Well, this blog has fallen by the wayside. I am so thankful I kept up with it as long as I did but lately Claire doesn't make me want to write, she makes me want to tickle her and smell her and eat her up.
Today I was thinking about a few of Claire's firsts and felt guilty I couldn't recall when they had happened but its ok, it happens and I am thankful I kept track of them on here. I realized it has been awhile so I wanted to check in and add a few Claire tidbits because as hard as the tantrums can be the laughs far outweigh them.
10 things about Claire.
1. "I do it" has become a huge phrase in this household, that with a big side of "mine" and you have what our day looks like. Claire knows what she wants, she thinks she knows how to get it and she'll be damned if she can't at least attempt it before we rush in and help her. She picks out her shoes, she serves herself berries and she brushed her own teeth. If she hits a bump in the road on anything she is doing she comes to us and we help her. I have stopped trying to do it for her because she probably can do it herself and if she can't this time, next time I bet she'll be even closer.
2. Kissing. She LOVES it, she has started to caress my cheeks before planting one on me, when she is asking a favor or apologizing she gets very close to your face and whispers what she has to say. Its amazing and I usually end up saying yes to whatever she is asking for. She also kisses most kids goodbye even if they have just met, its adorable.
3. She can throw a pretty good fit. Claire is an emotional one and we are working with it. I want her to know we are a safe place to cry, scream and be angry or whatever emotion is happening at the time. Right now I don't have the words to explain how we are handling these but we give her space while being present and there if she needs us. Thankfully we have always been talkers and if we walk together to talk something out that usually really helps the situation.
4. She is quite the dancer, I am sure you have seen videos or have even been lucky enough to see it happen in person but its the best. The joy is palpable and those moves are to die for. Tonight Chip & Claire danced to the Hot Dog Song and it pretty much made the night.
5. Yesterday she woke up and immediately asked for juice and cake. She got eggs instead but I liked where her head was at.
6. Claire is really good at independent play. This past week I felt a little guilty about it, I am home but she wants to read books to her baby dolls, or cook herself a meal in her kitchen but eventually she comes and finds me with a plastic cake and tea cup and invites me to join. I have to remember that all day she has been surrounded by her caregivers at day care and all the other kids, she likes her alone time and I get that, I love mine too. This morning we arrived to the park an hour before anyone joined us, she went down all the slides and built herself a little castle and only sometimes wanted to include me, which meant I got to drink my coffee and admire her from afar. I do love when she invites me into her world, its so fun in there.
7. This one loves the water, be it a fountain, the ocean or the pool. She sees it and starts to take off her shoes and head on over. She is taking swim lessons now and I am hoping to continue forever haha she has no fear of water and that is a little scary to me so we will keep practicing.
8. She is a toddler. In every sense of the word. She is messy and loud and funny and kind and bossy and amazing. I watch her pour herself a glass of water [from a water bottle into her tea cup] and then cheers her baby dolls, I watch her feed Winnie left over veggies and then cuddle next to me on the couch and I think about when she needed my help to hold her head up. Where did the time go? It was so fast and my heart aches when I think about how I wished away those sleepless nights and those witching hours. I love this phase but I wish I could go back, just for a day, to holding my 7 week old and just stare a little longer and be more present.
9. She is a mini me, of both of us. Its silly to be as amazed as I am by this but she is the two of us, in the smallest ways. She is shoe crazed like Ryan, she is short and fast on the phone like me, she gets home and starts to undress like her mama, she shuts the toilet each time like her daddy and so many more small things that are hard to remember and would take too long to mention but damn they are so crazy to watch.
10. Claire is inclusive. She wants to bring people in, even if at first she is a little reserved or unsure, eventually she wants to be near you. She wants you to be in on the joke and she loves your friendship.
So do I.
Thanks friends for following along.
how are you doing?
xo
Nikol