Princess Pizza Parlor

Claire has a new favorite game. She loves to make bark pizzas--at least four times a day. She stands at the door and knocks while shouting "Princess Pizza! Open!" to tell me that her pizza shop is opening and we need to hurry out to the slide. She's getting really good at counting too but usually freezes up in front of the camera--here for the first time on film is a capture of one to ten! She can count as high as twenty when there are marshmallows at stake. Maybe I'll try some hidden camera tricks coming up here...

Dancing DJ Video and Zoo

Claire needs a DJ name I think--ideas? DJ Skittle?

This is old but good--she is telling the glass to "Open" so that she can get closer to the baby elephant at the Oregon Zoo.

April Exploits

A timer and a post took this picture for us out in the Oregon Dunes by Takenitch Creek. Great hike, and way fun to fly kites on the beach. I'm feeling very grateful to be halfway through this pregnancy and still able to hike and chase Claire!
Claire put beads on her ears, gathered a whisk and a purse and went to the door the other day, matter-of-factly calling out over her shoulder, "Bye! I'm famous." She consented to pause and mug for a picture before going out into the wide world without me. Later that day, she informed me that she was running a pizza restaurant under the neighborhood slide. I ordered a macaroni pizza which was served in a form stunningly similar to wood chips, and then I paid with imaginary money. She grinned, put the "money" in her pocket and said, "Ooh! I'm going to Papa's house!" I think she thought selling a pizza should surely get her enough cash for a plane ticket to Idaho...
Claire is a tough little dame! She hiked most of the Takenitch trail herself--with plenty of stops for gathering little pine cones to stuff in her pockets. She claimed she had eighteen, but it looked like closer to six by the end of the trail.
CClaire looked so cute in another lovely Abby Vance dress this morning. Claire adores nursery and she doesn't mind looking mighty fine to get there.
Claire fancies herself a DJ. She makes sure to wear flamboyant clothes and a hat, then she runs the radio in her room and when she gets something good going (it was a tinny 1940s jitterbug rendition the other day), she busts a move down on the carpet. She likes to say, "Ok Momma, let's dance!" and if I try to take a break I get, "Hey, what are you--sleeping?"

Big Shoes to Fill

Claire thinks all shoes are fabulous, even giant Momma shoes. She gets a little help from Daddy to traverse our vast kitchen before crossing her wires...

Turning 18 (months)

Awesome thing: now Claire goes to Nursery at Church!

Downside: immunizations rolled around again. This is how she copes after being "Chot."

Eugene Fire Department

"Um, it's a really big wheel--what do you want me to do about it Mom?"

Our playgroup took a fun tour of the station. The fire guys were really nice--they let us touch and climb on everything!

March Mushrooming

Hey, it was a warm day! We dashed out to the coast for fresh crab, a great hike and some ocean time.