A Tale of Two Cities

I have had several people ask me for so many details about our visit with Mikhael, and I am trying to rack my brain to figure out how to put everything into words. I will do my best, though, to try to walk through the weekend for you and share a lot of the great memories that we now have. I also plan to make 2 coordinating scrapbooks - one for Mikhael, and one for Claira - just for this visit, and hope that I can do it all justice...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Bubba & his baby sister









the Princess










Darrel, Izac, Mikhael, Claira, Cyndi










Greg, Mikhael, Claira, me










Splash Time










Who is related here???










Sleepy Beauty?










Sleeping Beauty!










Such a sweetheart!

Many Thanks

Wow, what a truly fantastic weekend we had with Mikhael and his family in Louisiana. I cannot put into words what it was like to wrap my arms around Mikhael for the first time and to feel him hug me back. Hard. To hear him talk and laugh and see him smile. I didn't want to overwhelm him, but by the end of the trip, I was just hugging on him on a regular basis and told him I had to get them in while I could. Thankfully, he obliged me.

We want to thank Cyndi & Darrel for making our stay SO entirely comfortable. The food & hospitality was so wonderful. It was really nice to reminisce with Cyndi. She & I shared a very remarkable experience and we each remembered things the other had forgotten, and shared things that the other didn't know. To remember Mikhael as a newborn and the week I got to spend with him & his parents, and to see him again - now at 17, almost 18 - was a very surreal experience, and one I will be grateful for a long time.

I also want to thank Greg very much for helping make this weekend happen. He was willing to go to a new place and meet new people, including my "firstborn child" as he called Mikhael, and share our daughter together with him. Greg said he wanted Claira to get to know her big brother and that they should have a relationship if they want it. He was very sweet & understanding and would ask me how I was feeling throughout the weekend. When Mikhael introduced us to his girlfriend, Ashley, he introduced me as his mom Debbie, Claira as his sister, and Greg as his dad. He even referred to Greg as "Dad" several times. Talk about a "blended" family!

I am grateful that Mikhael wanted to meet me and get to know me. He is SUCH a good kid. He has such a big heart and a good soul. He has a terrific sense of humor, is so loving & affectionate, and on some level, it was as if we simply picked up where we left off. In some ways, it did not feel like 18 years have come & gone. Because Cyndi kept me updated with pictures and letters, I was able to get to know Mikhael. And now Mikhael wants to get to know me. Of all the good things in my life, this is right up there in the top.

Lastly, I want to thank God. He gave me the strength to give Mikhael to someone else to raise. He assured me in so many ways that I could trust Him in guiding me to the parents who would raise my son in a loving home with the knowledge of God. That I was included in any way, is as Cyndi says, "a God Thing," and there is no other way to explain it.

It's all good.

Monday, Monday...

This has been a great weekend. Mikhael and I got to have some time talking last night and it was really great. He has really enjoyed hearing how he is like so-and-so in my family, and where he got some of his traits & characteristics. He is a Starbucks fiend, has a sarcastic sense of humor, keeps reminding me he is taller than me (which both of my brothers used to do on a regular basis), and when he was rounding out of the kitchen as I was walking into it this morning, I had that distinct feeling again that I was looking into a mirror.

I am VERY blessed to have been a part of Mikhael's life, even from a distance. And now that I have been invited to share it up close & personal, I feel grateful & humbled & honored. I also have a husband who has been very supportive and loving and has been a strength for me. Now we have a daughter, who can grow up and know her big brother because of the generosity of several hearts.

We are already discussing our next visit and when we can get together again. Mikhael would really like to meet my family, and I hope it is something we can all work out.

I love Mikhael Shane so much, and feel almost like we were never apart in some ways. I am glad he was willing to meet me and wants me to be part of his life. Cyndi & Darrel have been so hospitable and warm and welcoming, and well, Southern. I think I've gained 7 or 8 lbs and enjoyed every second of it. =) We can't hug enough, we can't share enough. I am very blessed.

It's time to head to the airport, so I will sign off now. I thank God for what He has given me.

Very Happy Mama!

After having a FANTASTIC fish fry (with hush puppies, onion rings, homemade lime bread & butter pickles, etc.) with chocolate covered strawberries, cream cheese pound cake and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert (yeah, I'm gaining weight by the minute), we got to go out and play in the pool. That was GREAT. The pool was a perfect 86 degrees (which was noticeably cooler than the air) and Claira stayed in until she was pruney. We had splash fights and got more pics, but don't have them uploaded yet. Greg was even coaxed in and we all had a great time. Cl;aira just splashed and kicked and squealed - she got water in her face, and for the most part, enjoyed every minute being out there.

