Summer musings

Typical summer days for us include no pants (just Claire) and tanks tops (it's hot as a mother here). Messy hair. Lots of ketchup on the face and shirts with paint on the front of them. Popsicles galore! We made a pallet on the floor in our room (and for those who don't know the word pallet. ie: my husband. it's a makeshift bed on the floor with lots of pillows!) and we watch Tinkerbell and Wow Wow Wubbzy DAILY! I have introduced Claire to the wonderful world of a TV tray. Eating on the pallet in front of the TV = a great day!!

Bravo!!!! ~ Happy Daddy Day

She did AMAZING!!!! Awesome! I was so nervous for her being up on that stage in front of all those people. I was just glad to see her walk out on the stage and not be crying but then she started to dance....and dance....and dance!! It was just the cutest thing I have ever seen. I couldn't help think of all my dance recitals as a little girl and just tear up that I am now the parent watching my sweet girl. What a proud moment!! We went backstage to pick her up at intermission and Daddy had beautiful yellow roses to match her yellow costume (it was itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikni after all!!). She was so excited. She even got a balloon from Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Gordon. Then it was off to get ice cream and french fries at Chic-fil-A. GO CLAIRE!

Here is a link to the performance for anyone choppin' at the bit to watch the world premiere of "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"!

Happy Daddy's Day today!! What a special daddy Claire has in her life. I feel equally as blessed to have Eric be Claire's daddy. He is so patient with her and everything is a teachable moment. He takes every chance to show her something and guide her. We love you Daddio!

Tinkerbell

Claire decided the other night that she was willing to watch a real movie and that movie was going to be Tinkerbell!! Her Uncle Tommy gave her this movie a long time ago but she's yet to really watch it.Rewind to 2001 (23 yrs old) and I wore a Tinkerbell costume for Halloween (complete with some not so innocent clear shoes...think "exotic". lol) I was quite the sight I am sure. Partayyyy! I knew I had this costume in the guest closet somewhere so I went digging. While we were all watching the movie (for the 2nd time that night) I snuck out to put on my costume. I came into the room and Claire was mesmerized...."MOMMY!!! You are TINKERBELL!!! You look beautiful!!" (if not slightly over grown for this silly costume). After I danced around sprinkling "pixie dust" on her and Eric while insisting I not be called Mommy, it was Claire's turn. A little tie back of the sleeves and she was set!! Pretty little tinker girl!

She was exhausted after this dress up game. She finally said..." I don't want to be Tinkerbell anymore Mom. Just Claire". Just the way we like her. Our little Claire.

Just Claire

Happy Monday!! Just some pics of Claire being well....Claire. Gotta love the stars and stripes suit from Wally World for FIVE DOLLARS. You have to love even more that she is wearing pearls! CHEESE!!

Confessions/Reality

My fellow blogger and old childhood friend, Stephanie Howell, proposed a challenge to her blog readers. I think I'll take it.

The challenge is to get real. Share some confessions! I can honestly say when I began blogging my posts were real, raw, and just honest. Over time it has become more of a what Claire is up too blog (it's easier!). I do make the disclaimer under the "about me section: complete profile" and here in this post that this is just a glimpse into our lives.

These are my confessions!!

1. I lose my patience...A LOT...as a mother. More than I am proud of. I am guilty of yelling at Claire and recently dropped the f bomb which she repeated. My heart breaks with guilt once I calm down especially when she is sound asleep and so innocent. Sometimes I wonder who the real toddler in this house is? Mommy sure knows how to stomp her feet too.

2. I am OCD about cleaning and throwing things away. I can't even stand the mail to sit on the counter. I was like this before I had a baby and it's worse now. I guess the small parts of my life I can control became magnified once a baby took the rest of my "control" away.

3. I watch General Hospital 5 days a week. I'd watch it 7 but it's not on. HA! I love the soap and have been watching it since 1995. This is my little escape each evening. Give me a tabloid magazine and a few more reality shows on DVR and it's a dream day!! Bachelor anyone?? I clearly know none of these things are based in reality...that's why I love them.

4. Speaking of TV. I (we) let Claire watch more TV than is probably allowed in most households but I am okay with that. She is super smart, bright, and happy. I am horrible at sitting and playing all day. TV is a must!

