Rogers' Neighborhood

ABC's, 123's

2011-08-30T14:53:00.001-04:00

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-08-30T14:43:00.001-04:00

Play

2011-08-30T14:11:00.003-04:00

Fashionista

2011-08-30T13:42:00.003-04:00

Clara is becoming interested in fashion. Not really, probably more interested in putting on articles of clothing all by herself. Sometime it makes for funny outfits. This is a onesie she tried to put over the outfit she was already wearing.

She is also very interested in Mommy's makeup. If Mommy isn't good about putting her makeup away or hiding her purse, Clara will usually get her hands on a tube of lip gloss as seen below. She is always very mad when she is caught and the lip gloss is taken away.

Eventually I had to get Clara her own "makeup"

My favorite is when Clara decides to clomp around in Mommy's shoes. Who knew walking in high heels could come so naturally!

Over the river and through the woods

2011-08-30T13:31:00.003-04:00

Also in May 2011, Clara spent a week with Grandma and Papa Rogers in West Virginia while Clark and I took a trip to Washington D.C. Clara loves playing with Grandma on the organ or piano

One of her favorite parts about Grandma and Papa's house is their little playhouse in the back yard. Meals and naps were a little more difficult because first you had to drag Clara (usually kicking and screaming) out of the playhouse. It was so cute to see her play - things are always more fun when they are just your size!

Cupboard under the stair

2011-08-30T08:59:00.009-04:00

These pictures and video were taken in May 2011. Clara was still referring to herself as "Caca" now she calls herself "Cawa." But for the longest time her favorite place to be while Mom was cooking in the kitchen was this little cabinet where I keep our Tupperware. It reminded me of Harry Potter and his cupboard under the stair. One of her favorite games to play is still a form on hide and seek where she hides and Mom is supposed to say "Where's Clara?" and she pops out and we all say "There she is!".

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T20:42:00.007-04:00

Happy Easter everyone; I know I'm a little late. I have two excuses: #1 I left the disk with all the pictures at my in-laws house and had to ask my friend to burn me another (she did so in record time) #2 My computer is a living dinosaur (something we hope to remedy in July) and several attempts to upload pictures were thwarted due to time or my computer refusing to cooperate.

This was not Clara's first Easter, but it was her first year to hunt for Easter eggs. I hid 12 of them but after about 6 she was done. She was much more interested in the egg's contents and totally lost interest in hunting for them. She is officially 18 months old (19 months now). She is becoming such a little jabber-er (?). She will pat me on the shoulder and say "dis is momma" and then patting herself, "Caca." She is trying to say CLARA - "L"s and "R"s are tricky I guess - I just wish she would include one of them so that it doesn't sound like she is speaking Spanish.

My dear friend took these pictures as a Mother's Day gift. Visit her blog at tashataylorphotography.blogspot.com; I think she did a beautiful job and goodness knows it takes a special person to coax a smile out of my Clara (she's kind of stingy with them). This was Clara's easter dress!

ARIZONA

2011-03-03T21:01:00.005-05:00

In February Clara and I took a trip to Arizona so that I could reunite with my dear college roomies. We had a great time letting our girls play while we got caught up. Clara had a great time at the park playing in the sand box and riding the train and carousel. We also enjoyed swimming (don't you love AZ, swimming in February), and the children's museum. Since Mommy is terrible at remembering to take pictures I only have a few to share. These were taking at the park.

She is getting so big. We were having so much fun that we were just too excited to sleep - Clara was anyway (Mommy WOULD have slept just fine). After four days of excitement and very little zzz's Clara was tuckered-out. This video was taken in the airport. She fell asleep in Momma's arms 5 minutes later -poor baby.

Snow No-Likey

2010-12-09T23:03:00.003-05:00

Snow no-likey. I guess when both parents are brought up in the South, it's just not in the genes. She wanted nothing to do with the freezing white stuff that Mommy and Daddy were trying to sell her. Wouldn't even stand in it. Part of the problem might be the snow gear. It greatly hinders ones movement and balance and when you are new to those things anyway . . . well see for yourself. Clark looks about as thrilled as Clara.

Oh well, at least the pink leopard coat is cute, right?