Mikhael is pretty darn huggable. We talked about a lot of his traits, characteristics, and mannerisms and even shared the similarities in behavior between Claira & Mikhael as a baby. I think he got a big kick out of that. I can certainly see a lot of Baker in him. From being allergic to mosquitoes (I know what misery that is) to certain hand movements & facial expressions while he talks (seriously, if he had a shaved head and a goatee, I would swear he was my brother, David) - there is no denying that the Baker genes are alive & kicking... I can't stop hugging him- and Claira is quite comfortable with him and his entire family. Greg has been so sweet and for being a generally reserved, quiet kind of guy, he has been very warm, friendly, and funny.

I need to go, but wanted to drop another post today. This visit has been a long-held dream in my heart, and when you realize you are living a dream come true, you have to enjoy every second of it!!!

In the Deep South

We arrived in Jackson, MS, last night at @ 6:00 pm. Greg, Claira & I made our way to the baggage claim where we were to meet Cyndi & Mikhael. Just as the bags started coming around on the turnstyle, I looked out the door and saw Cyndi walking in. We both smiled GREAT BIG smiles and hugged for awhile. Mikhael was out in the van (Ugh - he can drive - I've sprouted about 50 new gray hairs from the stories...) and once Greg & Claira were introduced, & our bags were collected, we headed out to the van.

Mikhael came around to the back of the van and I could NOT help but hug him. He's about 5'8" and perfect for hugging. I was SO thrilled to see him and thanked him for wanting to meet me and gushed about how cute he is. I couldn't help it. Claira went right to Cyndi, but even when Greg introduced Mikhael to his "little sister," she was hesitant to go to him. She would grin and hid her face - and just about every time he wasn't looking at her, she would smile a great big smile at him.

We had dinner together at Cracker Barrel and when Claira saw Mikhael's large class ring, she was hooked. She is a jewelry girl (it's in her genes), and once she got to play with his ring, she started warming up to him. We had a long ride from the airport, so we had a lot of time to talk. This is when Mikhael shared his many driving experiences, some of which were seriously hair raising. I'm not sure I could survive raising a boy. =)

Once we got to Mikhael's house, met Cyndi's husband, Darrel, and got settled in a bit, Mikhael finally got to hold Claira and I think they both enjoyed it. I know I certainly did. There will be plenty of stories, and many more pictures.

Cyndi's parents and her brother, Ronnie, & his family are all here. We're having a big fish fry and will spend some time in the backyard pool. Mikhael is cooking dinner tonight (grilling steaks if I understood correctly), and the time is already flying by SO QUICKLY!!!

I can see a lot of myself in Mikhael - I can also see a lot of his father. What's really funny, is that I can see a lot of my brother, Dave, in Mikhael, too. He has a lot of the same mannerisms & gestures Dave has. I will share more of these specifics tomorrow. Claira is finally napping (thank you, Jesus!!!) and we're getting ready to share some really great food. We haven't even dragged out the picture albums yet, but you can be sure that we will.

Count Down...

In less than 24 hours, Greg, Claira & I will be on our way to Louisiana! I'm actually starting to relax and get VERY excited to see Mikhael and his family. He & Cyndi will meet us at the airport. I will be sure to post pictures as soon as I can to keep you up to date.

This will NOT be the first airplane trip Greg & I have taken together, although . We flew to Springfield, MO, one year ago for a baby shower held by my former coworkers at MedPay. (Hello, everybody!) I was pregnant at the time, and actually got pulled aside and searched on our way out of Springfield. I was pretty concerned when they were waving that hand held sensor around my pregnant belly, but Claira turned out just fine, so NO worries!

She did, however, keep us up until 2 am this morning. Neither one of us could determine the cause of her apparent misery, but she finally konked out and we were all able to get a few hours of sleep. Eventually. This, after a REALLY long day that started out with a near fall out of the shower in the a.m. and ended with my washing Greg's leather wallet while racing to finish laundry for packing for our trip and helping Greg with some of his final papers. I was SO glad when I woke up this morning because I knew yesterday was behind me, and tomorrow was ahead of me.

