Claire is 2!

We had an awesome pool party with plenty of friends and a perfect Idaho afternoon.
Claire's two favorite things united in one Sam's Club cake--Hello Kitty and M&M's! I had planned an elaborate Ariel cake but the bed rest for Sophie sort of put a damper on that party path...
Claire loves the "waterfall" in Papa's pool and the color changing lights.
The cupcakes were apparently awesome--she had three of them.
They were made of pure sugar! What a pretty lady--thank you to Neighbor Chris for taking pictures for us.
Claire's reaction upon receiving her first Barbie, an original Ariel doll. Ariel was very very important to me at her age too, so I always took special care of this doll and she's in mint condition.

Claire sings along with an over-sized birthday card from Hooma. The song is "A Dream is a Wish" from Cinderella. She gets distracted by a new dinosaur puzzle (Momma and Daddy's love of edutainment strikes again!) but resumes singing at the end. Notice the awesome playhouse in the background sewn by Hooma! I'll give the Happy Hut it's own post in the coming days.

Welcome back to Idaho!

Claire enjoyed a cowboy style 4th of July with new pink boots. Pony Rootbeer (who lives in the Schmutz Family's backyard) got a new coat of paint and a faboo new hairdo. Claire likes to wear Papa's cowboy hat and to march around squirting this squeeze bottle. She's a sharp shooter!
Claire LOVES to brush her teeth. This one goes out to Aunt Amy and Uncle Nelson!

Oreo tricks...

June Bug

Claire's favorite place to hike is from the top of Daddy's shoulders. This is from the Siltcoos trail system on the Oregon coast.
Claire had to pose for the obligatory pig picture at Pike Place. She excitedly told me that someone had left money for candy inside the pig and when I said those were donations for the market only a Filipino plate lunch could fix the tears.
Claire dresses herself for Church...

Summer Adventures Commence

Claire hunts for morel mushrooms in the Oregon wilderness (they are tricky to spot--there are well over 10 in this picture). We took in about $300 worth that day! Also, I am six months pregnant with Sophie in this picture and still tromping around the forest; a testimony to the "Chase Your Toddler" exercise program.
Claire earned these glasses for using the toilet. She told me this was her impersonation of me, "Hey! I'm Momma with glasses!" I wish I looked that cool!
Claire at a trail summit in Oregon.

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?"