What We're Loving...

Hello friends!  Yes, we are still alive and kickin...just super busy with our crazy lives.  I've decided to quit saying sorry for the lack of blogging at the beginning of each delayed post, because clearly my posts aren't getting any more frequent.  This just may be the new norm.  Oh well, on to the important things.

To catch you up on the last few months, I'll tell you what Clare's really into right now.  She's now 17 months old (wow, that's hard to believe!)

Climbing into or on anything she can find.  When we were getting our KC house rented, she thought she should explore the inside of all of the kitchen cabinets.  And this duck stool helps her get up to things she can't reach on her own. 

She loves playing with her baby doll (especially trying to feed her with her own sippy cup) and playing with her tea set.  She likes to take the baby all over the place - even in the car.  She would take her tea set with her everywhere if she could, but it isn't exactly practical!

With all of the nice weather, Clare has been loving playing outside. And she loves to play with her cousins now that we live so close together.  I don't have a picture of it, but this past weekend Clare was riding on a hot wheels with Payton.  They rode down the hill fast and she was just squealing with delight!  She loves playing with her big cousins!  Check out her dunking ability...I think that she has a bright basketball career in her future! 

(thank goodness for bloomers under her skirt...she was clearly not worried about being ladylike on the slide!)



Lastly (and probably her favorite), Clare is LOVING helping around the house.  She is so big and it just makes me smile.  She always wants to help put away the silverware from the dishwasher. 

She loves to vacuum with her little vacuum when we are vacuuming (this was one of those warm days in the last few weeks which is why she is running around in her diaper). 

And she loves helping with laundry.  She helps put the clothes in the washer, take them out of the dryer, and even tries to put them in her drawer.  They clearly need a bit of rearranging...but so great that she loves to help already! 

And here's what I am loving...these pigtails and those big baby blues.  I know that I am partial, but who wouldn't love this little cutie?  Tony and I are amazed at how quick our baby girl is growing up.  She is so much fun and her personality keeps getting bigger.  Each time we think we have a "favorite stage" in Clare's life, the next one is even more fun! 

Hope you have a great week! :)