Clara's Thread!

[finn's mom]

I wanted to just start a thread for Clara, instead of making multiple threads for different photos or stories. So, this is the start!

She is a great baby, albeit **VERY** vocal. :D She does not let us go one second if she has a dirty diaper, and if she is even slightly uncomfortable, she lets us know! Changing her diaper is absolutely the worst thing we could do to her - sometimes she cries so hard, there's no sound coming out, haha. Poor baby. ;)

She's getting bigger every day, I can't wait to see where she's at at her two month check up! She's three weeks old today, which blows my mind. She's in her Oma's arms right now (that's German for Grandma), napping after lots of eating and pooping. I'd be worn out, too!

I feel awesome, my incision is completely healed and I should be able to start doing all the normal things in a couple weeks. I already have no problem doing anything, really, but I'm not pushing it. I don't lift heavy stuff or vacuum, but I've walked around the zoo twice (for upwards of six hours) with no problems. It's been an easy recovery! I'm below my pre-pregnancy weight, and I can't wait to start toning up!

Anyway, on to the photos! She was 17 days old in all of these. :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons030.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons120.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons138.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons177.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons191.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraHoldingKarisFinger.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons208.jpg

[Grace]

Wonderful photos!!

She's adorable - but you know that, don't you?
Thanks for sharing her with us :love:

[Karen]

Aww, hey there, sleepy baby! And I am all for being a vocal girl - ask my Dad or any of my siblings! ;) And those awful, mean people, changing your diaper - oh the humiliation of it all! Have mommy give you a kiss for me, okay?

[lizbud]

Beautiful pictures of Clara.:) I love this one because she looks like
she is having a pleasant dream.:D

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons120.jpg

[gini]

She is so beautiful..........just perfect in every way.

Maybe you could get her to hold a credit card along with her diamonds!:D

[cassiesmom]

I like the one Lizbud posted! Bless you, sweet Clara!

[beeniesmom]

:) So cute!

[Daisy and Delilah]

She's precious, Kari!!! I can't wait to see her grow up in pictures here at Pet Talk. :)

[joycenalex]

wowsa! cute cute kid......you did nice work there....

[Pembroke_Corgi]

What a sweetheart! Clara looks so peaceful when she's sleeping! :love:

Oh, and I am jealous about the weight loss! :) I still have some to lose yet, but more than that I found my weight just redistributed itself in unflattering ways and it's going to take more effort then I've currently been giving it to look normal again.

[finn's mom]

Thanks for checking out Clara's thread! She is sleeping in Oma's arms again! ;) She's not napped much at all today, kinda been fussy, but mostly just wide awake! So, hopefully this nap lasts more than fifteen minutes! I'm getting laundry done, and bummed that I can't line dry it outside (it's been raining pretty much non stop since yesterday morning).

Jill, I do know what you mean about the weight. Even though I weigh less, it's not what I want! I have a little bit of a mushy belly and my butt is smaller, which I don't like. ;) I am hoping to get going on the Wii Fit as soon as my doctor gives me the green light! And, using Clara's weight as my workout weight, like with squats or bench presses. :)

[JenBKR]

Congratulations! She is so adorable :)

Those of you looking to lose some baby weight and tone up - there are all kinds of workout videos that use the baby in the workout. I absolutely loved them, and it was good bonding time. Now that Ty is older, we use a mommy and toddler video, and he gets to dance (and he's really good at following the video). I got mine from amazon.com. I think one was called Mambo Mama or something and the other was Pilates.

[finn's mom]

According to the scale at home, Clara weighs nine pounds! :)

[finn's mom]

These are from last night...

Cuddling with Finn!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons008.jpg

She is comfortable in the strangest holds!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraElizabethLemons010.jpg

[sparks19]

awwww how sweet. I love the last two :D she's beautiful

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Awww, you guys look great! That last picture is too cute! And it's great that Finn loves his new little sister. :)

[finn's mom]

It's a big day for my family! I officially am a stay-at-home mom! I told my boss at Sprouts that I'd not be returning. He was not surprised, and actually really happy for me, although he is sad to see me go. He and I both know that the chance of me returning to Sprouts when I do start working again (maybe once Clara's a year old or so) is very high, I love the company.

Anyway...that's my news for the day!

