To my baby

Dear Clara,
I can't believe that you are already a year old. I have had such a wonderful time watching you grow and learn, but I must admit that it is going by too fast. You are so curious and practice each new skill with bravery not fear. I hope that you never loose this since of exploration and determination. When I see you today, you look so much more like a little girl than a baby. I love you so much, but someday I hope you can understand when I tell you that watching you grow is the hardest but most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. Continue to grow up healthy and strong no matter how I might plead with you to stay my little baby. I am so very proud of you already, Clara, but I know this is just the beginning.
Love always,
Mom

One Year Photos

Happy First Birthday

Today is the big day: 1 year old! Clara opened lots of beautiful presents: a rocking chair and rocking horse from Grand Mary; a toy kitty, play cell phone and lots of new cloths from Grandma Dayna and Grandpa Chris; a new stroller and blouse from Great Grandma Selma; and toy pots and pans and a horsey toddle video game from Mom and Dad. After presents Clara had her first ever ice cream and cake. It was messy but fun, just as it should be.

Clara climbs

Tomorrow my little girl will be one year old. I can't believe how much she has grown and all of the things she can do now that she couldn't do a year ago. Below is an example of one of those newly acquired skills.

First Day at the Beach

Today we took Clara for her first trip to the beach. It went really well. She enjoyed the sand and sun, but didn't get into the water; it was too cold for that today. After the beach we found a great new playground nearby. I know where we'll be spending a lot of time this spring and summer.

A second Disney Day - Epcot

Day two of our Disney vacation was more for Mom and Dad than Baby. The last time I was at Epcot I had been pregnant with Clara and unable to ride any of the thrill rides so Pat and I started out the morning taking turns on Mission: Space and Test Track. Then we grabbed Fast Passes for Soarin'. During the wait for Soarin' we took Clara on The Land, Spaceship Earth, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. She really seemed to enjoy The Land and pointed at the plants and waved to the fish. She did well with Spaceship Earth... I was a little worried that the dark parts would scare her, but she just snuggled up in my lap. And by the time we hit Nemo the day caugh up with her. Clara was asleep before we got through the line, and she slept through the whole ride.

After Pat and I finished Soarin' we headed out to the World Showcase (or for Patrick - the Tour of Beers). We couldn't have had better weather for our walk(mid 70's with lots of sunshine). We grabbed a lunch in Mexico where we also took Clara on the Three Cabilleros ride. She really liked that one. In fact, at the end of the ride an older couple behind us said that they had more fun watching her than the ride.



But for Clara the best "ride" of the day came at then end when we decided to let her run around to tire her out before the drive home. We found a quite section of the Innovations pavillion where she ran up and down the corridor, and in and out through the automatic doors. She sqealled and giggled like crazy as I chased her or baited her with her hat.

Clara's First day in the Magic Kingdom

Today was the first day of Clara's first trip to Disney World. We started the day out with the pleasant surprise of having or resort reservations bumped from a value resort to the moderate resort Disney's Carribean Beach Resort. After checking in at the resort, we caught a bus to the Magic Kingdom and picked up our new season passes. Clara was already enjoying herself by flirting with people at the bus stop and in line at the will-call window. Here is a picture of us waiting for the bus.

Once in the park we took Clara for her first ride: It's A Small World. She didn't get super excited, but she did stand in my lap and look HARD at everything. I don't know if she even blinked she was staring at things so hard with disbelief... like she couldn't imagine that Mom and Dad would have kept something like this from her for her whole life. Here is a picture of us waiting in line for It's A Small World.

We also took Clara to ride Aladin's Magic Carpets, see Mickey's Country House and Minnie's House, play in Pooh Bears Playground, and ride the Winnie the Pooh ride. Here are some photos from those rides:

Us on a flying carpet.

Picking up the stroller from the stroller parking area (they even have stroller parking attendants... one moved our stroller while we were on a ride... sneaky)

Clara found some honey pots in Pooh's play area.

Clara and I sitting in Minnie Mouse's solarium.
And finally... the day took its toll :)