It is certainly time to meet my son and introduce him to Greg and to his sister, Claira. Greg is incredibly supportive and I am very happy that he is taking this part of my journey with me. It really means a lot to know that he understands how important this is to me and to be as supportive as he is, even though he will not only be meeting Mikhael, but many new people in unfamiliar surroundings.

Anyway, I will keep my blog as up to date as I can and will post pictures asap!!!

Deb

Three Things to Think About

I got this in an email, and if I could credit the person, I would:

Three Things to think about:
1. COWS
2. THE CONSTITUTION
3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTSCOWS

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government tracked a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington and they tracked her calves to their stalls? But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around ourcountry. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and we're not using it anymore.

The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse........You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians -- it creates a hostile work environment.

One Day At A Time...

At Long Last...

Greg, Claira & I are planning a trip to visit family over Memorial Day weekend. It will be the first time Greg & I have flown together (we have always driven wherever we've gone), and it will be Claira's first trip on an airplane! We are flying to Louisiana to visit my dear friend, Cyndi, her husband Darrel, and her son, Mikhael. Cyndi & I have known each other for 18 years, mostly through letters & emails, but also an occasional visit. Mikhael is our main connection. Cyndi is his adoptive mom; I am his birth mom.

Cyndi & I first met during a phone call, through a mutual friend. When our friend called to ask if I would be interested in talking to them, I said I would and the next night, they called. I can remember hearing this soft, Southern drawl on the other end of the phone and was immediately "taken" with her. I had developed a minor list of questions, because I had visited an adoption agency and had already looked at several prospective family files. We ended up talking for much longer than I anticipated, and when I hung up the phone, I walked into the living room and announced to my family that I had found the parents who would adopt my baby. I just knew it was them.

On the day Mikhael was born, I was able to have a few hours just with him alone. When Cyndi & her husband walked into the room, though, it did not feel like an invasion. She walked in with a big smile and open arms and sat on my bed and hugged us both. She always told me that no matter what they would love me - if I decided to change my mind while they were there, it was okay and I should do what I needed to. Because Mikhael was jaundiced, he was in the hospital for nearly a week. Even after I was discharged, Cyndi would make sure that I could be at the hospital with them and with Mikhael and we spent as much time together as we could.

We originally agreed to try to stay in touch for one year after his first 3 months. Those first 3 months of non-contact were good for me to really come to terms with my decision and to give Mikhael & his family the chance to connect as a family. When the three months had passed I was shocked to receive a large package in the mail that contained among many things, a small photo album full of pictures of Mikhael with his new family. It was wonderful! From that time forward, Cyndi has been so wonderful to share pictures and news of Mikhael. I got to watch him grow up, from a distance, and see how happy he was. I saw pictures of Mikhael that reminded me of a family member, or even seeing myself in the mirror. She shared stories of his antics and their vacations - she included me in his life in ways I never imagined possible.

When Greg & I married in 2003, I had told him about Mikhael. He was so understanding and said our door would always be open to Mikhael. We had several talks about the possibility of meeting Mikhael, especially once we began to have children, and he even said he would not be surprised of Mikhael showed up on our doorstep one day, and that he would welcome him into our home. I was always surprised by that. Not because Greg isn't that kind of man, but because I had been certain so long ago that a man like him - someone who would be so open and accepting - would be difficult to find.

Cyndi wrote us a letter last December and wrote that Mikhael had said "it is time to meet my mom" and would we be able to plan a get together Summer 2006? WOW! So at long last, the plans have been made, the tickets have been bought, and we will be on our way in just a few days. I am very excited and very nervous, no matter how many people say I don't have to be nervous. Mikhael has grown into a very handsome young man and I am very privileged and honored that he wants to meet me and my family. It is important to me that Greg & Claira be able to meet him and get to know him along with me. Cyndi tells me Mikhael has my smile, gives great hugs and is a really great kid. I'm anxious to see this for myself... In person...

I'll update the blog with photos & notes on our visit as I can, with Mikhael's blessing. We'll have a short time to be together, but I know we'll soak up every second we can.

Happy Mother's Day

Today I get to celebrate my first official Mother's Day. I tried to celebrate last year, but because Claira was not yet born, it wasn't quite the same. Today - it's official - and I get to enjoy it.

Claira woke up all smiles, after Greg & I got to spend a few minutes cuddling. Apparently, Claira forgot my Mother's Day card at Greg's mom house, but since it is HER first Mother's Day, too, it's okay. Greg gave me a new Bible and made a wonderful lunch. Yesterday, he took care of Claira for awhile so I could get a few things done around the house AND even enjoy a few minutes to myself. Claira is going to buy the windchime I requested, but she wants me to choose it, so we'll go shopping together for that. =) I got a beautiful red geranium at church this morning and it is potted on my front porch already.