Clara is really fun, she's starting to really focus on things and follow them with her eyes. She will turn her head when she hears voices. RIght now, she's napping in the swing, listening to the sound of whales underwater. She's so wonderful. I wish I could freeze her! haha, but still see her grow...and freeze her every year...so I could have multiple versions of her! Wow, as cool as that sounds, I think I'd go crazy because I have a feeling I'd freeze her every few months and end up with hundreds of Claras at varying ages.

Sorry, that was really random. I just swell up with pride and absolutely feel like I'm going to burst...I am so happy that I felt that way immediately with her. I'd heard many stories of moms not bonding right away, and although that's not terrible, I wanted to feel powerfully right away.

I hope everyone's in love with someone this way at least once in their life. :love:

[gini]

It's a big day for my family! I officially am a stay-at-home mom! I told my boss at Sprouts that I'd not be returning. He was not surprised, and actually really happy for me, although he is sad to see me go. He and I both know that the chance of me returning to Sprouts when I do start working again (maybe once Clara's a year old or so) is very high, I love the company.

Anyway...that's my news for the day!

Clara is really fun, she's starting to really focus on things and follow them with her eyes. She will turn her head when she hears voices. RIght now, she's napping in the swing, listening to the sound of whales underwater. She's so wonderful. I wish I could freeze her! haha, but still see her grow...and freeze her every year...so I could have multiple versions of her! Wow, as cool as that sounds, I think I'd go crazy because I have a feeling I'd freeze her every few months and end up with hundreds of Claras at varying ages.

Sorry, that was really random. I just swell up with pride and absolutely feel like I'm going to burst...I am so happy that I felt that way immediately with her. I'd heard many stories of moms not bonding right away, and although that's not terrible, I wanted to feel powerfully right away.

I hope everyone's in love with someone this way at least once in their life. :love:

What an absolutely beautiful post!
Clara is a very lucky little girl.

[beeniesmom]

I hope everyone's in love with someone this way at least once in their life. :love:

:) :love: Now I know what it is too...

[finn's mom]

Carmen and Gini... :love: :D

[popcornbird]

Oh, she's so beautiful. :D I'm glad you're enjoying your little baby so much!

[lizbud]

Clara is really fun, she's starting to really focus on things and follow them with her eyes. She will turn her head when she hears voices. RIght now, she's napping in the swing, listening to the sound of whales underwater. She's so wonderful. I wish I could freeze her! haha, but still see her grow...and freeze her every year...so I could have multiple versions of her! Wow, as cool as that sounds, I think I'd go crazy because I have a feeling I'd freeze her every few months and end up with hundreds of Claras at varying ages.

Sorry, that was really random. I just swell up with pride and absolutely feel like I'm going to burst...I am so happy that I felt that way immediately with her. I'd heard many stories of moms not bonding right away, and although that's not terrible, I wanted to feel powerfully right away.

I hope everyone's in love with someone this way at least once in their life. :love:


That is so sweet.:D Clara really is a lucky baby.

I would suggest you print that off and let Clara read it in about 14-15 years.:)

[finn's mom]

Clara's a month old, now! Time is flying, but I am trying not to take one moment for granted. She's so lovely, even when she's fussy. She's getting better about having her diapers, changed, she doesn't shriek every time. ;) She still hates spitting up, especially if it comes out of her nose, poor thing. When it does, though, I take advantage of it and suction her nose. She REALLY hates that! But, the spit up softens up any boogers she might have. Is that TMI? ;)

I just have to say that, for the record, I LOVE my cloth diapers. They are so easy and I don't feel guilty for filling up a trash can every day with nasty disposable diapers. It's unbelievable the amount of waste produced by those things, and the ones we use when we do use disposables are tiny! I can't imagine when she's bigger and wearing bigger diapers and making bigger messes. Ugh, so much trash.

I just bought reusable wipes yesterday, and am going to start using them as soon as they're dry. We'll see if I like them as much as I like the diapers. I'm even using the cloth diapers when we run errands, too, which I originally hadn't thought I'd do.

Things are great, I just got the thumbs up from my doctor on Thursday, so I'm free and clear to do everything I want and need to do. I still am not going to vacuum, it's crazy how much you really use your abdominal muscles with that chore!

I have some photos, just gotta get them on the computer!

[finn's mom]

Today was a great day! Good feedings, good naps! David tried to introduce her to a bottle, and that didn't go too well. It wasn't terrible, she did manage to drink about half an ounce. ;) We'll try again tomorrow or maybe even tonight.