Funny Face

2010-12-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

Clara just recently added this facial expression to her repertoire; I'm not sure if she is concentrating or what but I had to get it on film.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-08T15:24:00.015-05:00

It has been over a month since my last post. Shameful; especially since I have so many pictures to post. Our Thanksgiving weekend was so much fun. We were actually home alone on Thanksgiving and so I had the chance to make my first ever Thanksgiving feast (turkey and all). Everything turned out beautiful and totally edible - delicious actually. I was so proud I took a picture . . . tilt your head because I can't figure out how to flip this thing righ-side-up. The Friday after Thanksgiving we made our way down to West Virginia to see our "Mountain Momma" and the rest of the Rogers. A nice neighbor came by and took lots of family photos.

I think my favorite series of photos was with the little girls . . . Clara is still not smiling even though Mommy is in front of her making a fool of herself.

WHACK!!!!

Sad and yet, so hilarious.

We got a nice photo of our little family - expect to see it in our Christmas card (if I ever get to Christmas cards).
Grandma bought her three granddaughters matching dresses and on Sunday we dolled-up the cousins and tried again with the pictures. There was no whacking or crying or smiling (at least from Clara) but they all looked pretty and festive in their sweet little dresses.

I just love this precious little girl!

Trick-or-Treat

2010-11-01T23:23:00.005-04:00

We didn't take our little fairy trick-or-treating but we did have a lot of fun dressing her up for our ward Halloween party. Isn't she the prettiest little fairy you've ever seen? (Yeeeeessss!!!)

Missy also dressed up and felt completely ridiculous for two reasons:

1) Apparently Halloween, like Trix, is for kids and therefore she was one of the few adults in costume - even Clark chickened out.

2) "What are you supposed to be?" Actually most were too polite to ask, or maybe they thought my Jersey-shore, Bump-it hair was a new style I was experimenting with. Obviously, I watch too much TV. But seriously? Can you guess who I am? I'll give you a hint - my apron says PROGRESSIVE . . . ?

Flo, I'm supposed to be Flo from the Progressive car insurance commercials; ring a bell? Oh well. Next year I will probably be one of the adults NOT feeling ridiculous because I am wearing my boring, every-day clothing. We also took Clara to the Zoo. The Indianapolis Zoo has a crazy-crowded event called ZooBoo and Clark got free tickets. I did not take any animal pictures . . . which is weird . . . but here are the other pictures we took at the zoo. Clara was so cute pointing at the animals and saying "datdatdat."

I love this face.

We hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!

And we're done with pictures.
Goblin Eggs.

Happy Birthday to Clara

2010-10-27T22:13:00.008-04:00

It was fun celebrating Clara's birthday week. I say WEEK because we had three separate little celebrations for her. At Mimi and Granddad's house we opened a few presents. She got some pretty clothes and her first 'laptop' - why yes, she IS a computer genius; thank you for asking.

Party #2 was a small celebration with just Clara, Momma (that's me) and Daddy. I did not bake a cake but I bought little cupcakes that we found most disappointing. One taste made Clara stick out her tongue with the yucky, bitter, pink icing and cry. In fact she cried when we put on her party hat, she cried when we lit the cupcake, and she cried when we would not let her touch the flame on the lit cupcake, and lastly she cried when she tasted the cupcake. Sheesh! We were lucky to get one photo.

On to presents. Everyone likes getting presents and Clara is no exception. Ripping paper is always fun and the toys Mommy and Daddy picked out were a huge success.

Party #3 took place with the whole Rogers clan at Grandma and Papa's house. I baked Clara's first birthday cake and was very proud of myself and my Halloween decorations. We sung, opened presents and then we ate cake!

Clara was much more impressed with Mommy's cake; though, she was not a fan of the feeling of frosting between her fingers. Daddy fed her instead.

And lastly a few pictures that were taken earlier that day. Our cousin, Madison and Aunt Andria raked up a nice pile of leaves and Clara and Madison had lots of fun playing.

Won't eat pink icing cupcakes but cannot stop eating dried crunchy leaves . . . go figure.

Play

2010-10-10T19:38:00.003-04:00

Why spend money on Fisher Price toys when your child is entertained with a straw? Clara gets a kick out of the most mundane objects; it is really cute and also really messy. She is into every cabinet and drawer within her reach.

So far her favorite drawer is the plastic bag drawer (ya, I know babies are not supposed to play with plastic bags). I pick up grocery bags all day because they make the most delightful noises.

