goes back to work at night so it's like he's gone, but I can still count on him helping to do something or at least talk to him/vent.

Clara seemed like she was coming down with a cold the Sunday before Dada left which made me nervous about our week. However, like always she didn't really seem sick aside form a little cough and runny nose so that made me happy! Monday Clarita spent the entire day with los Abuelos while I worked and went to baby yoga. I picked her up around 7:30 and we got home at 8:00 just in time to get ready for bed and have some snuggles.

Already misses Dada

Los Abuelos couldn't watch Clarita on Thursday so I changed my schedule around and  on Tuesday I stayed home and watched Bailey and Clara. We had a great time playing, going to the park and library, and taking naps! Both girls were great and they really entertain each other! The hour that Clara was asleep and Bay Leaf was awake was the most difficult time of the day. Without Clarita to entertain her, Bailey just wanted me to hold her and cried if I put her down. Once Clara was up she was content to do anything as long as she could see her. And Clarita really loves Bailey and is so helpful and good with her. My favorite moment was when Clara ran off and came back with a burp cloth saying, "Uh oh you drool Bay Leaf. I clean it up!" She proceeded to clean the drool up and then but the burp cloth under Bailey's chin to catch any further drool. Unfortunately, Clara also decided that she should copy Bailey and spit out all her milk saying, "I spit up!" That girl! I delivered Bailey home and enjoyed a nice dinner with los Tios!

Making brownies

Tia horsey

Wednesday Clarita went to Los Tios with Aba and Bailey. I miraculously got us both ready and out the door on time! She had a great day and when I got home we spent the evening playing outside (after she ate five and a half chicken nuggets and most of my salad!). We walked all over and she was tired by the time we got home.

"Clara have pocket"

Pan and monedas!

Thursday, Aba came over and she and Clarita spent the day playing. That night we went to dinner at the McClarty's and Clarita got to play with Reedcito and Kierito. She was beyond excited as Reedcito is one of her favorite friends. Clara refused to eat the great dinner other than a few bites of sweet potato fries, avocado, and tomato and instead ate her body weight in raisins and threw a tantrum when I said she couldn't have anymore. She loved the boys'  kitchen, tent, and playing with Sarah too. The next day she told me, "I like Sarah." It was a great night and the McClartys were so sweet to help take care of us while Dada was gone!

Clarita and Reedcito

On Friday morning Clarita got to Face Time with Dada for the first time since he left. She was really excited about it as it was better than simply watching videos he sent her! I generally get home early on Fridays and get to spend my afternoon with the girls. I got there right as they were waking up from naps and we played outside for a long time. Clarita insisted on walking all around the neighborhood and Bailey was content to be carried around and watch Clara. I hope Baby Emmett is as easy going as she is! That evening we walked all over again and finally headed inside once it got dark. I thought for sure Clara would be out in a flash but she rolled around in her bed singing and signing to herself until I went upstairs and talked to her. I thought that meant that she would sleep in on Saturday...

"I take picture for Mikaela"

"I eat Mama's salad"

...But she woke up at 6:30 ready to go. Since I normally run in the mornings while Clara is asleep and obviously couldn't do this if nobody was home to watch her, I got desperate and decided to run with the stroller. Even though we have an awesome stroller, I have never really liked running with the stroller. Running is my time to relax and zone out and I can't do that while pushing a stroller. That being said, it wasn't too bad and we happened to go downtown and I realized that it was the annual car show that Clara has gone to every year! Kate and I had planned to do something so she and Sophie joined us for a trip to the car show. We had a great time looking at all the old cars and the girls decided they liked a purple car the best. They also got to paint a Pinewood Derby which brought me back to my childhood when we all participated in the Pinewood Derby Boy Scout races (Grandpa Bill always made crazy aerodynamic cars and won). Around lunch time Clara became a tantrum monster and we headed home. We bought some kettlecorn along the way and she loved it and I had to hide it later because that's all she wanted to eat. Clara and Sophie had a blast playing and Sophie was very sad when they had to leave and even asked Kate if Clara could come live with them! Kate and I had a great time hanging out too! Clarita and I enjoyed the rest of our Saturday and I even relaxed and watched a movie while she took a nap (something I rarely do). It was a great decision and we spent the evening playing outside and walking around the neighborhood. Clara once again had difficulty going to sleep and finally went to sleep around 9:30 when I went up and re-tucked her in. I think she missed Dada.

Eating the chocolate off the granola bar

Making good use of my fat belly!

mmm duraznos

smoothie and kettlecorn!

Buenas noches!