She originally wasn't taking to her bouncer or the swing, but she's been better in both the last week. A couple days ago, she sat in the bouncer for about five minutes just looking around and making noise. Today, while I made dinner, she sat in it for about fifteen to twenty minutes! It was very cool!

She's napping in Dad's arms right now, so I have a few minutes of baby free time. :)

[Husky_mom]

a cute pic this one is.. contrats on your belated month old Clara!

[finn's mom]

Clara is six weeks old today! She continues to be a joy! Her vocalizations amaze me! She's got so many different sounds that she makes, and many of them bring tears to my eyes, they're so sweet! Of course, many of them bring tears to my eyes because they're awful, too. ;) She really has a set of lungs and definitely exercises them.

She's over 11 pounds from what I gather from the scale at home. But, I don't think she's any longer, but we'll find out on the 23rd when we go in for her two month appointment!

I do have a mild case of mastitis, it SUCKS. I am just finishing up a five day dose of antibiotics, it helped, but I don't think it's the end of the road. It's definitely uncomfortable to say the least!

Other than that, though, things are still wonderful. We don't have much of a routine, but we manage. She sleeps well at night, and I don't feel sleep deprived at all. I get out of the house with her a lot, so I'm not going stir crazy. She did drink a couple ounces from a bottle the other night, so that's promising. :)

[finn's mom]

I posted this in the pregnancy thread, too, but wanted to stick it in here!

Tuesday Tummy Time!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraTummyTimeOctober6.jpg

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Awwwwwwwwww what a sweet & cute little girl Clara is!!! :love::love::love:

[Daisy and Delilah]

Awwwww, just as I knew, Kari, you are the best mother on earth!!! I think you could go into writing immediately as well. Another one of your wonderful talents. Such a lucky little girl to have you for a Mom. Awesome!! She is just more precious every day.:)

[finn's mom]

Terry, you are too much! Thank you for your compliments, they always make me feel like a million bucks, even if I think you're way off sometimes, haha. I do love writing, though! I LOVED it in school. :) No way I can be best mom, though...my lovely mother already holds that spot. But, who knows? Maybe Clara will feel that way about me one day!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Terry, you are too much! Thank you for your compliments, they always make me feel like a million bucks, even if I think you're way off sometimes, haha. I do love writing, though! I LOVED it in school. :) No way I can be best mom, though...my lovely mother already holds that spot. But, who knows? Maybe Clara will feel that way about me one day!

I only give compliments where compliments are due. Your Mom must be some woman!! :)

Clara will know, very soon, how lucky she is. Maybe she already does.:)
{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

[finn's mom]

I only give compliments where compliments are due. Your Mom must be some woman!! :)

Clara will know, very soon, how lucky she is. Maybe she already does.:)
{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

She truly is a great woman! My mom, that is. Clara is a great baby! She'll be a great woman one day, too! Here I am, feeling like a million bucks again!



And, I've been working on watching Clara's drowsy signals, and putting her down for naps when she's showing those signs. It's been fascinating! My friend sent me a book that she swears by, and it's becoming my "bible" of sorts, too. At this point, Clara really can only comfortably stay awake for about an hour to an hour and a half. The trick for me is to watch her for cues that she's getting tired...before she becomes overtired and fussy! I've only been doing this for a few days, but have already seen a difference in her disposition while she's awake. It's like night and day! Miraculous. :)

Today was the first time this week I've gone out with her since trying this out. She always takes a morning nap about 30-45 minutes after waking up in the morning, so as soon as she woke up from that nap, I buckled into her car seat and went to the grocery store. I knew I had a little over an hour to get her back home and into her crib before she got cranky, and I made it! YAY! She is happily snoozing away and I still got my groceries for the week. I know it won't always work out so well, but I'm happy for little successes!

She's also taking a bottle once a day from Dad with no problems at all! It's nice that he can take part in feeding her!

[finn's mom]

Clara did so well today at the doctor's! She weighs 10lbs 15 oz, and is 23.5 inches long! All's well in her development and the doctor is pleased with her progress! She got her shots and did very well. She screamed when the nurse gave her the shots, but was fine immediately after. We gave her some infant's tylenol at the doctor's, and will continue to administer it every four to six hours. She's a little fussy right now, but I think part of it is that Oma is here and won't let her fuss in her crib for more than half a second, and Clara hasn't napped yet today. So she is super overtired. But, I'm not saying much about it since Grandma likes to hold her. ;) She'll tire of the fussiness soon enough and then I'll put Clara down for a nap.

