Big Girl Carseat!

I wanted to keep Claire in a rear facing carseat as long as possible as it is the safest. She's so long that her knees were constantly bent and would make it known (quite loudly) that she did NOT like being in her carseat. Being that her current carseat was rear facing only, we used some Christmas gift money and purchased a new one a few weeks ago. It was a bit funny watching her crawl into her new seat not being exactly sure how to sit in it. Claire seems to really like it. She's been pointing out lots of these like school buses, trucks, horses and cows; just to name a few.

This new one is super duper! It goes up to 100 lbs, converts into a booster and should be the last one we need to buy for her.

Claire reading to Mama

Christmas Festival of Lights at the Grotto

http://www.thegrotto.org/

Our trip to see the Grotto's Christmas lights had to be postponed several times due to rain. We lucked out the weekend before Christmas with a dry day so we bundled up and off we went. Claire really enjoyed the choir music and actually sat still for three whole songs. This is definitely going to be an annual event for the Hicks Family.

Playing in the snow

Christmas Eve we went up on Mt Hood to find some snow to play in. Grandma and Grandpa Reiman joined us in the adventure. We packed the chains, a lunch, a thermos full of hot chocolate, the dogs and off we went. It has been sometime (like 15 years) since Dave and I have been sledding so we had no idea where to go; but I figured it's Mt Hood in December, there's got to be snow somewhere.

A few weeks earlier I purchased a pair of snow boots and bibs for Claire at a local consignment store super cheap. Plus the winter coat that Grandma Dee sent her and she was all set to stay warm and dry. I on the other hand had no idea what I was going to wear. Luckily for me Dave had an extra pair of rain pants and with some thermal underwear, jeans, a sweatshirt, two pairs of socks, my Columbia jacket and LL Bean fur lined boots I too stayed warm and dry. Overkill maybe, but I wasn't cold. :)

Ruby loves the snow.

Not too pleased with Daddy's attempt to
 have her make a snow angel. 

Claire has eczema on her cheeks and the cold weather makes them bright red giving her that 'rosy' look.

We found a 'Claire' (basically a little bump) size hill for
her to go solo on. 

Notice the snow balls clumped to Ruby's fur.  They got so
big she had to sit down and bite them off. It was super cute watching Tucker trying to help her get them off.

Ready, set, go!

Claire and Grandpa Reiman

Whhheeeee!

What's Claire doing now?

• 23 lbs (50 percentile)
• 32 in   (95 percentile)
• Wearing size 24 month clothes and size 5.5 shoes
• Says 'mama' and 'daddy'!
• Has added 'baa' as in sheep, 'roar' for lions and bears to her animals sounds
• Knows where her shoulders, cheeks, chest, tongue, teeth and bottom are
• Has learned the signs for blueberries, grapes, more and please 
• Says thank you, cookie, bonk and no (pretty happy about this one)
• Talks non stop from the time she wakes up, to the time she goes to bed; even if it does sound like Japenese
• Is down to one nap per day but is three hours long
• Loves her books, hanging on the dogs and going down the slide
• Is FINALLY growing hair

I hoping to get her on video doing on her animal sounds really soon so we can share it with you, until then you'll just have to take my word for it that she's pretty darn adorable.    

Christmas Tree

Last weekend on a crisp, clear, cool Saturday morning we set off to find our perfect Christmas tree. We have a least a couple dozen Christmas trees farm within a 10 mile radius of our home, so it was a short trip since we had all year to decide which one to go to. 

Dave really enjoys the look of Grand Nobles and I wanted a tall skinny one this year, now to find one we both like. Do you ever wonder the tree is thinking? Is it going 'pick me, pick me!' or 'oh no, not me!'? One of those random things that crosses my mind every year. We walked through probably a 100 trees before coming back to one of the first ones we liked. Funny how it always seems to work that way. 

Dave packed it out by himself since walking on the uneven ground in my boot is challenging. He was a trooper about the whole thing and it was no easy task considering we picked a 17 foot tree this year. It so tall I had to buy more lights and ornaments. 

Daddy gives the tree a shake

Claire gives the tree a shake

The view from the Christmas tree (a few miles from our house)

If I get around to getting our Christmas cards ordered,
addressed and mailed, this is our photo.

Or maybe this one :)

It took a week and a half to get decorated (no ribbon
this year) but its finally finished.  Thanks Dave for your help!

Aaaah Ha!

 I learned today that if you want Claire to keep her hat on, you got to put the mittens on first!

Claire got a new hat and mittens today. By random luck they go perfectly with the winter coat Grandma Dee got for her (not this hoodie); new sunglasses too! 

New heavy winter coat.... check, new super cute hat.... check, new matching mittens .... check, Mom's got the week off.... check, groceries in the fridge.... check, Dad's got the generator ready to go just in case.... check, cold front is moving in.... check. Okay, we're ready for it to SNOW.... bring it!