January 2012

Aunt Ginny and Avery
Aunt Jessica and Clare
Aunt Jessica, Avery and Clare

Clare practicing writing her name at school. And I can only guess her tracing her hand in the center, since that's her second favorite thing to do.
Chunk at 5 months old:)

All smiles:)

My two loves:) Clare insists on being in the pictures too.
Clare's first visit to Build a Bear. She picked a penguin and it was a "he" until she saw the wall of outfits. "He" quickly became a "she" once she spied the Cindrella outfit. Her name is Cinderella



Avery trying to stand
This picture makes me laugh. It looks like she is either yelling at Clare like I do or pointing to butter like Paula Deen
Clare insisting I take a picture before school
Clare making Avery wear Cinderella's crown
Grandpa doing Clare's nails:) Aunt Feather sent some adorable fake nails along for Clare with Grandmama and Grandpa (who flew out to visit us last week) and Clare insisted they be put on ASAP.
I love that she holds her fingers apart:)
Beautiful
Grandmama testing out our new squeezy spoon. GENIUS invention.
Avery respectfully declining the sweet potatoes
Sleeping baby
Grandmama celebrated her birthday here in Jersey:) Aunt Feather is on the phone helping sing.

Two Snow Whites
Grandmama and her princesses.
Clare in yet another dress up:0
Avery's morning face
Grandmama, Grandpa and their girls
Grandmama, Grandpa and their girls
Beautiful princesses that Aunt Ginny gave Clare to decorate her room
Adorable playdate friends. My friend Lauren brought her two little ones over to hang out last week. She has a son Shane who is Clare's age and a daughter Kiana who is a month older than Avery.






Avery was so worn out from jumping she fell asleep
Clare's evil smile



Everyone is doing great here! We had a wonderful visit with Grandmama and Grandpa! Chris is super busy at work, between swim season and all of his many shows.

Avery is rolling all around and has started sitting up. She has reached a more important milestone: sleeping. Avery has also been eating lots of new foods, with fruits being a big hit and the majority of the veggies other than carrots being a fail.

Clare is a princess every day of her life. She lives in dress ups 100% of the time when she is not at school. Sleeps, eats and would bath in them if allowed. She has also started telling us more stories about her day and being a bigger help around the house. It seems crazy how much she has grown up in the last few months:) She is a VERY good big sister. I thought she would be less amused with Avery. But they both crack each other up. They are super cute together.

It's the most wonderful season of all....

Thanks to Pinterest, I had this idea for Clare's Preschool Christmas Party. We decorated Christmas trees (upside down waffle cones) with candy. It "snowed" at the end with white chocolate, which was the kids favorite part.
Clare's class making their Christmas Trees
Clare and her tree. Clare had a two for me, one for the tree type plan in decorating
Clare's preschool class.
Clare starting her Christmas out with the Richardson side on Christmas Eve. We skyped Grandmama and Grandpa. Clare was super cute. She kept screaming, "Whaaatttt?" at every present like she couldn't believe they were all for her! She was one spoiled little girl this year. She loved all of her presents from Grandmama and Grandpa, but her Princess Barbies were by far her favs!
Checking out the bag of gifts from Aunt Feather. LOTS of dress-ups! It was a huge hit!

Opening Great Aunt Lisa's gifts. They were also a big hit and I am already sad that the microphone batteries have such a long life.
Wearing her new furry vest from G3!
I should also mention we have some very blurry pics from this present explosion. Clare also got a scooter from Great Grandma/Great Grandpa Richardson that she loved and some "HipptytheWho" (aka Winnie the Pooh) stuff from Aunt Erin/Uncle JR. All her gifts were AWESOME!
Santa baby and Daddy on Christmas Eve
Aunt Ginny feeding Avery while Steven holds her
Close up of Santa Baby
Avery checking out the spread for the rest of the family
Clare and her cousin Grayson
Aunt Jessica and Avery going to get one last look at the Christmas Lights
Clare posing with the reindeer again
Clare photo-bombing Grayson's pic

Nana, Pop and their girls
The Girls all ready in their Christmas Jammies for Santa



Clare coming down the steps



She ran over to me and was stomping her foot, yelling "Come on!". She's such a funny bird.
Digging in




Helping Avery open hers

Avery's wild excitement over her gift from Santa
Av eating the paper
Round 3: Christmas from Nana and Pop! Bitty Baby got a stroller! Clare screamed when Nana and Pop brought in a sack of presents!
Giving a baby a ride


Avery checking out the paper
Clare entertaining Avery
Trying on her new night gown
Trying to tear into the paper
Av's morning game face


The aftermath
Nana, Pop and the girls


Great Grandmom Bohl and the girls
4 generations
Great Uncle Harry, Great Grandmom Bohl and Clare (who wasn't suppose to be in the picture, but assumes that she is suppose to be where ever the camera faces)
Daddy and Avery
Aunt Jessica and Clare
Nana and Avery
Clare and Bitty Baby in their matching jammies, a tradition from Nana and Pop

Last years pic
Disney on ICE!! Nana and Pop gave Clare Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream (which is all about Princesses) for Christmas! They took her on the 26th to see the show. Her is a pic of Clare and Pop
Pop and Clare is their AWESOME seats! That block is where the characters came on and off the ice, so Clare was able to get really close to all of her favorite Princesses

Shining her wand
Nana and Clare enjoying the show
Clare and Nana
That's Clare's "I'm concentrating" face
Pop and Clare

Shining her lantern at the sky (part of Tangled)
Blowing a kiss at the end!
Play date at the Aquarium: Clare and her friend Cecily

Cecily catching bubbles from the show
This is the pet a shark exhibit. Clare was splashing her hands in the water, which causes the sharks to swim away. She didn't quite understand to hold still. Aunt Erin and Aunt Heather thinks this is a very, very smart move.

The one place Clare wanted to stick her hands in the water
Sting Ray's, another exhibit Clare wanted to stick her hands in and splash when they came close
The girls and the Philly skyline
Avery all dressed up to go shopping with Mommy on New Years Day. This adorable outfit is from Beth:) (boots: Aunt Ginny:)
The matching hat
Av's fav shocked expression:)



Christmas was so much fun! Clare really seemed to "get it" this year and was cute to watch. We had a wonderful time with family. We were super home sick for our family and friends in Cincy this year. The girls and I will be in this Spring for sure!

Hopefully 2012 brings as many blessings as 2011 brought us!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!