5. This has gotten MUCH better but during Claire's first year of school she was such a PAIN IN THE BUTT to get into the car after school. I just couldn't handle the other moms witnessing the backseat meltdowns (she just didn't want my help getting in and she wouldn't get in the seat either) so I started parking far away. I would be waving across the parking lot to another mom...."HEY GIRL! HOW ARE YA?! GREAT TO SEE YOU!" then shut the car door and bang my head on the steering wheel. Good times. I have to laugh at this now though. We've come a long way but oh.my.god. I was gonna drive away and never come back! ha! I felt like the most fake mom in the parking lot trying to play it cool.

6. Marriage is not easy and not easy with kids. I don't care if you have one or 10. It changes things and I miss the times before baby but I wouldn't go back. Not ever. I just want to say that it can be hard and we are no stranger to that. 'Nuf said!

So there ya have it. A few nuggets of the real me! It feels good!! I think we all know as moms that it's not easy. We lose our cool, our minds, our bodies! It's all worth it and that goes without saying. Keep it real my friends.

Best Friends

The other week Claire told her daddy and I that she "loved us realllllly much mommydad. you are my best friends." Our hearts melted. Sweetest. thing. ever. I had to get her saying it on tape the next day. I figured I would need to be reminded of this sweetness around nap time when she is throwing things from her crib to hit the back of the door while screaming (but nooooo, she's not tired!!).

I don't know why (enter sarcasm here) but when I told my mom what she said she thought it was cute at first then started to laugh. I mean cry laugh. I wasn't that bad as a teenager....sheesh! Wink wink (maybe a little). I'll just remind Claire when she is 16 that we really are "bff".

Parents night out

For Eric's birthday I surprised him with comedy show tickets at the Tempe Improv and a night away at the Wyndham hotel in dowtown Phoenix. Last weekend we had our get away night. Aunt Carolyn flew in from Chicago just to watch Claire for us. We left early Saturday and headed to Scottsdale for lunch, cocktails, and relaxing. We went to the Rusty Spur Saloon in Old Town Scottsdale for our first stop then hopped over to Olive & Ivy for lunch. Then it was off to the Yard House to check out their extensive selection of beers on tap. It was a real treat to spend the whole day together alone! We hadn't stayed away from home (minus the recent bday party) in 2 years! After our Scottsdale day we went to the hotel to get ready to head out to Tempe for dinner and the show. Luckily the Valley Metro light rail runs from the hotel right in to Tempe so we didn't have to drive anywhere. I wish we actually took pics of us together out but of course we didn't do that! We were too busy relishing the sweet moments alone! And sleeping until 9:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good times!!

Claire behind the camera

Claire has become quite the picture taker lately. She is obsessed!! We had to take a pic of her taking pics. Intense! She tells Eric and I to get "closer....CLOSER....hug...okay...say CHEESE MOMMYDAD!!" We are always one person when she refers to us. Or she calls us "guys". She'll say..."you guys crack me up!". Gotta love another photographer in this family. Just be prepared to bend down a little b/c her aim isn't always as tall as we are! =)

Happy Birthday Great Grandma

Happy 86th Birthday to one of the most amazing people I have ever known. I think most people who have been blessed to know her would say the same thing. I feel so lucky to have had my grandma for 33 years and that Claire has been able to know her as well. It's been so nice living in AZ and being closer to her. Although we don't visit as often as we would like it's nice to have more opportunities! Grandma has a very active social life with her husband and it makes me so happy that she is enjoying life! I couldn't be luckier to have such a supportive and loving Grandma.

Dancing Dolly

Today was recital picture day. Lots of dressed up girlies in their super cute costumes running around with makeup on! Mayhem! ha! Claire, however, did not like makeup. Which I had no problem with at this age but it was pretty funny trying to get makeup on her. Mascara....are you joking me!! She wiped it all over her face. It wasn't the look we were going for that's for sure!! =) So, we opted for some blush. I took a pic of her before we left the house. It was a mother's dream (atleast mine) to put on her costume, fix her hair, and swipe on the rosy cheeks. When I was pregnant I remember seeing a little girl in Payless trying on her tap shoes and I knew I wanted that exact moment. This was right before we knew the sex and I guess my intincts were in over drive.

Not much going on here. Laying low and not much to blog about to be honest. It's the beginning of summer break and we are chillin! Memorial day was nice. We got to see friends and family and it was an awesome low-key weekend.