Long time coming...

Our apologies for not posting any Claire pictures for a while. I'd offer a lame excuse, but really sheer laziness is the reason. (Contrary to what some might think, the lengthy interval is not because Claire is no longer cute.)

Last weekend we went down to visit Jane and Kenny (Claire's godparents) and to eat Thai food. Now that we know there is decent Thai food in the Quad Cities we will for sure be going back! Here is Claire with Jane and Kenny.



Winter has arrived here just in time for Thanksgiving and Claire knows that when snow is on the ground she has to wear her boots, and she reminds her parents that they should wear boots, too.

Cute Claire Picture(s) of the Day

Claire occasionally likes her hair in a pony tail. Sometimes that pony tail ends up on top of her head.



In other Claire news, she now has a game she likes to play that involves shaking ribbons. When she wants to play she says "shake" only it doesn't quite sound like "shake." Instead it comes out sounding like a certain four letter word the FCC doesn't allow you to say on the air. So imagine your 2-year-old running around the house saying that all day long...

Busy Birthday Weekend

Claire had a very busy birthday weekend. With unseasonably warm temperatures, the weekend was perfect for spending time outside. Claire got to play in the piles of leaves in the backyard and help rake. She got to enjoy an early birthday/Christmas gift. She even got to have a big birthday blowout on Saturday at her house with two grandmas, one grandpa, one aunt, one friend of an aunt and her parents, of course. The party featured two very good birthday pies that were enjoyed after working up an appetite from running. (Watch the video!)

Raking is fun...

...Standing in the leaves is better...

...Running through the leaves is best!

Claire enjoys her new bike.

Claire opens one of many presents.

The morning after the party Claire got to go for a long car ride to Rockford, IL, where her parents picked up a couple dressers that were being stored for them there by Will's aunt, uncle and cousins. While there Claire got to play with lots and lots of kitty cats and even got to feed an apple to a horse. She also made her great-grandma's day a little brighter by visiting her in the nursing home.

It's hard to believe that Claire is now two years old. It's amazing to see how much she has grown and changed in those two short years. It's even more amazing to realize just how lucky we are to have her in our lives and how much we love her.

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