my belle

Golly Clara is so much fun. She woke up cooing in her crib this morning. I went to get her and she was all smiles for me. After feeding her, I grabbed a couple of her stuffed animals and brought her into bed with me. We spent the next half hour giggling, singing and playing. I got up to make breakfast while Jeff slept and laid Clara on her back on the playmat on the floor. When I peeked out of the kitchen to check on her a few minutes later she was on her stomach and facing the opposite direction. Checked again a few minutes later and she'd continued to rotate around into a full 360. Hah hah, as I'm typing this all the sudden her crib aquarium has turned on. She must've just rolled over in bed and bumped it. Anyway, Jeff played with her for a little bit this morning and then we sat down for breakfast. We decided to start having Clara sit at the table with us more. So we plopped her into her highchair and gave her a plate and spoon to play with. And she managed to get that spoon right up into her mouth. I've been debating starting her on solid foods...I think she might be ready. And I'm so excited to try. After breakfast, Clara took a shower with Jeff. She's so funny in the shower, doesn't mind being full in the stream of water at all. She just blinks her little eyes...Jeff said he even got a smile out of her in there this morning. This afternoon we all went to see The Incredible Mr. Limpet with some friends and their baby. Clara's getting to be quite a good stander-upper, Jeff had her hanging on to some railing and standing up all by herself today. We ran a few errands and everywhere we went Clara was getting heaps of attention today. Everyone was oohing and aahing over her red hair and just general adorableness. And tonight, I've been falling more and more in love with her. I had taken her up to her crib to get her ready for bed and I decided to let her play naked for awhile. She kept rolling over which I don't get to see her do very often so it was funny. And grabbing her toes and pulling them up into her mouth. And playing with her aquarium. And trying so hard to crawl, but actually just flailing around. She was cooing and laughing and smiling and it just melts me. I decided to make a little video of her. And as I was making it, she peed all over her bed. Today was probably the most playful she's ever been. Smiles are coming so much more easily out of her. And she's getting more and more ticklish and developing a sense of humor. It is sooo much fun having her around.