Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

So it looks like Clark has already brainwashed our child. I set this mobile up in Clara's crib and she loved it! In the video I keep saying that she is 6 months old, what I meant to say was 6 WEEKS old. She is just starting to smile.

Teeny Tennies!

Why are some of the most adorable things also the most impractical?  Case in point:  Baby shoes. 

1.  Obviously baby is not walking anywhere anytime soon. 

2.  They are hard to get on her squirming, kicking foot and if you DO get them on, she kicks them right off.

3.  Because she doesn't kick them off until you are out somewhere, you are most likely going to lose them (or one of them and of course what good is one without the other).

4.  Her feet (shoes or no shoes) are covered 99.9% of the time by a blanket anyway so who sees them?  Nobody . . . except maybe the person who happens to find the one shoe she managed to kick off in the mall without your detection.

So why do I bother?  Because they are just so gosh-darn cute!  Miniature shoes to go on miniature feet.  Plus the sign on the entrance of most establishments requires customers to be wearing shoes and a shirt (ironically you never see one that insists on pants).

Clara Jan Rogers

She has arrived and she is beautiful (at least her parents think so).  Clara joined our family on October 21, 2009 at 2:54 PM and she was BIG - 8 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long.  We all think that she is the spitting image of Clark except for the dark hair (and maybe eyes - time will tell).  She even has his long skinny legs - so cute!  Mommy - that's me - is recovering nicely as well though a little nervous now that Grandma has gone back to Texas.  I would never have been able to survive these first two weeks without her support.  I am comforted to know that she will be back in two weeks for Thanksgiving along with all my siblings and Clark's family as well.  I can't wait to show off my beautiful girl.

Mommyhood so far is a wonderful experience with lots of love and humor.  We are lucky that Clara has a pretty stable stomach and we have not had to deal with spit-up.  Changing her diaper on the other hand . . . well let's just say proceed at your own risk (the major risk being projectile poop)!  I thought you only had to worry about being peed on by little boys - but apparently this is not the case.  If I don't change her diaper really fast, the open air makes her realize that her bladder and/or bowels are not quite empty and she had better act quickly before I replace her diaper.  Needless to say the first few days we were changing her clothes as well as her diaper (we've also learned that all diapers are not created equal).  Her first doctor's appointment was hilarious.  Of course I must say that the doctor's office is to blame; they insist that your baby be completely naked (no diaper) while they weigh and measure her (does it really matter if we are an ounce or inch off?).  With all that time and open air Clara peed all over the table and was kind enough to wait for the nurse to completely clean up her first mess before relieving herself a second time. 

Clara also hates baths - HATES them.  She wails, flails her arms, and grabs on to anything she possibly can in an attempt to pull herself out of the tub while her chin is shaking uncontrollably.  The first bath was probably as traumatic for me as it was for her because she looked so pathetic that by the end I was crying along with her.  If my mother had not been with me I may have decided never to give her a bath again - so what if she is "the smelly kid."  Each bath is getting a little easier but she still hates them.

I must say that she was the cutest pink cheetah the world has ever seen (for Halloween).  Clark and I considered trick-or-treating with her because she was so precious we were sure to rake in the candy!  Instead we just wore our costume all day and took lots of pictures.  She reminded me of that book (now a movie which I have not seen) "Where the Wild Things Are." 

This is for my mother

I've been kind of anti-personal pictures since I've been pregnant. It is hard enough on the ego to outgrow your clothes and look at your expanding body (not just belly) in the mirror; do you really want documented proof for all to see? Sure it is natural and beautiful - blah blah blah - I just prefer to admire this natural beauty in someone other than myself. Plus I just never remember to take pictures (another reason I'm a terrible myspacer, facebooker, and most likely blogger).

As a result I really don't have too many pregnant pictures. My mother keeps telling me that I need to take a picture of myself before I have the baby because later I will want to see how I looked or maybe the baby will want to see (not sure which). Mom lives far away and would also like to see what her daughter looks like pregnant. So this one is for you, Mom. I'm sure I will be glad that I took your advice once I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight (or less). First one was taken in August, then September and the last was today (one week from due date).

Preggo

I'm not sure how good at this I am going to be but with a baby on the way and family far, far away I thought I would give it a shot. Hopefully it will be a nice way of keeping our family updated and sharing pictures, videos and stories. I have my doubts; I'm a terrible myspacer and facebooker.

Our baby girl is coming in a little less than two weeks. I'm scheduled to be induced on October 21st. I am PRAYING she does not come earlier (how many pregnant women say that?). No, I do not love being pregnant - though I must admit that I have had an easy pregnancy. Clark's a first year medical intern and this month's rotation has been CRAZY busy. Since this is our first baby, the thought that he might miss the birth has been one of my greatest fears. I do NOT want to do this by myself - plus who would hold the video camera and take the pictures and tell me I'm doing a good job? This is why I've scheduled my delivery; the 21st happens to be the projected due date and conveniently one of the four days Clark will be free this month. He has two more days off that weekend which means he will also have time to bond with our baby girl. I will have help after she is born. My mother is coming for the first two weeks to help me out but it is unlikely she will be there for the birth. Since I suspect this blog will mainly be about our baby I've posted her first pictures (at least the first ones where she looks like a human and not a sea monkey). These were taken at 4 1/2 months.