Randomness

So we have some random updates. I must start by saying I feel significantly less scammed by Sophie. First, she lives in our car, so her safety is ensured for awhile. Secondly, Clare loves her and now that we are (we think?) in teething hell, Clare really enjoys her. Thirdly, I could have been more screwed, because on Amazon Sophie is now retailing for $32 for a dog toy. So, clearly my mere $17 was a bargain. I'm telling myself this because at Home Depot yesterday an older couple looked at me like I was a crazy person for giving my 6 month old what is obviously a squeaker toy for a dog. Chris had walked off and I was sitting on the floor, in the corner, entertaining my 6 month old, who was in her PJ's. I may have been the poster child for a trailer park. Clare is fairly unamused about teething. She also has this very attractive snot going on too. So in addition to the drool that is on her chin, it now looks like the drool starts under her nose. I'm telling myself it's from teething, not an actual cold because **knock on wood** she hasn't been sick yet, so at the start of a long trip would probably be a good time to be healthy.
Serena has finally seen Clare's value. We started finger foods (puffs) and Clare gets great joy in picking them up and dropping them on the floor. We only started puffs to work on fine motor development, so I can't really be mad, because I don't actually care if she eats them. Serena has discovered that she has a vital role in the family of sucking them up. So Serena sits on the floor and watches Clare every time we put her tray on the high chair. She also runs into the kitchen every time we ask Clare if she wants a bottle. Serena has figured out this sentence signifies us being closer to her treats and food, so her chances are much better of a Beggin treat if we are physically in the same room as said treat. All and all, I think Serena is seeing Clare as useful. I'm sure that will change when Clare crawls, but for now, their friends.
Clare has also learned a new trick. Her swing has this little dreamnet that goes around it. So, when she doesn't want to nap in her swing, she waits until Chris walks out of the room and pulls said net until it catches the bears on the mobile that are above her, making this terrible clicking sound as the motor on the swing nearly burns up. Very funny. Chris goes racing back into the room to ensure the swing does not catch on fire. Clare is always cooing and smiling in her swing, waiting patiently for Chris to return. It makes me giggle. I'll update you all soon on Clare's very fun play date yesterday.

Clare's 6 Month Pics!

More Pics of Clare

Clare had her 6 month check up today. She is a chunky-monkey! She weighed in at a whopping 15lbs 2oz, which puts her right in between the 25-50%. Her length (although I always call it height) is 25.5 inches. She is almost ready for the growth chart Aunt Erin and Aunt Heather made her. That puts her in the 25% as well. Also, her head finally caught up (like I could have a child with a small head). She was in the 3% and now she's in the 25%. What's funny is the OB called Chris Mr. Big Head at one of our appts. She was asking him how his Mother's labor had gone because she said, "You've got a big head". He explained it had not gone well (understatement, he can never forget Mother's Day after that), however he didn't have a Big Head, just small facial features. Well, she cracked up laughing and called him Mr. Big Head for the rest of the appt. I actually wasn't a fan of her's until that appt. So, needlessly to say, Chris and I knew we couldn't make a baby with a small head. The things you worry about when your a parent.
Clare had one shot and one oral vac today, which she didn't even notice. I surprised her with Sophie (who now lives in our car for safety reasons previously discussed) right as Ms. Crabby Nurse whipped out the needle that was bigger than Clare's head. I'm always surprised. I know nothing about medicine, except what google tells me, but why does it have to be so scary looking? I wasn't even getting the shot and I was scared. However, once she saw Sophie she was totally focused on that and didn't even react. This evening however, has been another story. She has been very, very mad. Nothing is going her way and she seems just very unhappy about life. Hopefully by tomorrow, it will all be forgotten.
After the Dr.'s appt we were off to our least favorite place, Target to pick up her 6 month pics. Holy freaking heck. Wait until you see them. I have to scan them in to post them, but she looks so cute I can't even stand it (as Anna or Sue would say). I'll try to accomplish that over the weekend. We have lots to do this weekend in preparations for the BIG TRIP home. I become a crazy person months in advance of these trips and this one includes many firsts: Clare's first flight, Clare's first overnight with out Mommy, Clare's first time she watches Mommy get hauled out of an airport for punching security because they won't let her bring bottled water through to mix the formula and there is no way Mommy is using water from the sink or drinking fountain. Hope everyone has a great Friday. I'll being seeing most of you soon!
(Chris said Clare looks like me in one of the pics up top...any guesses which one?)

What's for Dinner?