It was a good visit, though, I'm so happy with how she did!

[Karen]

Good job, Clara! :) Glad everything went well, and aren't we due for more pictures? ;)

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Clara sounds like she is doing great!! :) I agree- we need some more pictures to celebrate!

[finn's mom]

Jill and Karen, I will post some soon! :) Thanks for asking for them!

[finn's mom]

Here are the most recent photos of my little girl!

Grandpa's Sweetheart

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0192.jpg

What a sad, sad girl!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0213.jpg

Two seconds later...happy girl!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0221.jpg

She's super sweet in her ducky feet!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0238.jpg

So fresh and so clean, clean!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0271.jpg

[gini]

So precious - I wanna give that tummy some kisses!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Awww, she is SO cute! I love her expression in the ducky picture. She looks like she has a secret! Also, Clara has very pretty eyes and lips. :)

[Karen]

Great pictures, thanks - she sure is growing! :)

[sirrahbed]

I am amazed at how much Clara is changing and growing already:) She has so many cute expressions. Thank you so much for keeping her thread going - this is fun!!

[finn's mom]

This "lil punkin" gown and slippers, "baby's 1st halloween" bib and "my first pumpkin" playset are all gifts from Grammy and Grampy, my parents. We have several Halloween outfits for Clara, so I'm going to put her in something different every day this week. :) I will be emailing the pictures to my mother and to David at work, and I will post some in here as well. Happy Halloween from the cutest girl in orange. :)

I love her scared face, hahaha.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0027.jpg

The little candy corn crinkles, the cat meows, the ghost squeaks and the spider rattles. :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0041-1.jpg

hahahahahahaha

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0045.jpg

She's holding the handle of the pumpkin!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0066.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0082.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0093.jpg

That's it for today!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Oh my, my, my what a most adorable little pumpkin!!! What wonderful pictures, Kari!!!!

[finn's mom]

Here's Clara as an LSU Tiger!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0009-3.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0021-1.jpg

And a whitetail deer!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0006-2.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0013-1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0027-1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0037.jpg

[Husky_mom]

so cute.. haha.. looooved the one you hhahahahahahahha´d.. hilarious :D

the white tail is so adorable.. and the sad/Crying ones.. lol... you´ll cherish them and laugh everytime.. just too cute not to take a pic of.. hehe

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Oh my! Sad face! Sad face! I love when babies make the sad face! (Obviously not because they're upset, it's just so cute.) Nathan can still kind of make this face, but not as well as he used to. Clara is so adorable in all her costumes.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0045.jpg

[Daisy and Delilah]

OMG!!!!!! Can she get any cuter? :) :) :)

Kari, she is absolutely, positively, adorable!!!! Those pictures are all precious!! :love: :love: :love:

[finn's mom]

Hey, Terry, to answer your question...yes, she can! And, she does every day, hahaha! See?

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClaraCloseTongue.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0018-3.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0032-1.jpg

[finn's mom]

Here she is in the onesie and socks from my mom! The headband is from my aunt Cathy!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0020-1.jpg

This bib is from my mom, too.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0096-1.jpg

[lizbud]

Clara is adorable.:) I love all her holiday gear. I see what you mean
about changing before your eyes. I can see the differences through
the pictures.:)

[Daisy and Delilah]

Awwwwwww.......kisses on that sweet little face from me please.:)

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Awww, I love all of Clara's Halloween looks, especially the deer. Too cute!! And you're right, she does get cuter all the time. :)

[chocolatepuppy]

Clara's adorable and looks so cute in her costumes!:)

[finn's mom]

Here's a couple photos from this weekend. My mother flew in for a couple days, it was magical having her here. :) Clara's just over 11 weeks now!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0018-4.jpg

And, look at my girl! She's able to sit up in her Bumbo chair!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0068.jpg

I love this funny face!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0073-2.jpg

And, this cracks me up!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0078.jpg

[gini]

She just gets cuter by the minute!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

So cute! I especially like the third picture. :)

[beeniesmom]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0027.jpg

OMG! I really need to come back and look at this thread more often. Being overseas right now is no excuse to miss out on this kind of cuteness!!!

