Princess Diapers & Other Clara-isms

Like I mentioned in the previous post, Clara has a few cute sayings we've wanted to capture on video fro some time now. Well, tonight we got a bunch of them!!! Let's roll the video then I'll explain each one.

• Bih-guh behg = big-girl bed. Pretty self-explanatory.
• Pih-geh bye-geh = princess diaper. Our Little Clara ain't so little. She's outgrown the largest size of nighttime diaper, so we had to put her in Pull Ups. She loves her Pull Ups because they have princesses on them. You've got to hand it to Disney. My daughter has NEVER seen a Disney princess movie and is totally obsessed with her pih-geh bye-gehs, asking for them all day long.
• Nigh-nee = pacifier. One of Clara's first phrases was nigh-nigh, meaning going to bed. It was cute to hear say "nigh nigh" each night when it was time to turn in. I don't remember exactly when it happened, but somehow pacifier became "nigh nee" - maybe it was when the pacifier became a bedtime-only item. Maybe Kristin will edit this post. Regardless, nigh nee is one of the most powerful phrases in our house, able to calm a tantrum-ing two-year-old, or to start a tantrum if she somehow got it and I go to take it away.
• Mee-kee bye-geh = Mickey diaper. Another up to the Disney marketing machine. The Huggies diapers that Clara wears during the day have Mickey and Minnie Mouse on them. Hence...
• Moh-duh = Grandma (my mom). Enough has been said about that in this post.

Now that you are all fluent in Clara, who wants to come babysit?

Big-Girl Bed

Tonight Clara made the jump from crib to big-girl bed. We had originally planned on making the switch after my internship. However, our apartment this summer will have a twin bed in the second bedroom. So, we made the switch today!

After taking Moda to the airport, Clara and I picked up Mommy and Anna and headed back north to visit the Mecca of inexpensive furniture: IKEA. Clara had a wonderful time testing out all the beds. The spring mattresses were especially good for jumping. We eventually settled on a foam mattress and a box spring. A quick lunch in the cafe - dude, who knew their fries were that amazing! - and we paid and were on our way.

A quick shout-out to my MAD box spring securing skills. A bunch of twine and that sucker didn't move a bit during the 40 minute drive home.

Setting up the bed was easy as pie. The bed rails were another story. The video below mentions my feelings for the ones we bought.



There are a number of Clara-isms that we've wanted to catch on video for some time. In the video above She'd just been given her pacifier and was more interested in it than what Daddy had to say. Luckily, after we got ready for bed she cooperated. The video and explanation of each phrase will come in the next post.

Check her out in her bed for the first time!


And now ready for bed:

Blessing Anna

Today was Anna's blessing. A number of family and friends join us at our Ward at 9am, braving slight rain and multiple chapels in the area to confuse the situation. We had Bryce & Lisa, Heidi & Dave, Josh & Lindsay, Sara, my mom, Brig-ham, and Melissa. We filled three pews on the side.

Anna is such a different little girl than her big sister. Where Clara is all will and passion, Anna is none the less willing to make her will known, but in a less dramatic way. She was quiet through the entire blessing. I attribute this to my no-bounce rule. Why men insist on bouncing babies as they bless them is beyond me. I've seen bodies bounced higher than heads, babies freaking out at the movement, and out of control bouncing. I always pause, give everyone a stern look and say, "No bouncing." And because Anna likes to feel secured, I asked Dave to hold her hands down so she wouldn't flail. It kept her calm.

After we headed back to our house for brunch. It was so fun to visit with everyone, many for the last time before we head out to Seattle for the summer. We did snap some pictures, unfortunately we didn't get any of Anna all gussied up. We've contemplated dressing her up again for the photo op.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Paig-a-licious

Today our dear, dear friend Paige stopped by for a visit. Paige and I have known each other since the early 90's (holy crap we're almost at 20 years) and she has been one of the few constant friends that entire time. If I had access to the scanner, I would scan a really great picture of her from a How To Host A Murder dinner party circa 1993.

Paige was in town for a week, visiting with a friend who was experiencing a great loss, catching up with another friend who has found a new lease on life, and making sure we're still as crazy as always. When we reported that Kristin's Dad taught Clara the word "shopping" when they were here for Anna's birth, Paige was most pleased. She likes to teach little girls all about Prada.

We spent most of the day visiting. We talked, we played with Clara and Anna, we chatted with my mom, but we ended the day with two great traditions. Each has a story, and each story warrants telling.

We had dinner at Outback. I have no idea how the tradition was started, but EVERY time Kristin and I went to Outback in D.C. we would go with Paige. Generally we'd arrive at the restaurant first, secure a table, and I'd order the drinks (one regular Coke, two Diet Cokes, three waters) and the appetizers (layered Cheese Fries and Bushman Shrooms).

[BEGIN ASIDE: One of our servers once told us about layered Cheese Fries. Rather than piling all the bacon and cheese on top, they do a layer of fries, some cheese, another layer of fries, and more cheese and the bacon. Definitely ask for them next time you head to Outback. END ASIDE.]

[BEING ASIDE #2: Oh, and Bushman Shrooms were recently taken off the menu in Utah, but are mushrooms dipped in the batter they use for the Bloomin' Onion and served with the ranch from the Cheese Fries. They prepared them for us even after taking them off the menu. END ASIDE #2.]

We'd get salads for our main course, after gorging ourselves on the appetizers and bread, and chat for a good long while. Paige is notorious for carrying random things in her purse, so we'd usually check out the books, magazines, and make-up du jour. Rarely did we order dessert. We'd just sit and talk and talk and talk.

After dinner my mom, the girls, and I came home while Kristin and Paige drove in her rental to the store. We actually needed a few things and we "needed" some dessert. Here's where story #2 comes in:

It was a Saturday night about five years ago. Paige was (how do we say this delicately?) PMSing, and there needed to be chocolate and lots of it. I opted out of the trip to the store, fearing that I would not be able to handle that much estrogen (says the guy with a wife and two daughters). They returned a short while later with chocolate chip cookies with peanut butter cups baked into them and chocolate icing in which to dip said cookies. Even I, the King of Sweets, couldn't down more than two or three. The women devoured them. Ahh, the sweet power of estrogen.

Although they skipped on the chocolate icing this time, Kristin and Paige returned with a mix for triple chocolate brownies, hot fudge, whipped cream, and vanilla and caramel ice cream. Thirty-five minutes and one edge brownie pan later we were gorging. An excellent ending to the day.

Here are a few shots from the day. Oh, we also played Rock Band. Which I love. It kills me how much Anna looks like Clara.
Do you think Clara and Anna look alike?

Good Morning!

Today Clara woke up with the desire to sit in the chair in her room. Her pillow, Rocket, Minnie, Hippo, Lamb, and Baby had to join her. Pic one is how she liked sitting. Pic two is after Daddy staged the shot.