Claire's 1st Halloween

The perfect costume for Claire...A MONKEY!! Claire loved trick-or-treating in Friendswood with her cousins. Every time she heard, "Trick-or-treat!" she would smile and giggle. I bought Claire's costume about a month before Halloween. Luckily, Claire fit into the costume, but it was getting a bit snug. I love these precious pictures of Claire in her costume. She looks like a big stuffed animal that you just want to squeeze!!

8-Months-Old

When I was pregnant with Claire, everyone always told me to enjoy the time with her, because babies grow up so fast. I heard what people said, but thought that time would never pass by as quickly as it has the past eight months. I simply cannot believe how much Claire has grown. It seems like just yesterday she was a little eight pound newborn in my arms. Now she's an 18.4 pound toddler flopping (her version of crawling) all over the place. Stuart said, "She really looks like a little person now, she's not a baby anymore." My response is, "She'll ALWAYS be my little baby!!" Oh how I adore this child! Claire is so amazing and I could never fully express my love for her. I guess I never really understood a mother's love until I became a mother myself. It is true that there is nothing like a mother's love for her child.

When I look at Claire all I think about is how amazing she is. Can you imagine being so little and everything being so new and fascinating to you? Claire's current fascinations are: plastic water bottles, cups, buttons and basically anything NOT toy related. However, she does enjoy watching the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Elmo" on t.v.

Here are some pictures of Claire with her water bottle. She fell asleep in the car while playing with her water bottle, a.k.a. favorite "toy."

Her teeth are coming in at a rapid pace. She likes to bite me when she feels like I'm not paying attention to her. So far she hasn't bitten Stuart, Grandma Lina or anyone else, so I guess that's good news.

Today at our stroller work-out group, baby Kara, 2-weeks younger than Claire, was admiring Claire's pigtails and bows. Kara decided to pull Claire's hair and Claire screamed and cried...once I picked her up and consoled her, she was all smiles again. Kara's mom said Kara was just jealous of all the hair Claire has.

~Innocent~

I love love this picture of Claire! She was just hanging out on my shoulder (as always) in her P.J.'s on a rainy weekend. The expression on her face and in her eyes is so innocent. She really is a precious girl.

Since last week we've been to the pediatrician twice! Last week Claire had pink eye, this week an ear infection and some type of insect (probably a spider) bit her on her eye, which caused it to swell up. I didn't take any pictures of her eye because it wasn't very pretty. Stu asked if I fed her "knuckle sandwiches." Ha! Ha! I felt like a terrible Mama when her eye was practically swollen shut, but realized that Claire thinks I'm a good Mama because she still smiles at me and loves me :o) and because Stu said I was a good Mama!!

Gifts from Grandpa Fred

Grandpa Fred is a huge Yankee fan. After his visit to the East Coast last month, he sent Claire some Yankee gear to include this beenie. She didn't seem to mind wearing the beenie, we just snapped this photo and surprised her (she'll usually smile when her photo is being taken). Thanks Grandpa for all the goodies...more Yankee pictures to come!

That Hair!!

This is what Claire looks like after I take her pigtails out. Stu and I think this is the funniest picture!! Stu keeps asking me when I'm going to cut her hair. If anything, I'm just going to trim her bangs. I love her hair and can't see myself cutting it quite yet. I also think she looks like a lion in this picture, I can't help but laugh when I see this photo.

Claire has been feeling much better since being sick last week and having pink eye. When I took her to the doctor last week, she weighed 17 pounds and is very happy despite the flu shot she received at the office.

Daddy's Little Girl

Stu celebrated his 34th birthday on 24 September. Claire and I met him for lunch and then opened presents later at home after a home cooked dinner and a strawberry tart for dessert. I love this picture! Claire was wearing her little "Marine Princess" outfit while helping her Daddy open his presents.