My little black cat

Tricksey

2010-10-10T19:20:00.003-04:00

Clara has learned several "tricks" that we would like to share. It is so fun to watch her play because we realize how much she watches and learns from everything around her. She understands much of what we say to her . . . now if we could only understand what she says. Oh well, it will come quickly enough - too quickly.

Clara has also recently mastered the stairs. She can go up and down but needs a little more encouragement when going down - I guess up is more fun? Here's Clara showing off her new skill.

Baby Steps

2010-10-09T12:51:00.002-04:00

Clara is on the move! Before this she has required a chair or a hand or something to help her stand up. Then one day she picks up two blocks, stands up and takes two steps toward me before falling back on her padded behind. Then came the tears, not from her from me! My baby took her first steps, how did she get so big so fast? When Clark came home we caught a little bit on film.

Eleven Months

2010-10-01T02:25:00.002-04:00

My big girl is eleven months old. Clara crawls all over the place pulling anything and everything out of drawers and cabinets. She also likes to pull herself to a standing position to cruise around the furniture. She is a little timid about walking on her own but will walk around if she's got you by one hand and can stand all by herself. The other day when Mom ran up stairs to grab her shoes she came back to a little girl who had already climbed to the 5th step (need another baby gate). She is so excited about eating table food and so far her favorite is cheese and strawberries - but mostly cheese. She can say "Mama" and "Dada" and we like to tell ourselves that she is referring to us when she says them. She gives us nice, big, wet kisses when we ask for them and sometimes initiates them on her own. A little girl at church was not quite sure what to do when Clara leaned in with her open mouth!! She can clap her hands and wave bye bye and now has four teeth.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-10-01T02:03:00.003-04:00

For Labor Day weekend we had a full house! Grandma, Papa, Uncle Robert, Aunt Anne, Aunt Emma, and cousin Rainie all came to see us and our new home. We had a wonderful time! We celebrated Papa's birthday in style at a little Mexican restaurant in town.Ole!The sombrero was a big hit!Clara also got a little birthday action; she opened her birthday present from Grandma early (can't believe we are almost to the 1 year mark - can someone please hit pause for just a little while).Clara loves to watch "big kids." She can't keep up yet but she sure thought Rainie was fun.

Trip to Midland

2010-10-01T01:42:00.005-04:00

In August we made a trip to Texas to show Clara off to all my siblings. We had lots of fun - we went swimming, we went to a minor league baseball game and overall just had lots of fun being with people we love. Clara was very happy to have another person she could lead around the house.

Texas wind blowin through our hairWe love Mimi!!

Daily Grind

2010-10-01T01:09:00.003-04:00

I'm posting these videos mostly for myself. They will seem long and uneventful to everyone else but for me it is a sweet reminder of why I wanted to be a mother and how lucky I feel to watch her learn and grow each day.

Following the Leader

2010-10-01T01:00:00.002-04:00

Clara loves to walk her parents around the house. At first it was hard and scary and then it became the only thing she wanted to do. It's a killer on Mom and Dad's backs but her delighted squeals make it well worth the pain.

Bitter Sweet

2010-10-01T00:39:00.003-04:00

Before we said our final farewell to Kansas we made a trip to Cameron, MO to say goodbye to Clark's grandmother who passed away. It was a beautiful service but even more beautiful was the gathering of the family that dearly loves her and will miss her. Here are all of her grandchildren and some of her great-grandchildren.

Clara got lots of attention from her second cousin, Annabelle!

Worst Blogger Ever

2010-09-30T09:29:00.003-04:00

A special apology to my parents and in-laws for being the worst blogger EVER. I've got excuses by the truckload but the real culprit is my own laziness. Getting behind makes the task even more daunting but here's my first effort to catch up. While I may not have blogged, I fortunately still took pictures and home vidoes. It is crazy to look back at these and see how far Clara has come is such a short time. She looks like such a big girl now compared to this next video.

We took this in June while we were packing up our apartment in Wichita. Too cheap to buy blocks, we made-do with plastic cups. My favorite part about this video is Clara's arm flapping; she's starting to grow out of it now but it is something that Clark and I have always loved.

