Wow - So, once again it has been so long since my last post I am not even sure where to begin.  I think I will start with our vacation and then move onto the topic that people are really interested in...Clare Bear! 

Ahhh, vacation.  How I wish that we were still in a tropical place with turquoise blue waters and white, fine sand.  Our trip to the Dominican Republic was absolutely wonderful!  We were there for 5 nights and 6 days and really enjoyed ourselves.  It was hard to leave Clare, of course.  And we missed her like crazy.  But we did have an amazing time!  We went with Sara and Nate which made it that much more fun.  The resort we stayed at had everything.  We played swam in the ocean, laid by the pool, danced at the disco, went horseback riding, played sand volleyball, played ping pong, and of course enjoyed our fill of the all-inclusive food and drink.  There were so many restaurants on site that one night we ate two dinners just to try to get them all and still never ate at one of them.  One word to describe it all was FANTASTIC!  It was the perfect way to celebrate turning 30 and a good stress-reliever for Tony and me with everything we have going on. 

When we got back from vacation, we spent all the time we could with Clare before it was back to work.  Unfortunately, this wasn't very long since I went back to school on that Monday and Tony started his new job then too.  While we were gone Clare turned 5 months old, and she seemed even more grown up when we got back.  While at Mema and Papa's. Clare started to play in her walker.  She loves it and hasn't looked back since.  She really enjoys it when one of her cousins pushes her around in it...like Aubrey loves to do! 

When we came back from vacation it was also March Madness time, which is very popular in our house.  And as you know, we are a house divided so Clare had to support both of the Kansas schools that were in the tournament...the Wildcats one day, and the Jayhawks the next.  We thought she looked pretty darn cute in her two outfits!

Clare is at a great age right now where she is learning to do new things all of the time.  She is rolling all over the place, and we are working on sitting up (not quite there yet).  She is also very into playing with her feet and trying to put her toes in her mouth as well as making any noise possible she can with her mouth.  Sometimes it is gurgling, sometimes more like puffing air, and often times she is squealing or giggling loudly.  She just cracks me up so much of the time! 

A couple of weeks ago we went to a baby shower for our cousin and dear friend Morgan.  It was such a fun event!  While there, Clare got to meet her cousin Reed for the first time.  He is a little bit older than Clare and quite a bit bigger.  Even still, they had a great time playing together.  They won't get to see each other often because Reed lives in Chicago, but I know when they do they will make the most of it! 

Recently, we have been doing quite a bit of work at our house.  We've been doing some painting and some outside clean up to hopefully get it sold more quickly.  Clare thought it was pretty fun stuff.  She helped me paint the back door to the deck and then she had some good quality time with daddy while he enjoyed an ice cold beer after a long days work.  Gotta love it!

 

Our baby girl is just getting so big that it is hard for me to believe it!  Recently she started eating vegetables and eating in her big girl high chair.  Awww!  So far she has had green beans and peas and she seems to really like them both.  She certainly has a healthy appetite for just about anything you put in front of her! 

One last thing and then it's bedtime around this house.  Last weekend we went up to a First Communion in Nebraska for Tony's godson Jace.  It was a great family affair - fun to see everyone.  AND I actually got Tony to take a photo when we were all dressed up, so here is our most recent family photo of the three of us and a pic of Clare in the adorable dress that was borrowed from her adorable cousin Aubrey! 

Well, that's it for tonight.  I hope you enjoyed this super long post!  Oh, and for those of you who are wondering about my 30 by 30 challenge...it didn't happen!  Bummer - but I figure there are worse things in life.  Have a great week and be safe! 

4 months old already!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post...things have been slightly busy around here.  As I mentioned last time (more than a month ago - gee I am a slacker!) I was getting back to work.  I have now been at my long-term sub position about two and a half weeks and it has been crazy!  I love going to work and I love the second grade class that I have, but it is much harder than I thought it would be working, being a mom, and not to mention trying to get our house sold. 

For those of you who don't know, Tony and I are moving out of the Kansas City area in the next couple of months.  Tony got a great new job at a cabinetry company in Manhattan, which is what started this whole transition.  Then shortly after, I was fortunate to be offered a 3rd grade teaching position for next year in the Kaw Valley School District.  We are both really looking forward to our new positions!!!  However, that means that things have flown into high gear around here trying to get the house sold, look for a house in our new location, and so on, and so on.  We are so excited to be closer to family, but we are also very sad to leave our friends. 

Now, onto the good stuff - what is going on with Clare.  But before I tell you what's new, I must share some of her three month photos.  Aunt Sara took them and as usual she did such an awesome job!  Check them out...