[Daisy and Delilah]

You, Mom, and Clara look fantastic, Kari!!! Three generations. Awesome. That little sweetheart is gonna be in pictures some day. She's a star.:D :D :D

[finn's mom]

Thanks, guys! :) We think Clara's adorable! She's way cuter than we ever were! ;)

She's got a little cold right now. :( Kinda snotty, coughing a little, sneezing a little, leaky eyes. She's got a doctor's appointment today at 1, though, so hopefully we don't find out that it's something worse. I'll update after we get her back home.

[finn's mom]

Well, we took Clara to the doctor. She doesn't have the flu, thank goodness, but she does have a bit of a virus. Her eardrums looked good, didn't have any weird chest sounds, but she does have a little bit of a red throat, some coughing and sneezing, some congestion and runny eyes (just the consistency of tears, though, nothing thick). Not the best case scenario, but not the worst, either.

She did really well at the visit, too. David was giving her a bottle when the nurse took her temperature, and all she did was sort of make a grunt sound. ;) The only time she cried was when the doctor swabbed her sinuses to test for the flu. I would have yelled, too!

I am proud of my little girl, who has been napping for the last couple hours. She's not been resting well the last couple days, so that's a big deal!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Sorry to hear that Clara isn't feeling well. I hope she feels better soon!

[finn's mom]

Clara's feeling better! Still congested some mornings, but nothing a little saline solution and a nasal aspirator don't fix. ;)

To celebrate three months (tomorrow is actually the three month mark), here are some photos from yesterday.

This is the dress, bonnet, booties and blanket my aunt made for Clara. She's a wonderful crafter, and this outfit is incredible.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0050-1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0082-1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0116.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0144.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/DSC_0153-1.jpg

[Karen]

What a beautiful outfit, you can tell it was made with a lot of love!

[cassiesmom]

awwww, beautiful outfit and beautiful Clara!

[gini]

Beautiful, beautiful outfit for a beautiful little girl.

I hope you put this away for her.........that outfit is truly a keepsake and obviously Clara is well loved by her aunt.

[finn's mom]

Beautiful, beautiful outfit for a beautiful little girl.

I hope you put this away for her.........that outfit is truly a keepsake and obviously Clara is well loved by her aunt.

Thank you! And, yes, I plan to do something special with the outfit. I'm thinking it might look really pretty framed, perhaps a shadow box? Something like that. :) Aunt Ronnie is such a talented lady, the dress is amazing. And, the blanket is wonderful, it's my favorite!

[sumbirdy]

She looks like a little porcelein (sp?) doll in that last picture!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm glad that Clara is feeling better!

Her outfit and blanket is such a special gift, and it's beautifully made! I love the colors. And Clara is more lovely every time I see her. Beautiful pictures.

[finn's mom]

Thank you guys for checking out Clara in her pretty dress! Yesterday, she looked super cute in a pair of denim overalls! :) David picked them out when we were at the store, but they didn't fit her a couple weeks ago. Now, they do!

[finn's mom]

I love this carrier so so so much! We tried out two different positions today, and this is the "explorer." :) I have bronchitis/upper respiratory junk going on, and so I've been wearing this mask to protect Clara as much as I can. I don't feel badly, just tire more easily than usual. I nearly lost my voice, but I think that's passed, now!

I just think Clara looks super cute in this video, so I wanted to share it! I love how her fists are clinched, she does that now and it's so cute. :)

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/November27ExplorerPosition.flv">

[Karen]

Aww, she's adorable - but you knew that! She doesn't try to grab your mask?

[finn's mom]

Aww, she's adorable - but you knew that! She doesn't try to grab your mask?


Nope, she's just gotten to where she is reaching out and smacking stuff, but not really intentionally grabbing things. ;)

[Logan]

Kari, she is just adorable. I was thinking that the dress your aunt made would be a beautiful baptism gown. It is stunning!

[finn's mom]

Kari, she is just adorable. I was thinking that the dress your aunt made would be a beautiful baptism gown. It is stunning!

I thought so, too! I don't know that we're getting her baptised, but if we do, that's what she'll wear!