Being a mother is really a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining - and I knew it would be a lot of work. I remember watching my mom and wondered why she couldn't take a few minutes to watch TV with the rest of us (besides Cosby Show every week), and now I understand. There are dishes to be done, meals to be cooked, laundry to be washed, folded and put away, diapers to be changed, bottles to be made, etc.

There are also those moments of incredible tenderness when Claira is so tired but only I can rock her to sleep, or when she smiles and grins only at me, when she says Mama (which is not very often, so it's special), when she grabs my face and "kisses" me enthusiastically, when she mimics something I am trying to teach her OR shows that she has figured out something herself. A mother's work really is never done, but it IS very rewarding...

My grandmother invested herself in my mom, and my mom invested herself in me. Now I get to stand in that line and do the same with my daughter. I still have a lot to learn about sacrifice and giving, but I will take it one day at a time, praying that what I learned from my own mom and grandmother mixed with what I am learning about myself, will be a blessing to Claira and will lead Claira to her own personal relationship with the Lord.

Happy Day

I want to wish my brother and his wife, Dan & Kym, a very happy anniversary. I believe this is their 12th and I hope they are able to celebrate in style. Dan & Kym have two really great kids, Ashtyn & Ethan, who are a lot of fun to visit with. Happy Anniversary!







It is also my friend, Carrie's, birthday. Carrie & I have known each other for a long time and she has always been a good friend to me. She is a Dr. Pepper fan and has an extensive collection of Dr. Pepper memorabilia. Carrie lives near Kansas City, Missouri, and I miss her very much. Happy Birthday, Bess!!!

I Am His

Although it is a gray, rainy day here in Ohio, it has already been a beautiful morning. My husband has become a terrific snuggler and I enjoy every minute we get to have together of snuggling, cuddling, & talking in the mornings. Claira Ruth is like a ray of sunshine when she wakes up - even before she can fully open her eyes she is already smiling and showing off her 2 bottom teeth. Friday morning is also my Starbucks morning - the blackberry green tea frappuccino is so refreshing & yummy...

I subscribe to a daily email devotional and wanted to share this particular one with you. I can relate to it because Claira is still a baby and has the occasional midnight bottle...

http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/05/12/because-you-are-mine/

Enjoy and have a terrific day because He loves you.

Need I Say More?

Teething... Claira has 2 teeth on the bottom, but more coming in on top & bottom. She really only gets cranky when her teeth hurt or she is very tired... If you are familiar with Anne Geddes, there is a picture of a baby laying on pink peonies - she's holding her feet and grinning - all you can see are her 2 bottom teeth because her nose is all scrunched up with her grinning. Claira has started doing that and it cracks us up!!!

Still teething, but enjoying it. She is starting to feed herself more & more and likes to have a spoon when she's eating her baby food. I haven't yet let her feed herself baby food entirely, but she's figuring it out. She really likes the little vegetable or fruit puffs they make now, and is really developing her pincer grasp.

I think she looks like Tweety bird in this picture. =) This was taken about 10 days ago.

TGIF! It's Cinco De Mayo!!!

Yes - one more excuse to overindulge in Mexican food! Like I need another reason for that. Greg & I will probably have lunch together - chips & salsa, of course! We joke about our poor attempts at speaking any Spanish at all - neither one of us studied it and only know a few basic common phrases, so our attempts are somewhat entertaining and we make each other laugh.

After I got out of my shower, I heard Miss Claira cry and went to get her out of her crib. She was sitting up in the corner of her crib with her head in an awkward position because of one of her hanging crib toys. That's the first time she's brought herself to an upright position without help - Yay for her! So we celebrated that with her. Then, Greg called on his way to take a test at school and said Mama Taylor called him to ask if he knew she could crawl. He told her we've only seen her just recently manage to get up onto her hands & knees, but apparently she decided to jump that hurdle today, too, and is crawling on all fours! What a big day for her!

You know, I have to stop and think about how excited I get for her when she learns or accomplishes something new. She gets cheers & clapping and we smile and encourage her. It is a big deal because she is growing and changing and we both want to encourage her. But I know I don't do that enough for myself, and it is something I should work on...

Maybe my May 5 resolution should be cheering myself on more, even for the little accomplishments...

Have a great one!