Rewind

2010-08-07T09:48:00.005-04:00

These photos were taken in December of 2009. We used one of them for our Christmas card but I didn't get the rest of them back until just recently. I love them so I had to post them. I can't believe how small she was and how much she has changed in so little time.

Hairdo

2010-06-09T16:01:00.003-04:00

Playing with Clara's hair. It is almost long enough for pigtails on top but I had trouble getting her to hold still long enough to put the clips in her hair or to get a straight part.

Summer Fun

2010-06-04T16:10:00.004-04:00

Clark caught Clara and I playing with our "blocks." Okay they are not blocks they are empty plastic cups but they are still stackable and PRETTY. They also make great noises when you knock them over. At the time, Clara wasn't quite sure what to do with these things when they are stacked in a big pyramid but now she is very excited to knock any structure mommy builds down - usually before it gets very tall. Banging them together has also proved most entertaining.

I have recently introduced Clara to the pool. We go to the YMCA almost every day (though this week has been difficult with all the rain and thunderstorms). The first day she was a little uneasy but every day since she has played in the water like an old pro. We spend about the same amount of time at the pool as we do PREPARING for the pool but it is well worth it. Pool time = sleepy babies. This is Clara all tuckered out from splish-splashing in the sun. Don't you love to watch little ones sleep; so precious!

Giggles

2010-05-15T23:16:00.005-04:00

They happen at the most random times with the most unexpected words and gestures. I'm not sure exactly what she found so funny - the words, the sound of my voice, the toy? I was lucky to have the camera handy because the novelty soon wore off.

On another note, Clara has decided that she is a vegetarian. I tricked her into eating turkey with sweet potatoes but that is just because she LOVES sweet potatoes. Both the chicken and the beef are met with gagging - literally, she gagged. I can't say that I blame her. Gerber chicken smells like tuna ( an acquired taste) and the beef smells like SPAM (or at least what I imagine SPAM to smell like, I don't think I've ever really opened a can). Anyway, she was disgusted. She didn't want to swallow it and she is too polite to spit it out so she just held it there on her tongue, open-mouthed and crying . . . which then led to choking and coughing and pureed beef splattered everywhere! I wish I had a video of that; it was really quite comical if you are not grossed out by SEEfood.

Jabber

2010-05-08T21:49:00.005-04:00

This just started a few days ago and I love it; melts my heart like chocolate in the sun. I cannot imagine how I'll react when she starts saying REAL words.

Meltdown

2010-05-02T00:07:00.004-04:00

We went to Oklahoma this weekend to see my brother-in-law, Robert, graduate from pilot training. Clara was . . . not herself. It was not her fault, she is only six months old afterall, and didn't sleep well the night before. Rough night + being awakend at 5AM + 3 hour car ride + missed nap + sitting through graduation in a cute but uncomfortable Easter dress + hungry =

MELTDOWN!

Luckily we had a break in the afternoon and Clara was able to catch a 3 hour nap. She was the same happy child we know and love that evening (thank goodness)!

Six Months

2010-04-27T23:44:00.004-04:00

I can't believe my baby is six months old. It is so much fun watching her grow and learn. She is sitting up almost entirely by herself. I'm told that once they can sit up, crawling is not far away; time to baby proof. She is kind of a CHUNK. At her last doctor's appointment she was 78th percentile in height and 84th percentile in weight. She has become so playful and is amused by some really random things. For example, once Mommy told her to put her arms up (so that I could remove her shirt and get her in her PJs) and demonstrated by straightening my arms and lifting my hands above my head. She thought that was the most hilarious thing she had ever seen. Needless to say, Mommy spent the next ten minutes throwing her hands up in the air just to hear the sweet sounds of Clara's laughter. She has also learned to press her lips together and make motor-boat noises (I think Mamaw taught her that). It is pretty funny to watch and Clara really likes it when someone does it back to her . . . I need to get that one on video tape.Still no teeth

House Hunting

2010-04-27T23:30:00.002-04:00

This post is about three weeks overdue. We are buying a house!!! The second week of April we took a girls trip (My mother, Clara, and myself) to Indianapolis to begin the search. I was set up with a realtor who I really like and who seems to really know his stuff; he is also an expert in purchasing HUD homes (homes that have been forclosed on). We looked at homes for two full days; poor Clara was so good. I was so grateful to have Mamaw there to help with her, otherwise I'm not sure what I would have done! Anyway I found a few that I liked and placed bids and one was accepted! We are still waiting for HUD to sign their portion of the contract - why is everything government-run (with a few exceptions) so inefficient?! - but as soon as they do we will be on our way. Here is a picture of Mamaw and Clara playing in the mirror of our hotel room - Clara likes mirrors. By the end of this trip these two were best buddies.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T15:53:00.004-04:00