[finn's mom]

Clara and I fly to South Carolina tomorrow morning, wish us well! :) I hope she does all right. I am really going to miss David while we're gone, though. We'll be in SC for ten days, and he just had hip surgery and is home bound. :( Excited to see my family but really sad that David won't be there with us. I'm looking forward to Christmas with him and Clara, though. Can't believe it's right around the corner! EEK.

Night, all!

[sparks19]

Great photos :D I missed when she was sick but I'm so glad she's better :)

this christmas will be a very special one :)

[finn's mom]

Clara did really well at her appointment today! She is 13.5 pounds and 26 inches long (she's taller than 95% of other girls her age, crazy!). She's healthy, but her knee has popped since birth, and this was the first checkup where the doctor didn't see any improvement. So, we made an appointment for tomorrow at a Pediatric Sports and Spine Associates to have it checked out. I'm sure it's fine, but it'll be nice to have it looked at!

Here's a Christmas photo for you...the dress if from her Grammy. :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ClarasFirstChristmas.jpg

[finn's mom]

This one is getting framed. A new friendship is being forged. :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/dd7ad867.jpg

[Pembroke_Corgi]

How cute!! :)

[Whisk_Luva]

Awwwww... that photo of Clara and Finn is so cute... :)

[anna_66]

Kari I just have to say I love that picture of her in the rocking chair. She looks like a little doll!

[finn's mom]

Thanks, guys! I couldn't believe how perfect that little rocking chair was for her!

[finn's mom]

Here are some photos I've taken since Christmas (these are all mobile uploads from my new phone). Clara is amazing and I am enjoying motherhood immensely. I'm a blessed woman!


sleeping in her baby k'tan...this is from December

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/6de3a0cb.jpg

Clara with her Oma (Dudley is in the bed!)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/ed83509d.jpg

David and Clara at christmas

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/5ff6aa1b.jpg

my smiley girl
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/6939d2bc.jpg

[finn's mom]

These are from January...

Clara and me with our pal, Lauren

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/2e3719d0.jpg

me and my heart :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/3230d6f5.jpg

sitting in her boppy pillow

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/f9ce9b99.jpg

[finn's mom]

These are from February...

"standing up"...we practice every morning...I put her hands on the edge of the crib and she holds on, usually leaning against the crib so she doesn't fall ;)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/abda89bc.jpg

storytime! This is from today!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/4ec2395a.jpg

I'm posting a couple of Finn and Clara in the dog forum!

[molucass]

Clara is beautiful..

[beeniesmom]

She's very pretty.
I love the one standing up! Cute onsie!
She has really pretty shaped eyes.
Doesn't she try to EAT the books? I have to hold books when we read because she just wants to taste them. She loves looking at the pictures but then... I wanna taste!

[beeniesmom]

Our little girls are growing up too fast. It's bittersweet. :(

[finn's mom]

Carmen, thanks! :) And, yeah, she was sucking on the book! I took several pictures and most were of her with the corner in her mouth. ;)

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Great pictures! The closeup of you and Clara is really special. :) She is such a cutie.

[Cataholic]

Clara is adorable!

I noticed in one post, maybe December??, something about her knee popping? What does that mean/result? I ask, well, first cause I am nosy. :D But, second, cause you are 'practicing' her to stand up. Just wondered it that was PT they told you to do??? J's doctor was really against me doing anything like that..."he will do this when he is ready" type answers, and how doing so early can lead to injuries, etc. J never crawled, took forever to sit up on his own (I mean, like 8 or 9 months!)...but, walked at 11 months. He is odd. :D

[Daisy and Delilah]

Awww...she gets more adorable every day, Kari!! Such a cutie patootie. I love the picture with her Oma by the fire. It's beautiful. You look great!!:)

[finn's mom]

Cataholic...no worries, it's not nosy. She was unofficially diagnosed with a discoid lateral miniscus in her right knee. It has popped since birth, but until her four month checkup, her doctor was unconcerned. At that appointment, though, he sent us to a specialist to have it looked at. The doctor said that in order to 100% diagnose, she would need to be anesthetized for an MRI. We both agreed that was unnecessary because it doesn't cause her any pain. If it does at any point in the future or affects her developmentally, we will discuss our options (ie surgery). It's basically that the cartilage between her shin and thigh bones is misshapen. Some people never have any problems other than the fact that they have a poppy knee. We are just keeping an eye on it and praying it never needs further investigation.

