The Great Flood

Days after Clara got out of the hospital, we had a bit of a flood.  We woke up to a more than soggy family room, laundry room and bathroom.  Everything dried out nicely and no permanent damage was done, but we still haven't secured our carpet back to the floor.  I would LOVE to just replace the carpet with something nicer but haven't been able to justify it yet.  In the mean time, the carpet is being held in place by furniture.  (And MAYBE a strip of duct tape.  Ghetto!!)

"Guys!  We have a problem!" 

Hospital Clara

At 4 weeks old, Clara ended up in the hospital with a cold that turned into bronchiolitis.  Now Henry and Clara have matching pictures.  Poor babies.

Things I love about Baby Clara

Here are a couple of things I love about 6 week to 2 month old baby Clara.

The sucking sound she makes when sucking on her fingers or the air.  It is somewhere between a clicking sound and a snorting baby pig.

The way she sleeps on my chest.  Then when I pick her up she either curls up like a rolly polly or stretches out into a "C".

How she loves to sleep on her side.  She can struggle to fall asleep until I remember to try laying her on her side.

She is an easy going baby.  She as happy as long as she doesn't feel abandoned and she will sleep through almost anything.

She loves watching her brother.  Each of them thinks the other is someone pretty great. It's sweet

How she plays with her tongue.  After it was clipped when she was brand new, she has spent a lot of time discovering all of the ways it can move around.

She grunts!  I think she may have been born a little annoyed with the world.

Her facial expressions.  The grumpy ones are hilarious.

A lesson in Choosing the Right

If you ever need advice on what the right choice would be, Henry would tell you "You need to choose the right.  NOT the left!"  Good advice Henry.  Good advice.

Unless you're driving.  If you need to turn left, you do it.  Especially when you're in Portland.  Turning right could send you some kind of crazy place and before you know it you're in Washington.  Turn left!  Even if the 4 year old in the back is deeply concerned that you are in for eternal damnation if you do not choose the right!  (We made the left turn.  We just had to reexplain the concept of a homonym.)

Best Big Brother Ever

I believe Henry loves having a baby sister. He wants to see his baby first thing every morning. All day he will come and check on his baby, give her a kiss, or tell me how much he loves his baby. Everywhere we go, he is anxious to show off his new baby. Clara loves to watch him and I think she loves her big brother back. I hope they love each other so much forever!

Henry wanted his baby to help decorate St. Patrick's Day cookies.

Henry helping with Clara's first bath.

They love each other.

First Month

First Bath

I love how she wads her legs up together whenever she has a chance. I regularly find her with the legs of her p.j.s empty. It is always her left leg tucked under her right leg. She looks so comfy.

Clara asleep in her basket. Lamby was her birthday present and must be with her while she sleeps.

Henry the Builder

Maternity leave has provided extra time for Henry and I to participate in building projects together.  He is quite the construction management guy.  He enjoys studying the different plans, deciding which we should build, coming up with a list of needed materials, then us building them together.  Here are a few of our building projects.

  The Windmill

 We had to alter the plans to find accommodate our available "materials" and to make it easy for an anxious 4 year old to operate.

The Crane

  This was also alter so that to accommodate our set and to make it functional for its intended use.

The Skyscraper

This is all Henry.  He stacked the boxes, tightened all of the bolts with his drill then we installed the (imaginary) barbed wire together.