As you can see in these pictures, Clare is changing so quickly.  She is growing like a weed.  At her four month appointment she had grown 3 inches (now just about 26 inches long) in just a matter of 6 weeks.  However, she didn't gain that much in the weight department so besides a few rolls on her thighs, she looks like a little string bean!  :)

I am always amazed with the new things that she is doing, she's really getting quite the little personality.  Although she doesn't say real words, she sure does babble a lot.  I just keep telling Tony that once she really starts talking it will probably be hard to get her to be quiet!  He says that she's going to take after me!  Clare has also started to be a rolling machine.  Earlier it was just front to back - but now it is front to back, back to front, sideways, and in a circle.  She really finds it entertaining to spin herself all around on the floor in the evenings.  I'm not sure what Daisy thinks about here getting more mobile, but we will soon see how that works out.  The other really fun thing that has changed is that Clare has started to eat cereal.  It is hilarious to watch.  It's like we can't get it in her mouth fast enough - she absolutely loves it.  Check out a couple of these pictures to see what a mess she can make.  In the first one her eye looks crappy because she scratched it...but you can still get the gist of the cereal experience. 

Well, that's about all I've got time for now.  I hope that I can post again before she turns five months, but who knows.  I hope you all have a great week and are enjoying the glimpse of spring-like temperatures to come!  :)

Clare Turns 3 Months...and Starts Daycare!

So, I think in my last post I mentioned that things had been slow around here for the beginning of 2011...well that changed real quick!  As I realized that going back to work was just around the corner, it meant getting a lot more accomplished throughout the day.  Plus we have had a lot going on during our weekend time.  It's been very fun (because it was all family stuff) but just a bit time consuming. 

Let's start back where I left off last time and then I will work up to the present.  A few weeks ago, Nana came to spend the weekend with us.  It was very low key and really great time for the three of us girls to spend time together.  Tony was out of town, so we did things that we really like to do - like put together a puzzle.  When I was a kid, my mom and I did a lot of puzzles together and it was so much fun.  I really hope that Clare and I can continue that tradition.  As you can see by the picture below she is off to a good start!

The next week Clare Bear turned three months old!  That is so hard for me to believe that our little baby girl is growing so fast.  I have always heard people talking about time flying when it comes to their children, and now I see why.  She is getting so much bigger and is a babbling machine.  I have a feeling when real words start coming out of that little mouth, it will be hard for her to stop!  I guess in that way, she will take after her mommy!  :) 

I think that I mentioned in one of the last posts how much Clare loves to look at the TV.  Well, that hasn't changed a bit.  I don't know if it is the bright lights, and flashing colors or what...but she is going to be a TV junkie if we don't do something soon.  And now it is even worse - she is a remote hog too!  It looks as if she wants to watch a different channel here.  Too funny!!!

The same weekend that baby girl turned three months, we also took a trip up to Axtell for great-grandpa Elmer's 80th birthday.  The party for him was so nice.  There were a lot of family and friends in attendance, so Clare of course got TONS of attention.  She really enjoyed that, but she was wiped out by the end of it.  When we were in Axtell, Clare worked on her card playing skills too.  I think she is going to be a real card shark.  She would get that from Papa or Daddy...not me!   

Last weekend was super eventful around our house.  Clare spent her first night away from us.  She was with Nana in a hotel down the street while we had our annual post-holiday, holiday party.  I meant to take my camera and get a picture of Clare's first hotel trip, but it totally slipped my mind as I was running around trying to get everything ready.  As usual, we had a great time at the party...but it got a little wild.  And even though we had a great time at the party, the next morning I woke up missing Clare Bear and dying to go get her.  I guess this was a good warm-up for our trip in March, though.  Tony and I are going with Sara and Nate for a five-night stay in an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic.  So excited!    And also so nervous about leaving Clare for that long.  She's going to be having so much fun without us - she will be at Mema and Papa's with all three of her cousins. 

So, I think that brings us up to this week.  It has been crazy.  I started transitioning slowly back to work (half days, three days this week) and Clare started daycare!  I thought I would be super emotional on the first day I dropped her off, but I really wasn't.  I really like the lady that we chose for daycare and I completely trust her to take care of our baby.  Each time I have picked Clare up, she has seemed so happy so I know she is having a good time there.  There are a couple of toddlers there too, so I am sure she is having a great time watching all of their activity.  Next week, she will spend a bit more time there.  And then once Jenny has her baby girl I will be back to work full time in the classroom.  I'll keep you posted! 

Have a great week!

Slow start to 2011

I am happy to say that the first full week of 2011 has been a nice slow and relaxing one.  Tony went back to work for the entire week so Clare and I have really just been taking the time to get back in our routine, to play a lot, and of course get the house back in order.  One of my new year's resolutions is to declutter and organize my house.  I must say, I am off to a great start because I already cleaned out/rearranged the kitchen and both my dressers and closet.  Another one of my resolutions of course is to lose weight.  Now, I kind of have to laugh when I say this because I make this stupid resolution every year and it never happens.  I don't know what makes me think this year will be any different, but we will see!  I'd love to say I could lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday in April, but that's pretty lofty.  Wish me luck! 