Spring Has Sprung

Greg & I took Claira to Kingwood Center last weekend. They have one pair of gorgeous black swans. They lazily swam their way over to us hoping for some crackers or bread (which we didn't have). Kingwood Center is gorgeous - and they have a whole garden of peonies budding - we will go back later this month so after the peonies bloom, and hopefully go back in June to enjoy the very large, very lovely rose garden.

This was taken at an awkward angle, but I think the colors turned out well. There were 2 male peacocks that we saw at Kingwood, both of which were being chased by children (whose parents kept yelling at them to stop but did NOTHING to stop them - UGH!). They loudly called out their "woman in distress" cry many times throughout the time we visited. They both flaunted their gorgeous tails several times, but usually right after I'd put my camera away... I really enjoyed watching them.

Here is the not-so-drab peahen. She actually carries the same irridescent feathers on her neck as the male and was quietly hunting insects when we came upon her. Maybe God made the male more lovely to look at, so that predators (or bratty children) would chase them and leave alone the female who might be nesting...


Happy Beautiful Spring!

Da Vinci

The Da Vinci Code, both the novel and the movie, is rather disturbing to me. Although I have yet to read the book or see the movie (as it has not been released yet, and I'm more likely to pay to see the movie), I don't like the notoriety or positive publicity it is receiving.

What bothers me the most is how QUICKLY people swallow anything that clouds the life of Christ - anything that hints at discrediting Him or His Word. If I was to publish a book about the life of Mohammed and basically cast shadows on his life story, the Koran, etc., do you think people would just assume that my "novel" was based in reality because I said so? Do you think it would upset a Muslims? Do you think I would be lauded and praised, or would I be criticized for not being religiously correct or tolerant? Would I even be persecuted for writing a tantalizing "story" about someone that millions of people believe in? That they believe in enough they are willing to live their lives for and die for Him?

Oh wait, that's right - many people simply believe that Jesus was a "good man" and not the Son of God. And since Christians are supposed to "turn the other cheek", I should be able to tolerate someone's slanted, negative depiction of the One I believe in, right? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that ANYONE is trying to slander the Lord or His Life and Work because isn't that the intent & purpose of The Enemy? And by "enemy", I don't mean the author of The Da Vinci code, Dan Brown, I am referring to The Enemy of God, Satan. However, the author when asked in an interview whether his "novel" was based in fact, stated that it was based in "historical fact." (See the link "Debunking the Da Vinci Code" to the right of the blog.)

Why aren't more of those who put their faith in Christ speaking out against this? Maybe it's too early. Maybe they understand that people will believe what they want to. Maybe they don't realize the danger yet. I haven't yet decided if I will read the book. I may see the movie and add an updated opinion about the whole thing here at a later date.

For more information also visit: http://www.thecodeisfiction.com/

Political "Stuff"

Today is May 2 - voting day. Even though I work with a Political Science department at a university, I'm not the most up-to-date on all of the issues. I'm not one to watch the news 24 hours a day - or even 1 hour a day to be honest. I like to know the highlights, important events, but haven't paid too much attention to all of the issues coming up for vote.

However, I do think voting is important. Even if I only vote on the things I'm aware of, it is important for me to be there and make my statement. Too many people whine about not being given a voice, and then when it comes time to vote, they are lazy and indifferent. Can't have it both ways.

As far as all the immigration news - Greg & I were talking about it this morning. They were showing the millions of folks marching in LA and other places and talking about the economic impact of it all. Greg looked at me and asked, "How did that affect us? In what way were we impacted by their march? We weren't. The Midwest wasn't affected by it." The news reported that 27% of students stayed home from classes in the LA area. I'm wondering if they were ALL Hispanic, or if any percentage of those folks stayed home as a statement to support the cause, or even just used it as an excuse to take a day off from school.

My thought is this: If you want to be in America and work in America and take advantage of the American Dream, become an American. Don't stay here illegally and march in the streets as if you have a right to access the same rights as American citizens. If my children are required to learn Spanish in order to communicate more effectively with those who emigrate here from Mexico, than those same immigrants should be required to learn English in order to communicate more effectively in return. I have no problem with people wanting to be in America and live the American dream, but it IS called the "AMERICAN dream" for a reason...

Claira Catch-Up

I tried starting this blog when Claira was first born, but there wasn't much going on beyond nursing-sleeping-pooping-crying and I was waaaaaay too tired to keep up with it. Now that she is almost 9 months old, we have a basic routine, AND her little personality is developing, I want to share her growth, changes and updates.

