What a Year

This is a picture of Clementine a year ago.


How is it I can remember the details from this day with such clarity but I forget my own phone number and whether or not I had a shower this morning??
On this particular day a year ago, I drove to the hospital to meet Cameron for the BIG REVEAL. I was feeling so excited knowing I was going to find out who had been kicking me for the last few weeks and so nervous that the technician might find something scary in there. I listened to 10,000 Maniacs on my way to the hospital and drank a huge bottle of Dr. Pepper because I read that the only way to be sure the baby stays awake is to get them all hopped up. I did not want to chance a sleeping baby with her legs crossed! We HAD to know.

I remember seeing this gorgeous face in grainy black and white and going "That is Cameron's nose and chin!" and I was right!

Then and now...

Whenever Clementine sleeps through the night I want to sing this good news from the rafters. Since I am tone deaf and we don't have any rafters I instead take my joy out in the kitchen.

This morning (at 6am) I made homemade rolls for dinner tonight. These things are such an indulgence. I cannot resist them.

Here is some more good news: I am finishing my Master's Degree this week (for real this time). About two months ago I posted the good news that I was ALREADY done with my degree. That same day I received an email from my school saying there had been a mix-up and I still had one last class to go. Now, eight weeks later, I have completed said class and my entire degree. I'm trying to sort of reign in my joy and elation *just in case* I receive another email. But for now I am planning on catching up on all my scrapbooking that I haven't gotten to do much of in the last 18 months!

These are my new all time favorite pictures of our little Love Bug. We took these in our backyard on Monday while the sun was shining brightly. I started blowing bubbles for Clementine, which she loved, but she quickly lost interest and played with her sunglasses instead.



There is just something about that hat that gets to me! I love it!

Deep Thoughts with Clementine

Sometimes it seems as though I can read Clementine's thoughts. We are very in tune with one another that way. She can probably read my thoughts as well, though most of my thoughts these days are "Clementine, please go to sleep."

Here I will narrate for you Clementine's thought process as Cameron feeds her:


"Wait a second here...YOU are going to feed me? I'm not so sure about this...."



"So far so good. But I have to say, Daddy, your hair is pretty messy. I think you need a haircut (Mommy told me to say that)."
"Excuse me, I'm waiting...."
"Keep this train a-movin', pops. Here, I'll help you."

"You like SEE FOOD Daddy?"
Aren't these two so funny together? I wish I had a camera pointing over Clementine's shoulder back at Cameron because he's the goofiest dad ever. He does the silliest voices, makes the goofiest faces and can just crack this girl of ours up! He hams it up for her and she does it right back. Cam and Clem are two peas in a pod.

P.S. Clementine *MIRACULOUSLY* slept though the night last night! Hallelujah!

Grandma and Grandpa Visit

Dear Loyal Readers,
Sometimes I lose my camera. I have been losing many, many things lately but when I lose the camera, the blog suffers. Inevitably, once I find the camera the battery is dead which just takes even more away from my faithful postings. Such is the case in the last week or so. I am playing catchup so prepare for blog postings 60-98 today.



Last weekend, Grandma Cathy and Grandpa Jim came to visit all the way from Alaska. We took a tour of Bellingham, went to see Cam at work, visited the farmers' market, went out to dinner, put together the new dresser and visited bunches.
Cathy and Clementine took a walk in our backyard one sunny afternoon.

Baby Daddy

These pictures make me weak in the knees! I love that man o' mine like crazy but when he's holding our baby girl I swear I see stars falling all around his head! Don't even get me started on what happens when he's holding a vacuum or, say, a mop--heck even just a broom!

Cam talking to his folks while Clem "naps" (notice the one sock)

Giggling w/ Daddy
In the snow with Cam (don't they both look thrilled?)
Learning to play video games (NOT my fav)

What Daddy does best
Clementine and Cameron have an amazing bond. She seems to know that Daddy is the fun one as she will literally squeal with delight the minute he comes home from work. All she has to hear is the key in the door start to turn and she will pant, wave her arms and widen her eyes in excitement. She laughs and laughs when she is near him and then chill out so completely she's like a rag doll in her arms.

Cam is the best Baby Daddy I could ever hope for.

The results are in!

Today is supposed to be a big results day for Obama and Clinton but I have more important up to the minute results to share with all of you.

A few weeks ago, Clementine hinted that she was ready to say something important. You all voted on what her first word would be and, indeed, her first utterances were ground-breaking. Last weekend the heavens opened up, the sun shone brightly through the trees and angels were singing sweetly in the background as Clementine said.....


"Mama,"


Actually, she said it more like "Mamamamamamamama....mamamamaamamamam....." But if I insert the binky at just the right time, it sounds like "Mama," and therefore I convinced this is not only news worthy but the loveliest sounds I've ever heard.