Clare's Pedi appt. was moved to Thursday. Too much going on today for her to suffer shots. So, for those of you checking on weight bets, I'll post tomorrow. Clare's cousin Sierra came over for her weekly visit. Sierra fed Clare her peas, which she ate:) Those are some great pics for tomorrow. The video below is Clare with Sierra. My daughter eats people. Nice, huh? We also visited with Aunt Ginny and Clare tore up Aunt Ginny's coupons for her. I'll def. post those pics tomorrow?

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

Clare is 6 months old today! I really can't even wrap my head around it. Part of me wants to shrinky-dink her back into being a newborn or at least freeze time (Zack Morrison mental picture). I think she has been reading my mind, because she is going through a huge growth spurt the last few days. She has been taking really great naps, including a 4 hour one yesterday. You would have assumed that I utilized that time to clean my house, get laundry done and as Suzy Homemaker, have made Chris a delicious home cooked meal. Instead, we had frozen pizza last night and I read a book. So lazy! I was just starting to clean, when I remembered I wanted to post today, so I quit. Such is life.
Clare has started sleeping with a lovey. I'm not sure how it happened, but she has kept this little lamb (which I, in my very creative fashion, named Lambey) from her EASTER DRESS pictures. It was a gift card holder from my Mom's friends and she is really into it. She holds her and sleeps with her during naps. I always refer to Lambey as a boy for some odd reason, because I think of lambs as boys. No idea why. In that Lambey has a pink ribbon and feet, I should probably assume it's a girl, but who knows now days? People are different and there is nothing wrong with that (and I never even watched Seinfeld).
I'm sure I will write more Wednesday or Thursday when I have details from her Pedi appt. (and the winner of the weight bet) or Thursday when I pick up her pics! I'm off to make "appropriate use of my time".

"TBF"

Sorry for the post drought. As many of you know, I've had "The Breast Fever" (aka Mastitis). The fever was fun. So, now that little gem has hopefully passed, I will do my best to catch you all up. Clare has had lots of fun over the last few days. She went and visited Aunt Ginny and Cousin Jessica. They babysat her for me on Friday so I could take a nap due the TBF. Clare was asleep on Friday night by like 9:30! It was great. On Saturday, went to see G Gma Dot. Clare had a good time. The weather here was beautiful, so she really enjoyed spending time on the porch. All and all, lots of fun. I posted some pics of Clare playing on the calculator at the desk as
I was searching the University of Google for relief from TBF.
Quick Random Question of the Day: Why does everything B.Feeding related always sound so weird? I mean, seriously. I've taken 2 supplements.
Fenugreek: Ummm, let's discuss. It made me reek of maple syrup. Yes, that was correct. I smelled (mostly my underarms) like Maple Syrup. As in, "Hey, Mrs. Buttersworth, do you have some waffles to go with that?". Fun, huh? I heard all the jokes, Aunt Jemima, Mrs. Buttersworth, Lego my Eggo... Good times.
Goat's Rue: No, never heard of it? Unsure if you would swallow anything that was labeled Goat's anything? The label and the lactation consultant (just a quick mental picture, she wore Birkenstocks with her scrubs at the hospital) swear by it's magical powers. It even says in non-lactating women in can increase mammary tissue. I was curious why this product wasn't available when I was in HS. So, 4 goats Rue a day. Nothing happened.
So we've done lots of fun stuff here at this house to keep Clare nursing, but after more pumping sessions than a dairy cow (including my favorite, which I was setting an alarm for 3am to accomplish), drinking more water than a camel, 2 Rx's, 2 weird supplements, more convo's with the Hippie lactation consultant, I threw in the towel and started Clare on formula. She is almost 100% now and the chunky monkey loves it. She thinks it fantastic. So, all that for nothing. To my friend that works at Nestle, please let the formula people know they are doing a great job. My kid can suck down a bottle in under 2 minutes and upside down (which should help her with keg stands in college). So, that was our battle for last week. I hope you all had a great weekend. I'll be sure to post more this week.
P.S. For those of you who participated in the weight bets, I will be sending out an email with the results Wednesday. Remember, biggest loser buys drinks. I like vodka. A LOT!

"Your French aren't you?"