On this beautiful Easter Sunday, my heart is filled with gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I think of how dearly I love my sweet daughter, I understand better (though not fully) how dearly our Heavenly Father and Savior love us . . . love me. I am grateful for the special experiences, such as parenthood, that make up mortality and the promise that those family bonds can continue beyond the grave. I know that this plan of salvation is made possible through the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Happy Easter.Again, some of my favorite pictures are the ones that didn't quite turn out the way you intended . . .

Grease Lightning

2010-03-31T21:26:00.003-04:00

Last week I noticed that Clara's cradle cap had returned (cradle cap = really bad baby dandruff). She hasn't had it since she was two months old but it came back worse than before. As an inexperienced mommy I went online to see what I should do for it and read that putting olive or vegetable oil on the scalp for a few minutes will loosen the flakes. In my "wisdom" I decided to use baby oil instead. I use it after every shower for my own skin. However the baby oil I have isn't really baby oil it is baby oil GEL (so it doesn't run all over the place) and it contains aloe and vitamin E.

"That's a brilliant idea, it should really moisturize her scalp," I thought.

What it actually did was really GOOP up her hair. These pictures were taken after TWO shampoos; her hair is completely dry.

The gunk came out of her hair after two more shampoos, one of which was with dish soap (yes, really!!). By shampoo number four Clara was pretty ticked off - we all know how long it took her to warm up to baths - but luckily that was the last one.

The good news: no more cradle cap!

Toe Jam

2010-03-31T11:52:00.003-04:00

Clara proves to me everyday that she is her father's daughter (not that there was EVER any question to begin with). Her latest manifestation - chewing on her toes. Of course Clark doesn't do that anymore, but when he was little . . .

Hungry Hippo

2010-03-17T23:08:00.002-04:00

Hmmmm . . . mmmm! Oatmeal and green beans; a winning combination. Quaker Oats should totally make that flavor, it sounds way better than peaches and cream, don't you think? In this video Clark is feeding Clara and she is a mess but doesn't care; she is HUNGRY. She likes the new flavors we are slowly adding to her diet and so far I think her favorite is green beans (we haven't introduced fruit yet). Her first time trying peas didn't go so well, she made faces that said "this is awful" while sticking her tongue out and making "uhck" noises. Now she will eat them but . . . definately not her favorite.

Grandparents

2010-03-17T22:26:00.002-04:00

We love Grandma! Two weeks ago we drove to Cameron, Missouri to see Grandma Rogers and Great Grandma and Grandad Hart. We were able to show them Clara's pretty Sunday clothes and what a good little eater she is becoming (we recently started solid foods). It is amazing how much Clara has changed since Grandma saw her at Thanksgiving. Plus, how neat is it to have pictures with your great grandparents? I suppose I have pictures with my great grandmothers but I don't think I've even seen pictures of my great-grandfathers . . . kind of odd.

Don't be alarmed by the large tarantula on Clara's head, his name is Beau and he is very tame. Oh wait, that is another one of our ridiculously large bows . . . oops.Great-Grandad Hart and miss Clara. We are going to have to teach her the "Mr. Johnny Rebeck" song.Great-Grandma Hart and Clara-bear (oh, and mommy).On our way to church (or maybe just home from there, I forget).

Funny Face

2010-03-03T23:11:00.003-05:00

If the toy doesn't fit (in your mouth), try, try again.

"But Rabbit, I wasn't going to eat it. I was just gonna taste it." ~ 1977 the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

She's Gonna Be a Volleyball Player

2010-03-03T23:03:00.005-05:00

Okay so I probably tricked you with the title. I should have named this Jumpy2 because it is another Johnny Jumper video. She just has so much fun in it; I have to share the Johnny Jumper Joy.