The "practicing" really isn't anything. I'm doing it simply as a barometer for when I need to lower her crib mattress. ;) At this time, she only hangs on for a couple seconds usually before toppling over. The pictures were taken the first time she held on for long enough for me to get my phone and take a few photos. She was leaning against the side. We were never instructed one way or the other to not help her bear weight on her legs, so I didn't give it much thought. I figure she will do things on her own time, but I don't see anything wrong in giving her a little nudge when she is trying to roll over or pulling her up from a flat position on her back into a sitting position when she has ahold of my hands and engages her abdomen herself. I don't think we overdo it, though.

And I'm not too paranoid about milestones at particular times, because I have heard too many stories like Jonah's, where babies skip crawling or are "late" to roll over or sit up. She will do her thing when she is ready to. Like I said, we help her or give a little tug or a little nudge every now and then. ;) She already sits up unassisted, but not for very long. ;)

anyway, sorry for the long answer hahaha. ;)

[finn's mom]

And thank you, Terry! I feel awesome! :)

[finn's mom]

Clara is in the 99th percentile for height, at 28 inches! Doc says she will be 5'10 if she keeps this up! That is doubtful, but she is long and lean right now, at 15.10 pounds. Poor girl has her first cold, though. The only other time she seemed under the weather was just a little congestion. She is coughing a lot and her nose is runny. She is in pretty good spirits, though!

[Karen]

That's okay, tall is good, and that's not TOO tall! My friend are sure their daughter is gonna be 6'3" like daddy, as at age 2 1/2 she's regularly mistaken for a four-year-old!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Sorry Clara is not feeling well. We need some new pictures to commemorate her 6 month mark! :)

Lyra is tall too (she just had her 1-year check up and was 31" which is in the 90-something percentile), but she was 28" at 9 months! I'm kind of short, so I think it's neat! :D

[finn's mom]

Sorry Clara is not feeling well. We need some new pictures to commemorate her 6 month mark! :)

Lyra is tall too (she just had her 1-year check up and was 31" which is in the 90-something percentile), but she was 28" at 9 months! I'm kind of short, so I think it's neat! :D

Well, if Clara keeps this growth rate up, she will be half my height before she's a year old! I'm only 5'1! I would be shocked if she kept this one inch each month rate up though!

And I will post photos soon!

[finn's mom]

Here are some photos from the last couple weeks!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/28848ab9.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/829227f1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/85121e87.jpg

she has in noise cancelling headphones! :) this is me and my friend Lauren with her

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/9e1bcfc2.jpg

flexible! ;)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/southcarolinalife/41c64868.jpg

[Pembroke_Corgi]

What a pretty girl! And I love the picture of her smiling! Very cute. :)

[Daisy and Delilah]

P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S !! :) :) :)

Feel better Clara!!

[finn's mom]

Thanks ladies! She still has a cough but she hasn't let it get her down!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww what beautiful pics of your beautiful little girl Clara :love::love::love::love:

[finn's mom]

It has been a very long time since I updated this thread, or really got on Pet Talk for much of anything (except last month when Finn had surgery...which he is 100% fine!). I've just had to limit my online time. :) And, facebook won out as my site of choice to post photos and update about Clara.

It's 2am, and Clara is one year old today! Her birthday party is at one pm today, and we are really excited!

Happy First Birthday to my beautiful daughter!

[Taz_Zoee]

Well, I haven't caught up on this thread. I will go do that now.

Happy 1st Birthday Clara!

Wow, I can't believe it's been a year already. Do we get to see some birthday pictures later?? :)

[Karen]

Happy Birthday, Clara!

[beeniesmom]

Happy Birthday Clara!
Laura turned 1 about 3 weeks ago. Time flies doesn't it Kari?
How are all the other new moms?

[Daisy and Delilah]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARA!!!!! Have a great birthday party, sweetie!!

Carmen, Laura is adorable!!! Love that dark hair. I hope she had a great July 29th birthday!!! Great to see you here!!:) :) :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!!!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Happy birthday, Clara!! :) I hope we get to see some birthday pictures!!

[finn's mom]

I hadn't read this thread after posting that it was her birthday! I see some folks would like to see some photos. Now that I know how to post from facebook, I'm going to share some from the albums there, for those that aren't on facebook and would like to see!

