Clara-isms

Throwing toys as far as she possibly can...by walking them as far as she can see before dropping them.

Likes to sing and dance.  Favorite songs include: the ABCs, Baba Yetu, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider.  Her dancing involves alternating between swaying side to side while lifting each foot underneath to rhythmically crouching.  It can include rapid stomping/running in place.

If we say, "See ya later!" as she is walking out of the room or around a corner, she will walk back into our line of site and wave with a big smile.

She is now has her first attachment item(s).  As of my birthday, August 9th, she began greeting us after periods of sleep with her bunny thumbie from Potterybarn that she has always had in her crib.  This past week, her "Tutu" doll from my cousin (also a crib companion) has joined the ranks with Bunny.  She must have both when entering, leaving or getting ready for bed.  They are also both great when she needs consoling.  We will be taking them to the hospital next week so that they are there to comfort her (not that she really needs it) when coming out of anesthesia after having her Hickman removed.

She likes to put her head on the floor and walk around herself.  Just sort of spinning on her head.

She will often play on the floor and then just lie flat on her stomach for a few short seconds to rest.  There is a home video of me doing this at 1 year.  It was always a dream of Alan's that our child would exhibit such cuteness mid-play.

She bit me the other day and after my outburst showed her first realization that she had done something wrong.  She then pulled my shirt back every way she knew how to look at the skin she had biten that I had initially revealed to check for broken skin.  A little bit later, she put her teeth on me again 4 times.  Each time, holding back a bite as I told her not to bite.

She sticks her finger in her mouth when she sees someone sleeping in a book or when reading "and the quite old Lady who is whispering 'hush'" in Goodnight Moon before bed.

She has begun confirming "are you hungry?" or "It's time for night-night." by walking to me and waving bye-bye to Daddy or the room.

Bedtime routine has now moved from the living room into her now completed nursery.  We dress her and do her final meds and heparin flushing of her Hickman on her dresser/changer.  We all read Goodnight Moon together.  She gives me snuggles as we turn out the light.  I say "Go see Daddy" as I hand her to him.  She completely falls back and to her right anticipating the crook of his arm.  Then immediately cranes her head back and to the left anticipating my kiss on her left temple as I say "Mommy loves you sweet girl.  It's time for night-night.  I'll see you in the morning."  Alan says she has even begun moving into the position he usually shifts to just before placing her in bed - before he even gets to the second lullaby.

She loves the bathtub.  Leave the door open and she will bee-line straight to the tubside and declare, "Weay!" for wet/water.  We can't wait til we can actually put her in that bathtub on Tuesday next week.

She loves Wheel of Fortune and will clap before the audience when someone solves a puzzle and will repeat the letters called by yelling "A!" for every letter.  She will also clap when the Jeopardy Daily Double pops up...before the audience claps.  She will also clap just after or as a song is finished playing when we turn on music in the house.

Clara's current "words":

Daddy
Baby
It's ready!
It's a tent!
Hi
Bye
All done
Mmmm (when anticipating food that she wants)
Coffee
Uh-oh
Water
Shhh
Cereal
Banana
Yay

Words for which Clara has representative sounds/signs:

Car/Truck
Butterfly
Elephant
Puppy
Giraffe
Bird
Monkey
Cat
Flower
Squirrel
Bunny
Mouse
Frog
Horse
Tiger/Lion
Fish
Sheep/Lamb/Goat
Mouse