Piggy

2010-03-03T22:43:00.003-05:00

Who knew that a child could become attached to a toy at such an early age. This is something that Clara has been doing for a while and I've just recently thought to record it. She loves "talking" to and holding her Piglet because he is light and soft. Maybe she likes the color too; who knows. Mommy likes that he is washable and if the need ever arises, a Piglet doll can easily and undetectably be replaced. Maybe I should buy a couple back-ups just in case we lose, flush, or rip him in the future.

Pretty Bows

2010-03-03T18:05:00.006-05:00

One of my earlier posts entitled "Tiny Tennies" talked about how baby shoes, though ridiculous, are adorable. Here is another article of clothing that I'm sure Clara could do without. If she had more hand coordination she would rip them right off because she finds them obnoxious; but, she doesn't so, "Ha, ha, haha"! Introducing (drum roll please) Humongous Hair Accessories!!! No, it's not enough to have a clip or a head band, we need monstrous bows and tropical flowers that dwarf baby's head. I can hear my male readers chiding me "Poor little girl, take that stupid thing off," but I can't, they are just too CUTE! Here are some pictures.

I call this one her Minnie Mouse bowTiger LillyRed PosyLemon-LimeMovies get to show their out-takes at the end so here are some photos to make you laugh - not her best.

"Duh-wha?"My favorite - "What the . . .!!!!"

Jumpy-Jumpy

2010-02-20T12:54:00.003-05:00

I hope that whoever invented the Johnny Jumper is rolling in dough because that thing is pretty awesome! It's like a Space Camp moon-walking simulation in your very own home. It's got the fun of bungee jumping without the danger or the death-wish. If they made Johnny Jumpers for adults, you can bet I would buy one. In the beginning Clara was really unsure about this new contraption and didn't quite understand the point; she would spend all her energy trying to grab the support strap and get really frustrated when she couldn't move it to her mouth. Now she is realizing that this thing BOUNCES and allows her to turn a full 360 degrees. This video is a little lengthy but the bouncing is near the end (not big bounces, baby bounces).

Deer in Headlights

2010-02-20T11:43:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been trying to catch Clara's personality on video by placing the camera near our rocking chair. Unfortunately I really haven't caught much - except maybe her curiosity. She is so involved in figuring out this strange object that talking and interacting with Mom is old news. It is also kind of dark since I placed the camera on a closet shelf. It will probably bore the average reader/viewer but I'm posting it anyway; maybe the grandparents will enjoy seeing how big she is getting. It is actually two different clips; the first one is really short then the second will start automatically. Someday I will figure out how to dub over the sound with some music or something because I get kind of embarrassed listening to myself.

Chicken Fingers

2010-01-28T14:53:00.002-05:00

My precious girl. She thinks that she is a big girl and should sit up or stand all the time. This Boppy pillow is perfect for propping her up but I still have to watch her to make sure she doesn't get stuck slumping forward while inspecting her toes. Toes are tricky. This next photo is only funny if you know how hard Momma has worked to prevent this very thing. I've tried mittens on her hands, swaddling her so tight that she can't move her arms (though she could definitely show Houdini a thing or two), and introducing a pacifier (because a pacifier can be taken away, a thumb cannot - at least not in this country). In this photo she has wiggled her way out of Mom's straight jacket, and discarded the pacifier. I guess my next move is that stuff that makes your fingers taste bitter?

Clara Smiles

2010-01-16T20:57:00.002-05:00

My beautiful girl! She is such a happy baby. I'm so grateful to be fortunate enough to stay home and care for her (thanks to a wonderful husband who backs that decision 200%). This video is typical of Clara when she is fed and well rested. Just ignore the babbling crazy person in the background. Honestly, why is it impossible to speak like a normal human being when one is talking to (or about) to a miniature human being?

2010-01-15T17:49:00.004-05:00

Getting behind on the blogging stuff already. Not a good way to start the new year. My excuse is that the computer is located in Clara's room. The only time I can find to blog is nap time but . . . the computer is in her room; I don't want to wake the baby . . . and the cycle continues. Nothing really to report except I love the smiling and cooing. It is so precious and makes my heart sing. I am trying to get it on video tape. Here are the pictures we have been taking. Most of them are from Christmas and New Years.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

2009-12-03T20:28:00.003-05:00

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!

2009-11-20T17:49:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-07T20:24:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-14T18:38:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-12T15:53:00.001-04:00

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.