Our one and only professional family portrait...taken in June...Clara was ten months old.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs108.snc4/35739_406105993739_501913739_4533809_1563907_n.jpg

Shoe shopping in June...those are the first pair of shoes she regularly wears :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs139.snc4/37307_405239443739_501913739_4509086_5070052_n.jpg

Taken in July...those two teeth make for the cutest smile ever :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs038.ash2/35255_412228573739_501913739_4676534_8150739_n.jpg

August 21, 2010...Clara's ONE! This is my brother, James, with Clara in her birthday dress :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs369.snc4/45263_424602033739_501913739_4997109_3351301_n.jpg

Mmmm...her birthday cake

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs257.snc4/40203_423446823739_501913739_4966834_463864_n.jpg

September...getting two top teeth :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs332.ash2/61245_435769398739_501913739_5234920_2632594_n.jpg

[finn's mom]

And, David just bought me a studio set up for the house...I really need to start making some money to help out, but we both want me to be able to continue to stay home with Clara. So, we're hoping that I can make a little with photography. Here are some of the practice shots I've taken of Clara with the new backgrounds and lighting. :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs693.snc4/63325_435234728739_501913739_5224032_3026970_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs699.snc4/61926_435220593739_501913739_5223759_835283_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs617.snc4/59703_435230213739_501913739_5223990_3724137_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs699.snc4/61973_435927473739_501913739_5238791_7279487_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs673.snc4/61335_435566623739_501913739_5231196_8008750_n.jpg

And, my husband and Finn for good measure ;)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs637.snc4/59709_435244698739_501913739_5224166_7007892_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs335.ash2/61569_435237388739_501913739_5224098_5918655_n.jpg


http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs318.ash2/59834_435926958739_501913739_5238768_4360962_n.jpg

[Karen]

Of course we love the Clara pictures, but that last one of Finn is such a handsome shot! We're kinda used to him looking more goofy than stately!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Thanks for sharing your pictures! Clara is such a lovely little girl. I like how you captured different expressions on the last set up pictures- Clara looks like a happy baby! Good luck on your new venture. :)

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Clara is such a cute little girl!
Happy Belated Birthday to her!! :)

[popcornbird]

Awwww Clara is sooo cute!!!! Already 1 year...wow! Time is flying by so fast, isn't it? I can't believe how quickly our little ones are growing up!! All of the babies are so adorable!!!

My baby turned 9 months just 3 days ago. He has two teeth (which he got at 7 months), crawls all over the house, tries to hold every other thing and pulls up (which means I have to keep a CONSTANT eye on him!). He calls me "ma ma ma", says "mummm" when he wants food, calls his daddy "a-ba ba ba", calls the birdies "buh", and just babbles a lot. He has captured our hearts completely, and we just adore our sweet little boy. His smile and laugh makes my heart melt every time! He is just so precious. I still breastfeed him, and he is eating many things now. He eats all sorts of fruits, veggies, rice, barley, oats, some chicken, but he is not very fond of it, and yogurt (which he loves with fruit). I can't believe how much I LOVE being a mom. :love::love::love:

Its funny how while we are supposed to teach our children everything, in the process, they also teach us so much. I truly feel they teach us what life is all about, and they fill that part of our hearts that we never knew was missing before they came into our world.

[finn's mom]

Popcornbird, I totally agree. They definitely teach us a lot, daily! I just weaned Clara this month. She is drinking cow's milk from a sippy cup 100% of the time. Sometimes I miss the breastfeeding, but it's nice that David can feed her now. Yeah, time flies! She's 13 months now! Crazy!

[cassiesmom]

I like ALL the pictures of Clara, but especially the one in her car seat with the pink cup and her "toothy" smile! Belated Happy First Birthday, Clara! And I am totally with Karen on the last picture of Finn - very stately! Best wishes for your new business!

[Sonia59]

What a cutie! It's true that they are growing so fast. But the nice thing is that they are interesting at any age. Valentine will be 3 in a month, and I like every step. When they are babies it's a very special time, but as they grow I find it even more interesting :)

[finn's mom]

What a cutie! It's true that they are growing so fast. But the nice thing is that they are interesting at any age. Valentine will be 3 in a month, and I like every step. When they are babies it's a very special time, but as they grow I find it even more interesting :)

Absolutely agree 100%! I rarely, if ever, say anything like "I can't wait for her to start..." because I am just enjoying day to day! Every single experience has been amazing. I know she will talk when it's time, walk when it's time, potty train when it's time, etc. ;)