New Stuff....

Clare has settled back into being home pretty well.

Since being gone for 3 weeks, she has learned some new tricks for getting into what isn't her's.

We donated the dining room to her for the duration of Chris's 2 week recovery. So, we pushed the furniture to the side and set up baby jail with all of her favorite toys. We did our best to temporarily baby proof the area (hence the awesome masking tape on things). It worked out so well that I've yet to take it down. She quickly showed me that the area I put the paper in is within reach. I heard her "reading" it, however, it occupied her for nearly 30 minutes and she wasn't eating it, so I kinda ignored the situation.

She also tried to break out of the house from baby jail. She used her much loved chair to reach the dining room door and said, "See Ya"!

My favorite pictures have to be of her cleaning. In the last few weeks, she has been picking up paper towels and started wiping down floors, tables, window sills and etc.

There are 2 schools of thoughts on this:

1.) She sees me cleaning and like most children, models the behavior of her same gendered
parent. (I'm a fan of this one)

2.) She is her Aunt Erin's niece and can't believe she's stuck with such slobs for parents. The
Littlest Clean Freak thinks we need to Pick this Sh** Up! She does not understand how
adults can continue to leave cabinet doors open and lights on. She figures if she starts
cleaning now, maybe she'll have this placed picked up by 5 (years old). (I'm not crazy
about this one).


We also had the Miller side Family Reunion a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun and Clare was super wild. Thankfully, her cousins Jessica and Juliana chased her around all night. It was the first party I've been to since she was born that I've had a "whole drink". As in, I finish one from top to bottom, not setting it down and losing it 19 times.

So, as you can see, we are all doing great here. I'll be sure to update more often now that we are settled back into our routine. I hope all is well and we have some very cute Congrat pics coming soon!

Happy (belated) First Birthday Party Pics

Well, as many of you may have heard, we didn't celebrate Clare's Birthday. We decided that she had been too wild this year and so we had no parties, cakes or presents.

Or maybe we had 3.

So, when this kid turns 16 and starts crying to me about a Sweet Sixteen fit for MTV, I fully intend to whip out these pics and tell her to "Hush it up!".

Clare's Birthday Tour started in Cleveland, where the very nice Mrs. Peterson gave Clare her first present of the Birthday month. It was a huge hit. Clare was very excited to see that under the wrapping paper was fun stuff.

Clare's Birthday Tour then moved onto to Cincy, with family BBQ and cake. As in the giant cupcake. The one I will never bake again. The one I hate with the passion of 1,000 fiery suns. Just sayin'.

We had all of my side of the family over for cake and ice cream and Clare did a great job attacking the cake. It was gross and adorable all at the same time.

In Hilton Head, it was her actual Birthday and we did Take 2, Same Cake. All of Chris's family (except Nana and Pop-Pop who were there of course) was on speaker phone singing Happy Birthday. Also, gross and adorable.

Back home, we had all of our extended family here over for cake and ice cream. Clare was very aware as to what the expectations were by this point and didn't even bother to hesitate with the cake eating business at hand.

On a more serious note, thank you all so much for helping celebrate Clare's 1st Birthday. It was beyond our wildest expectations that so many of you love our daughter as much as we do. We had a great time and Clare loved all of her presents!

So, above are lots of messy cake face and other fun stuff.

I know, I know...

I know, I'm way past due on another blog update...Be sure to check us out tomorrow for updates:)