Claire speaks!

We are back from our Christmas "vacation" and thankfully managed to avoid the bad weather that has been plaguing the midwest the last week. Still, I'd much rather be here, having shoveled 32 inches of snow in December, than say... San Diego. The snow is really pretty!

It was a good week, though there was too much driving. I don't think we'll ever do the Des Moines-Iowa City-Dubuque trifecta for the holidays again, even though Claire didn't seem to mind. She had great fun at all the grand-'rents houses and especially enjoyed Grandma Julie's dog, Hal, and climbing stairs at Grandpa Bernie's and at Grandma and Grandpa Cooper's, as well as a trip to see the fishes at the America's River Museum in Dubuque. Claire's parents loved being able to hand off Claire to the various doting relatives.

Yes, it's true. Claire now speaks. At Grandma Julie's it was very clear that Claire was repeatedly saying "da-Dah" (emphasis on the 'Dah') when she saw Hal. "Da-Dah" is apparently Claire-ese for dog. It is necessary to understand the context within which she says "da-Dah" in order to differentiate it from "Da-Da" (meaning her old man) which she also says (and she says Ma-Ma). Last night when that old man came in from shoveling Claire had just finished up her bath. Claire's mom asked "what do doggies say?" and Claire very clearly said "woof." Apparently dogs bring out Claire's speaking abilities. Perhaps the next question Claire will answer (with help from the doggy book Grandma Cooper gave her for her birthday) will be "what do dogs do after they lift their leg?"

-W