Loving her new shirt!

Clara got a bunch of new clothes for her birthday.  I snapped this pic of her modeling one of those shirts (the pants were not part of the outfit – those were PJ’s).  What you can’t see is that she’s also wearing big black boots with this outfit. 

When she got this shirt, I thought that it would be too big.  I was wrong.  It fit her perfectly – I guess she’s bigger than I want to believe!

I just love her expressions in these pictures. 

 

Four Year Well Check

 

Clara went to her four year well check wearing Aidan’s old Elmo costume.  It was on Halloween, but I think she would’ve worn it regardless.  At this well check she weighed in at 33 lbs (33rd percentile) and was 39.5” tall (46th percentile). 

 

Queen of the Track

 

After Clara’s birthday party, we drove to the Motox track to let the boys ride.  Clara took along her blow-up crown and scepter.  When she wasn’t bonking the boys with the scepter, she used it to direct traffic most regally!  All that’s missing is a red carpet. 

 

Self-portrait

About a month ago, Clara spotted an easel at a store.  She began telling me that she wanted an “artist” for her birthday.  Unlike most of the toys she sees and wants at that moment, she held on to this idea. She even tried talking the grandparents to a trip to the store so she could show them what she wanted for her birthday.

 

Her Mimi and Pop Pop bought her this easel (the other side is a dry erase board) for her birthday.  She loves it and has drawn on it almost every day. 

 

This picture is a drawing Clara made of herself.  She has just recently begun drawing pictures of herself.  I didn’t realize this was a developmental milestone until the doctor asked at her well check a few days later if she draws pictures of herself with at least three body parts.  Hmm.. head, arms, legs… check! 

 

Candy Overload

 

Clara helped us stock up on candy for halloween.  No, we did not throw in extra candy for the picture.  We really did buy this much candy for Halloween.  And we still ran out before the night was over. 

 

 

Birthday/Spa day!

I took Clara to “take a haircut” on her birthday. 

 

She LOVES getting her hair washed. 

 

 

When the haircut is over, she gets her nails painted.  She has become an expert on this step and if the lady doing her nails deviates from a step, Clara is quick to let her know!  The ladies at Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids love her and get such a kick out of how much she enjoys her haircut days. 

I love your hat!

Love this picture of Aidan & Clara goofing off at Target! 

Clara's new PJ's

Clara is getting to be such a big girl. She is modeling her new PJ's for me here and she looks like she's five or six!

She says "I can't hear you!"

Clara went to bed recently wearing her new puppy ear muffs... she kept telling me, " I can't hear you!"

Aidan gets a new belt!

Hook ‘em!

I took Brandon to his first UT home game. We both had a great time despite the loss for UT.

Brandon came home with a new UT hat and orange foam finger.

Clara learning to love music

 

Clara found a pair of pink ear buds that quickly became her favorite new thing.  They were too big for her so I used a headband to wrap around her head and ears to help hold them in.  Here she is showing off the ipod and making a goofy face that would make her brothers proud.

 

Goofing off with the boys

 

Just a goofy pic of me, Brandon and Aidan from dinner last week.  We (me and Aidan) were freezing and were wrapped up in Mimi’s sweaters. 

 

Freestone - 1st in 85 (12-15) and 3rd in Supermini (12-16)

4th at Freestone. 85 beginner.

Heartsick

One night last week, Clara got pretty upset at bedtime. I heard her crying from downstairs and went up to check on her.

When I got upstairs, she was sobbing. When I asked what was wrong she said, "My heart is sick." I asked why she thought her heart was sick and she said, "Because Brandon broke my heart."

Turns out that she was sad because in a game they played earlier that evening, Brandon didn't keep the cards that Clara had given to him. His rejection of her cards apparently was very personal to her.

I calmed her down and Brandon assured her that he loved her very much and she settled down to sleep. When I told this story to James, I saw panic in his eyes. He's not sure how he's ever going to handle the teenage years if this is any indicator.

Nana - close your eyes!

Brandon on the jumps @ Del Valle

Party dress

 

This past weekend, we went to an (adult) friend’s birthday dinner.  Clara and I took the opportunity to dress up in party dresses.

 

 

 

When we got to the mall to shop for her “party” dress Clara asked me, “ Can I get party shoes too?  So I can match?”   We ended up with a party dress, party tights, party shoes and a party bow!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    “Devlin! Dance with me!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clara and Mommy    

Positive reinforcement.

Clara asked me to get her a straw. So I did. When I handed it to her she said, "I'm so proud of you.”

My little goober….

Aidan's first book report

Today was Aidan's first book report presentation. His report was on the book Lions at Lunchtime which is part of the Magic Tree House series. Aidan was very happy with a few points:

• 
• Googly eyes on the lion
• Clouds hanging instead of being taped to the sky
• The tree house on top of the box

 

 

 

 

His presentation was great!

Aidan's back on the bike

Aidan's bike is finally working again after many months of maintenance.

He's pretty happy to be back at the track with the guys.

And pretty wiped out.... apparently it's hard work!

This picture is Aidan sleeping on the ramp into the trailer.

Clara says

"When I grow up like a mommy I can go at work with you!"

Clara says

Clara calls the street to McDonalds the Pancake Path -- or actually the "panpake path"

I think someone has been getting a LOT of pancakes with her daddy :)

Clara calls cupcakes "Hup-cakes"

Cross Country Meet

It's hard to get pics of D at his meets, but the MIMI managed to snag a few during the last one at Cedar Park High School.

 

At the start

D at the finish line

Lost another tooth today.

He's gotta eat through a straw now....

3D!

Mom took us (me, aidan and clara) to see Lion King 3D in special release this year. It was very fun, but Clara got a little scared during the more intense parts. She was sitting next to me and grabbed my hands while telling me "cover my eyes!"  Otherwise, she had fun and got a kick out of the 3d.

Aidan was in it for the popcorn.....

   

 

 

More Clara says

Clara calls a movie theater a "movie station"

Karate

Aidan started karate in the after-school program at Rutledge. He's loving it!

 

Here's a shot of him trying out his uniform for the first time.

Disneyworld is open!

C: mom, do you know where we are going?
Me: yes, we are going to drop b off at his choir party
C: no, we're going at Disneyworld!!!
Me: Disneyworld? We're not going to Disneyworld today.
C: yuh-huh. It's almost open!

Clara Language

at 3 years old... almost 4

"I can't see the think!" for "I can't see a thing"

I want to watch "t-wii-wii" for "tv"

And my favorite... when she says LOVE she pronounces it "LUB"

Especially funny is when she puts a lot of emphasis on "LUB" as in....

Mack (the dog) LUBS squirrels!

Fun at the playground

Playing at Brushy Creek during Devlin's cross-country meet.

Clara walking across the "tight rope" all by herself.

James and Clara navigating the web

Aidan "helping" Clara walk the rope

Princesses don't go to school!

C: Mom, do I have to go to school today?

Me: Yes

C: But princesses don't go at school!!

I can't remember how the rest of this conversation went, but I'm pretty sure it ended with the princess getting an MBA and running the kingdom by herself.

More Galveston

And a few pics of Aidan in Galveston making goofy faces at the camera.

He was the opposite of Clara and spent the entire day in the water. It was a great weekend.