Sunday was our last day win Dada and Clarita woke up super early around 6:00! Luckily she was content to stay in her crib and roll around while I slept some more. We went to church and then lunch with my family. Clarita was exceptionally bratty and whined/threw little tantrums all morning when she didn't get her way. She was pretty excited by the bag of clothes Tio Robert and Tia Erika got for Baby Emmett and especially loved the stuffed monkey. She was willing to give him up and said that he would go with Emmett's things, not Clara's but that she could play with him. Emmett, on the other hand, is not allowed to play with Clara's stuffed animals (we'll have to work on that). She took a three and a half hour nap so I even got to finish painting the dresser for her big girl room! After an early dinner we headed to the store and I told her that if she was good we could get ice cream (aka frozen yogurt). She was exceptionally good and we walked to the frozen yogurt place where we ran into some friends and spent some time hanging out with them. Clara loved playing with their daughter Grace who is a year older than her. It was pretty late when we got home so she took a quick bath and we headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Dada got home earlier than expected so I kept Clarita up until he got home a little before 9:00. She was pretty excited to see him and read some books with him. She fell asleep right away and slept the entire night which leads me to believe that I was correct in assuming that she wasn't sleeping well because Dada was gone. We survived out semana sin Dada and had a lot of fun, but are very glad that he's home and things are back to "normal" (whatever that means).

Ready for church

Helping with PowerPoint

Frozen yogurt!

"Mittens"

Reunited!

An Entire Day of Easter Celebrations!

Easter was a long, but very fun day. We began the day with breakfast with los Tios and Bailey. Tia was obsessed with making bunny pancakes. She said she was doing it for Clarita but in the end admitted that was just a guise as she knew Clara probably wouldn't care about them, but she was super excited to make them. They were delicious! Clarita and I brought doughnut holes and she was so excited to be able to eat a doughnut for the first time. She has been asking for them for the past year and I have told her no. We walked to the doughnut store and she requested to sit at a table and eat one right away. I told her she had to wait and as soon as we got home she again requested one. She was able to wait until we got to los Tios and absolutely loved it! I let her have two and then told her she had to eat healthy food before she could have more. A tantrum ensued and she refused to eat until she saw me putting whipped cream on my pancake. She declared it to be ice cream and ate her pancake once I put some on. Bailey, on the other hand happily stared at the pancake and played in her bumpo while we ate.

Why would I eat that pancake when I have doughnuts?

I'll eat it for you Clara!

After breakfast we headed to church where I quickly hid Easter eggs for the kids. Clara "helped" me by following behind me picking up all the eggs I hid. She kept saying, "I pick up eggs" and didn't seem to understand that I wanted them left on the ground. Luckily we got them all hidden with Dada's help. We had Sunday School and Clara did her little craft with Tia's help and then hunted eggs like a pro. When she had found her share she happily agreed to be all done and stated, "I play in parque now" (aka the playground). She had a great time and cried when she had to leave. She saw doughnuts before we left and cried because she wanted one. I obviously created a monster! I finally let her have one "chocolate cake" as she called it. She ate the chocolate off the top and then let me take the rest.

Learning about Easter is hard work!

We headed back to los Tios for lunch and more egg hunting. Tristan and Teegee had been sick all week so they didn't come but it was a full house with Aba, Los Tios and Bailey, Tio Robert and Tia Erika, Fafa and Abuela Sheri, and Taco and Donna. Clara was spoiled with Easter presents and even gave her own present to Bailey; one of her Easter baskets. I was surprised at how willing she was to give something of hers that she likes to Bailey. We talked about it and she walked over and said, "here you go Bay." She even insisted that Bailey hold it for their pictures. She really does love her! We took some pictures while we waited for Aba and los Abuelos to arrive and Clarita was obsessed with the eggs she saw in the yard and couldn't be stopped from hunting them. We let her find a few and open them. Once everyone was there the hunt began. Clara ran around finding eggs, opening them to find her prize, putting it in her basket while discarding the egg on the ground, and moving on. She stopped a few times to help Bailey find eggs and appeared to enjoy putting eggs in Bailey's basket just as much as in her own. We ate a delicious lasagna lunch and Clara requested to "eat comida, eat fruta" so she had a plate of fruit and cucumber. She went down for a nap while the rest of us hung out and I got in lots of Bailey snuggles since my hands were free!

Cousins!

Bailey with Taco and Grandma Donna

So much good stuff!

Helping Bay Leaf

As soon as Clarita woke up we said adios to los Tios and Bailey and headed to Gruncle Tod and Grauntie Traci's for the Parkinson Easter party. There were tons of kids and even a bunny! Clara loved the bunny and ran over to it's cage right away requesting that the cage be opened and the bunny get out. She liked taking pictures with it and could be found throughout the evening sitting by the cage petting it. Clara had a great strategy for the Easter egg hunt, find the eggs with money in them! Every time she opened an egg she either exclaimed about the money or said, "oh candy, mama eat it" and gave it to me. She even found some candy on the ground and ran to give it to me! If she knew what it tasted like she wouldn't be so happy to give it up! Clarita had a ton of fun playing with Teegee and her other cousins. She threw a major tantrum when she had to come inside due to it all of a sudden getting cold and windy outside, and everyone got to see her true colors. The tantrum lasted forever and ended only when Eden touched Clara's Easter basket and she said "No Eden that's Clara's" and then requested to play. It was a day filled with family and fun and of course a reminder of what the day is really about, Jesus' resurrection and his sacrifices for us.

Clara, why are you eating a car for dinner? love, Eden

Such a lady, ankles crossed and all...she didn't learn that from Mama!

Playing with Cat