Claira has added so much fun to the life Greg & I live. She is becoming a fun little person and we enjoy seeing her grow, change, and become who she is. Her bright blue eyes sparkle at times, and at other times, it is obvious she is feeling various emotions. Greg says she gives an "evil look" and I would have to agree. She is very deliberate in her expressions, and has a look without crying that lets us know she is upset.

She jabbers all the time, and repeats "da-da" most often, along with "na-na", especially when she is "singing." She says other little phrases like "blecchh", but not in any very specific way. She will look at Greg if I ask her where daddy is, or look at Sadie the cat if I ask where Sadie is, etc.

She is also exhibiting the typical jealousy with her big cousins, Emma - 5 and Kyle - 3, with whom she spends much of her afternoons. If her Mamaw Thelma is holding her, she does NOT want either one of them around very much, and is just starting to be able to tolerate them sitting in the same chair with her and her Mamaw. She has started showing her preferences for who she wants to be with and is starting to exhibit the signs of separation anxiety with both Greg & I, and her Mamaw.

She has recently learned to whistle. Emma whistles often, along with her Papaw Joe and her Papa Ron. When Claira gets excited, she purses her lips, moves her hands & feet really fast and breathes in and out rapidly. So, she learned to whistle. She has now learned that she can whistle in response to our whistling and she likes it.

I have started teaching her about face parts. One of her favorite things to do is to grab onto Greg's short hair and pull him towards her as hard as she can, squealing and laughing the whole time. She will also grab ears, noses, lips, etc. Obviously, we have to start teaching her NOT to pull hair (or anything else), as she has started hurting her bigger cousins in her attempts to "play" with them. She seems to enjoy learning - smiling, watching, really even focusing sometimes.

In her "Baby Animals" book, there is a picture of a black and white kitten, which looks remarkably like our cat, Sadie. She has learned that she can pull Sadie's hair sometimes without repercussions, but Sadie is also teaching Claira that she will only take so much, and Claira is learning to be "gentle" with other people. When she is reading the book and I point to the picture of the kitten, she takes great notice and will focus her eyes and move her face in closer to the book and stare at that picture. She was saying "ki-ki" (kitty-kitty) at 7 months.

She particularly loves it when I sing "Twinkle, Twinkle" or "You are My Sunshine" which Greg & I both sing to her everyday. We usually put her name into the sunshine song and she just smiles great big when I start singing it to her. She has also started recognizing herself in the mirror. Especially after a bath, when I've wrapped her up in her big towel, I will hold her so she can see herself and she looks back and forth between me & the mirror, sometimes pursing her lips and kicking her feet.

She has not yet started crawling. She has rolled everywhere she's wanted to go, but she is learning how to lift her hips off the ground and is starting to get herself into the crawl-position. She enjoys standing up with help, and once she learns she can crawl and get places quicker, it won't be long before she learns that standing/walking will work even better.

She has 2 bottom teeth, and the top 2 are about ready to cut through. She really only cries when she is very tired or when her teeth are bothering her. She doesn't fuss much otherwise. She is starting to self-feed and is trying new foods. She loves her biting biscuits, which help with her teeth, and also the fruit or veggie puffs that she has to pick up with her pincer grasp.

Something she did this past weekend really floored Greg & I. We were at Applebee's and the waitress gave Claira a balloon which she was immediately fascinated with. I tied it to her high chair and she proceeded to reach hand over hand to pull the balloon down towards her. Whether or not that is appropriate for her age, I think Greg & I are always completely amazed by the ways she changes daily and how much she learns so quickly!

We are excited about spring - about summer coming - about taking her fishing - about pushing her on a swingset - about taking walks with her so she can see nature - about working in my garden with her outside in her playpen - about hearing her say "ma-ma" on a more regular basis - about seeing Claira move into crawling, then standing, then walking. Greg was just telling me the other day how much he misses her baby days, but I have found that I don't miss them much (yet) because I am having too much fun watching her grow and change and become CLAIRA.

It is very exciting to be able to share my life with someone like Greg, who is a very gentle, caring, loving man. Not to say that we don't have fights - we were both born under fire signs (NOT that I believe in astrology as much as I believe that the environmental factors at the time of one's birth do play a role in personality development) and we disagree with each other. But it is also amazing to be living my life with the one person I was meant to be with. And then for us to have been blessed with Claira - it is remarkable and I am grateful.