So, back to Clare...as she approaches three months, she is getting to be so much fun.  She is really developing her own little personality and the way she laughs and smiles at me just melts my heart.  Her new thing is grabbing at objects and pulling them into her mouth.  She's pretty happy with just shoving her entire fist in her mouth, but now she is also pulling mommy and daddy's fingers in, as well as any toys she can figure out how to get there (which are still only a few, but we are working on it!).  So, since there isn't much new to update you on, I am just going to post a bunch of pictures.  The first group are ones I am REALLY late posting which are a sampling of her one month pics.  There were about one hundred pics, so I just picked a few of my faves.  Aunt Sara took them and did a fantastic job, so I want to show them off to everyone. 

Next are just some random pics I have been taking at home.  I'm sure this little girl gets tired of always having a camera in her face, but I just can't help myself!  The first one of her in her play gym makes me laugh because she has all of these interesting toys to play with and what is she straining to see...the TV!  She really is my daughter!  :)

Last, but certainly not least is my latest purchase for little Clare.  It always makes me mad that Target and other stores put out swimsuits in January...like we don't feel bad enough that we gained our holiday weight, let us be tortured by the thought of getting in a swimsuit.  And while I still feel that way about the adult swimsuits, I just couldn't pass up buying this adorable little suit for baby girl.  How cute is Clare Bear going to look in this?  Pretty dang cute, I do believe!!!  Between this and the life jacket that Tony's Aunt Jo gave us, this little diva is going to be ready for Lake Wabaunsee!  :)

Well, that's it for now.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  We are looking forward to a visit from Nana, so ours should be fun! 

Finishing Out 2010...Christmas and New Years

The final weeks of 2010 were really busy and really great here in the Buessing house.  When we returned from our first weekend of Christmas celebration in Axtell, we only had 3 days to unpack and get ready to do it all again.  We left for Topeka on the Wednesday before Christmas so we could split our time between Papa Sam/Grandma Tammy's house and Nana's house.  The time in Topeka was very nice and relaxing.  We spent the first couple of days including Christmas Eve at Papa Sam's.  The Christmas Eve celebration was with Tammy's family as usual and it was a fun time.  We had a wonderful meal and then did presents for the kids.  Clare of course got some great stuff including a few outfits, an adorable stuffed elephant, and a fun tummy time mat that looks like a frog on a lily pad.  Below are some pics of that portion of our Christmas, plus Clare trying out her new tummy time mat. 

Our next stop for Christmas was to Nana's house.  We spent Christmas Eve night through Sunday evening there and of course had a great time.  On Christmas Day we headed up to Sabetha to have lunch with Great-Grandpa and Grandma.  It was fun because they were able to show Clare off in the care home that they live in.  I don't think the people there get to see little babies very often, so it put a smile on their faces.  It was so nice to spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa because we don't get to get up there enough. 

Later that evening when we got back to Nana's we did our Christmas with her and opened gifts.  As usual, we all got spoiled - especially Clare!  She got more cute outfits, a kick and play piano, a book, a baby doll, an ornament, and more.  Even Daisy got in on the fun.  Check it out...

The last stop on the Christmas list was back at our house where Tony and I finally did our gifts to each other and our gifts to Clare.  And although I am so thankful for all of the great stuff I got this year, nothing compares to the gift that Tony gave me.  I tried to take a picture of it, but I just couldn't get one where you could see it.  It was a silver bracelet that has links with photos all the way around it.  All of the pictures were of Clare and of our little family.  When Tony made it for me, he even included words on the pictures.  I know my description isn't doing it justice but it really is amazing!  Clare enjoyed her gifts too...as you will see in the picture below (please ignore the dog bone on the ground in the background :) )

We also had another big event happen in our house the Tuesday after Christmas...Clare rolled over for the first time from her tummy to her back!!!  We were so proud of her, and I was so glad Tony was home so he could see it too! 

  

Last, but certainly not least we celebrated New Year's Eve.  It was pretty low key this year, but it was a great time.  We went out to dinner and hung out with Tony's cousins and their wives, who are also good friends of ours.  Clare stayed with Mema and Papa until a little after midnight and then we called it a night.  Mema and Papa also stayed with us for the rest of the weekend and we just hung out at the house, did a little shopping, and played a lot of cards and dominoes.  Papa Gary was teaching Clare how to play pitch and it was pretty cute...check it out!

Well, I think that is it for now.  I hope that your 2011 is off to a good start and I will try to post again soon!