Clara Catch-Up

My baby has turned 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, and will be 7 months next week. And where have I been? Not blogging. Oh dear Clara. You are precious PRECIOUS but I have just not been able to stay on top of blogging about you. We play. A lot. Blogging just simply isn't as fun as playing with you. And since your sister doesn't nap, blogging doesn't happen. But I am so crazy about you, and I will try my best to make this blog post do you justice. Oh how my heart melts for you!

You have changed, Clara. You change daily. We used to think of you as fixture - an quiet observer. Over the past few months there is a fire about you. Gusto. Passion. You grunt like you are trying to take on something mighty. When we hold you it's like you want to be taller and more powerful, and so you contort and clench your body as if you're trying to make it grow. Your sneeze could move mountains, and in fact, if moves you (to fall down) when you are sitting. You have this strength and power and urgency, but at the same time, you can also be so delicate. You hold your hands in a dainty, girly manner. You can sit and watch your sister or Beatrice for a long time. You are content and patient. Your facial expressions are the sweetest in the world. You often smile with your mouth closed, which makes your already puffy cheeks make your face wider than it is long. Your eyes sparkle. Your eyelashes aren't long, but they grow straight up. And the color is so cool. I'm sure they aren't finished changing, but I wish they would stay like they are now forever. A perfect mix of your parents. Poets and writers talk about eyes being like the ocean, and I usually think of the Pacific for those silly descriptions, but yours are like the Atlantic. They are almost navy-green-grey except for a small starburst of brown in the middle.

You still love to eat. You mostly nurse about very 4 hours, and have 3 meals each day. You love sweet potatoes, sweet peas, squash, and pears. You're also starting to feed yourself puffs. You have your bottom left tooth and the right one isn't far behind. You look like you could pass as a 1 year old - your hair and your size are mature for your age. Still in the 97th percentile for all of your measurements. You're wearing 9-12 month clothes. You got a haircut last weekend. Please slow this all down. I'm feeling cheated out of your babyhood.

You are expressive and have babbled for some time now. All three of us are competing for your first word ("Mama", "Dada", and "Ada"), but you aren't in a rush to meet milestones. And we're ok with that. Because you are usually so content, and because you are usually so well waited upon by your sister, you haven't shown much intention of moving towards things. Please make yourself comfortable - I don't need you to crawl anytime soon.

You are in love with your sister. From your carseats, Adelaide makes you laugh. Which makes her laugh. You two can take turns laughing, which escalates into cackles. You also have become a lot more interested in Bea. You reach for her and stroke her fur. Thankfully, you haven't yet pulled her ears the way Adelaide did. You squeak while inhaling when you see her - a sound that seems to be reserved just for her. It makes me cough to hear you making this sound, but it is so pleasant and happy - I love seeing you react to her.

During our bedtime routine, you've started liking books more, but would rather chew on them than soak up any stories. You seem to like books with babies and faces, and textures. You love peek-a-boo. You lean towards people you want to hold you. You've recently developed just a tad of stranger anxiety - not enough to keep me anchored, but enough to make my heart swell as I rescue you. Right before bedtime, you touch my face or mouth and smile for minutes. It is such sweet time.

I cannot imaging our lives without you, Clara-bel. Don't grow anymore please.