That's what Clare says to her newest toy. Sophie la girafe. Say it with a french accent, you know you want to. Yes, Sophie the Giraffe. U etait une fois (Once upon a time)...I'm just copying crap right off the box. Sophie is an approx. 6 inch rubber giraffe that is apparently the **it with the Teethers (which are also known as the cool kids). She is discussed as if she is laced with pain killers and provides instant relief to your little one. How the hospital can you let you take a baby home without quizzing you on the merits of Sophie is beyond me. Car seat? Check. Knowledge of the great and powerful Sophie? Check. Here's your kid.
Seriously, though, Sophie is an expensive giraffe. She is $17. I think that seems slightly extreme for a toy that your child eats. I'm not really following, but how can you admit that to the Parenting Gods (also known as other Moms). So, I finally cave (because Clare has been begging for one for months now:) and purchase Sophie. She arrives from the Vulli, a French company that debuted Sophie many years ago (rumor is the French have loved her for decades and only silly Americans haven't heard of Sophie). I mean, everyone loves the French, right?
Yesterday, a box on the doorstep proclaimed Sophie had arrived. So I whip off the package (all in french, of course) and give Sophie a quick scrub, before my child can be truly happy in life with this amazing teether.
Ready for this? Wait for it....IT HAS A SQUEAKER. As is, I just spent $17 on a chew toy for my dogs. Abby went out of her mind when she heard it. She and Serena went crazy. So, I throw the dogs outside and let Clare have a chance with it. She loves it. She talked to Sophie, ate Sophie ears (or whatever those bumps are on a giraffe's head, which I fully realize aren't ears, but what are they?) and squeaked Sophie. Then I let the dogs back in. Abby was crazy. Crying on the floor where I made her lay down, watching this little angry person who has replaced her eat a squeaker toy. When I tucked up Sophie (after Clare teased Abby by throwing it on the floor, right at Abby, several times) on the counter, Abby sniffed and cried and tried to find her. So Sophie is as good as done. I will be picking Sophie up off the ground, in little pieces one morning in the near future. Her days in the Miller household are truly numbered. It's sad, because Clare likes Sophie. I took pictures with Clare and Sophie so she can remember her. I would like to know why no one mentioned Sophie's Squeaker. I think many parents go throw Sophies like goldfish. I'm just sad for her fate. And the $17 I wasted on a dog toy.

Tut Us

Well, Chris did in fact have a snow day yesterday. However, I was up with her in the morning because she went down late on Sunday night and I went to bed early. It seems like a fair trade. Plus, I took a big, long nap yesterday. This morning we went to Target (really, how many times in one week can we shop there?) for pictures. Clare took great pictures. She was fairly amused at the process. We were able to get pics of her in her pink tutu (nakie of course) and her Easter dress. I can't wait for them to come in next week so I can scan them in and post them! So stinking cute. When the tutu came in on Friday, I was way excited. I called everyone I knew would answer in the middle of their work day. It turned out really well. Chris looked at the package and asked what I ordered from Fairy Tut Us. I was perplexed, until I realized he meant tutu. His point was that he had never seen the word tutu in print before. Upon more thought, I realized there is probably very little reason for a 31 year old man to have seen that word before and since it was on the name portion of the slip, it was probably a good guess. So, I've been calling it a pink Tut Us for days now. Can't wait to show you all the pics!
P.S. Lauren, I hear Congrats are in order:)

Weekend Visitors

Busy, busy weekend here at our house. Clare had visitors, Nana and Pop-pop! They came in to see their favorite granddaughter. She had lots of fun. Pop-pop brought her home a Flyer's onesie from the game and since I'm still not even sure how hockey works, it wasn't a debate like her other professional sports team outfits. Grandpa Kevin swears her 1st word will be Who-dey, however, I'm not so sure Chris is on board. Plus, with the Phillie's winning the World Series this year, the Red's are not really in the running. The picture above is the cute outfit Nana bought her when she was still in the hospital.
Clare had an exciting time with her newest sippy cup. It has a straw and she is a BIG FAN! Loved it. It is clearly much easier to drink from. Mommy gives her water, which is fun. She lets it drool out of her mouth for some unbeknownst reason to me. However, Daddy gives her yummy Gerber juice, which she sucks right down! I think she knows who the push over in this house is.
Chris is praying for a snow day tomorrow (ah, remember those days?). We are getting approx. 7 inches and I think neither of us are prepared for him to work tomorrow. He swears snow days should be "magic days" and not counted as weekend days. I think that is a great theory. On the weekends, Chris gets up with Clare while I sleep in. I think snow days are an extension of this rule. Thoughts on this? I would love to hear what others think snow days should be. Unless of course you agree with Chris. If so, please refrain from commenting. Hope you all had a great weekend. To my pregnant friends who fall in the puker category, I heard Old World Market has some really yummy ginger tea bags that work well.